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Tips from the editor
Posted on: Sat, 12/29/2007 - 17:54
Tips from the editor
Hands down, the best advice I'll ever give any author is this: DON'T edit your own book. You wrote it; you know what you meant when you wrote it; you know how it "sounded" when you wrote it. Well, guess what? It's going to mean and sound the same to you when you read it. Got that, Phil??? NEVER again are you to try (operative word) to edit your own manuscript!!
Does this mean that you should have your spouse or your mother or your best friend edit your book? Probably not, unless you're blessed with a spouse/mother/best friend who doesn't care if your feelings get hurt. People who know you, who live with you, who love you, aren't going to merrily tear your words apart and help you put them back together in a better fashion where necessary. Never mind that your timeline went south; we know what you meant! Danger, danger, danger, Will Robinson! Bite the bullet and get yourself a professional editor. This can make the difference between acceptance or rejection of your MS. Contrary to public opinion, publishers don't enjoy editing. They don't have time for it, they don't like it, and, truthfully, it isn't their job.
Periodically, I'll post tips and other interesting information designed to help you make your book the best it can be. Here are a couple:
For the non-fiction writers among you, if you need a citation, check out http://citationmachine.net. It's simple to use, and could save you a lot of time and effort.
Today's word usage tip: anymore/any more
Anymore is an adverb of time: We don't go there anymore.
Any more is used when referring to a thing: Do we need any more chicken feed?
More soon.......
I agree wholeheartedly with the advice given in the earlier post, and can't emphasize enough how good that advice is. As a publisher AND an editor, I advise authors to have their books edited by a professional. Look at it this way: Would you rather send an unedited (read "I edited it myself") manuscript to a publisher or shell out some cash to someone who can fix all those little unintentional mistakes all authors (myself included) make? You know what you intended to say, right? Well, I don't. I've rejected many a manuscript because it was so riddled with common errors that I couldn't begin to assess whether it might be telling a compelling story. Don't shoot yourself in the foot by submitting a manuscript that tells the publisher you don't care enough to send correct copy. Also, read the short word usage tutorials posted to this group. They're excellent!
Janet Musick
Tigress Press, LLC
B4Deadline Editing and Writing Services
Janet Musick
Publisher, Tigress Press, LLC
Senior Editor, B4Deadline