I would like to welcome Cassie Phillips to NAG today. She is here to share some insight on why you need an editor even if you self publish. I use one. I hope you enjoy! Feel free to comment and share!
Self-publishing has afforded many up-and-coming writers the opportunity to share their voice with the world. Without the restraints of a publishing house to contend with, authors from all over the globe are finding prevalence; some are even becoming best-sellers.
However, what many aspiring writers fail to realize is so much more goes into the process of self-publishing than finding the good persuasive essay topics and simply writing an engaging manuscript. You still have to ensure the same level of precision and quality as professional publishing while simultaneously taking care of all the other elements of running an online business.
Your Job As a Self-Publisher
In reality, self-publishing is about being a jack-of-all-trades; there’s no one to bounce ideas off or cover technical elements. You have to be your own publisher, scouring the internet for different avenues and aggregate schemes that will get your work out to an audience. Furthermore, since merely publishing your book on Amazon or Lulu will only drum up so much interest, you also have to be responsible for your marketing strategies, harnessing the power of social media and coming up with innovative ways to expand your fan base.
Then comes the pragmatics. There is so much administration and other practical elements that go into maintaining an online business. Do you have systems in place to keep track of sales? Do you have the knowledge to build and secure your own website? Do you have the right tools for staying safe when working away from your office? In short, there’s a lot to think about.
Spreading Yourself Too Thin
With so many elements to manage when releasing a book, it can be easy to become overwhelmed. The result of this can go one of two ways: either you don’t pay enough attention to each element and the overall product is weak, or you work too hard and burn yourself out before you’ve achieved everything you need to. Remember, you are not Superman, as much as you’d like to be.
It’s easy to spread yourself too thin when you work independently on a project. This is one of the main reasons why it’s crucial to bring an editor on board when self-publishing your novel. Not only can he or she take a large portion of the workload off your hands, but an editor is also someone to bounce ideas off and can help you create a more considered, well-rounded and wholly realized finished product.
Editor Benefits
Alongside taking an incredible amount of pressure off yourself when working on your book, there are many great reasons why hiring an editor is a worthwhile investment.
- It’s harder to spot your own mistakes. No matter how hard you try to self-edit, it’s going to be tricky for you to detect typing errors since you already know what the sentence should say. Your brain will automatically fill in the blanks.
- It saves time. As well as reducing pressure, handing over the timely editing process will significantly speed up the time it will take for your book to be ready to be released!
- It serves as a trial read. You never want the first time you get someone’s opinion of your book to be after he or she buys it from the shelves. Getting feedback on content from your editor can be just as valuable as spelling and grammar.
- An editor can identify lack of information. Once again, because you’re so well versed in the content of your book, it can be easy to overlook elements when you haven’t provided enough description. An editor can highlight these areas with an outside perspective.
- An editor can help evolve your vision. No matter what, any piece of writing is always better after it’s been reviewed. Having a second opinion can help your ideas to grow in ways you could never achieve alone.
A Word of Warning
Though hiring an editor will bring you unmatched benefits, there is a word of warning before you hand your work over and put all your faith in your new team member. This is your book and your vision, and no matter how skilled the editor is, he or she can’t implement the ideas you have about the project. It’s possible an editor will try to steer you in another direction.
This means it’s essential to edit your editor! Every time you receive a copy of the manuscript back updated with new edits, take the time to go through all the changes and make sure they are still aligned with your original goal. Plus, it’s always worth noting that editors all only human too, so a second scan for spelling and grammar errors can’t hurt, even if it’s only quickly.
Self-publishing is like climbing a mountain, and, like climbing a mountain, it is something that is significantly improved if you don’t undertake the climb alone. Hiring a good editor gives your work the potential to be taken to the next level. If you haven’t already considered hiring someone, what are you waiting for?
About the Author: Cassie is a technology and entertainment blogger invested in the self-publishing revolution. She’s helped many market and distribute their work and is now finally finishing off her own novel!
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