Let me start this topic off by relating a shot story that will nicely frame my opinion when it comes to editing.
It was during the prodution of my first book and I found myself on my third round of edits and roughly 2/3 of the way through the text. In a bout of frustration, I messaged a friend of mine a question, "I enjoy writing so much, why do I hate editing?"
It should be noted that this particular friend is a mechanical engineer, and some of his best deadpan punchlines come from his stark observations. I don't know if he does it on purpose, but it works. His relpy was simple and effective: "Because you're a writer, not an editor."
A good bout of laughter later and I was reinvigorated, pushing again to finish my novel so that I could finally publish it. It wasn't until much later that I thought of the simplicity of my friend's statement and just what it means for a writer, especiallly one that is independent.
I think that a lot of new authors see self-publishing and suddenly believe all their troubles are over, that they now can share their amazing story with the world and accolades and money will shower down upon them. Let me kick that theory square in the jaw with a little stark reality (it's called 'tough love').
What I learned from my editing experience is that an independent author has to wear many, many hats. It's not at all about laying down some prose and sticking it on the web, though many people do this and dilute the purity of the art. Being an independent author means exactly what it says: doing everything on your own. That's the core of independence, and for many people that's not the best ticket.
The truth is that when you're an indie author you're more than an author, you're an editor, a proof reader, a cover designer, a book promotor, and so much more. Hell, you're even public relations and technical support! Don't laugh, I had to teach people how to download my novel at my launch party. Thanks, Amazon!
If you're thinking of dipping your toes into the writing game or, God forbid, you've already started down that dark path, you need to ask yourself a very important question: am I independent or interdependent? There's no wrong answer, so long as you hold true to the ancient Greek aphorism "know thyself."
There are pros and cons to each side, so I'll do my best to lay down an executive summary of each, using editing as context. Everyone has different approaches to writing, so find what works best with you and apply it. That being said, don't be afraid to change if things aren't working out the way you believe.
In examining editing your own work, there is a benefit to knowing the content and having a singular vision. If you have a clear picture in your mind of the feel and flow of your book, having more chefs with their hands in the pot is only going to complicate things. Also, if you're a strong writer with the dedication to improve your craft, you will find this method very rewarding. When I did the rewrites for "Jupiter Symphony" and now "Unto Persephone," I was looking back at an earlier version of my writing and able to identify patterns and faults, something that might not have been revealed to me had I allowed someone else to tackle editing duties. If you're handling your own edits the right way, you'll also familiarize (or for many of us, refamiliarize) yourself with the rules of grammer and diction. What you are effectively doing is building up your skill set, adding tools to your kit to deploy when you write and edit your next novel.
On the flip side, because you know your own work you're also going to justify to yourself why certain sections can stay the way they are, or you may lose focus or motivation. I often found myself challenged when it came to writing in new sections or rewriting whole chapters, as editing is not something I inherently enjoy. It's also incredibly easy to miss basic spelling and grammar errors when you're editing by yourself. The sneaky way around all these problems is to have a couple of well-read and intelligent friends or colleagues read your manuscript and give you notes. This will help give you a guiding path on your self-editing journey, and many thinsg that you overlooked will be identified for your correction. The onus is still on you to make things happen, but you can mitigate many of the more common errors this way.
I think for many writers, especially first timers, the daunting task of editing may seem a bit overwhelming. This is doubly true for those who do not have any experiencing in editing. The other factor to consider is just how clear or muddy the manuscript has become. When things go off the rails, become silly, or magically morph into something entirely different than what you intended, a professional editor can be a God send.
The key thing to remember about an editor is that they are not a writer. They give an unbiased, outside opinion on your work, ferreting out inconsistencies and segments of bad plot or poor writing, on top of weeding out all those pesky spelling and grammar mistakes we're all prone to. They bring their own tool kit to complement yours, letting you focus on what you are best at: creating a story. They'll then be able to polish it up for you and hand it back for some more writing, keeping you moving at a faster clip and involved with the process that you love.
On the other hand, and editor can sometimes be an unwelcome intrusion, especially if you and your partner do not see eye to eye. It's important to find an editor that is familiar with your genre and/or your vision, and who can support and appreciate what you're trying to accomplish while still providing needed feedback and constructive criticism. This is a major factor that can easily be overlooked. A good writer and editor should be like a buddy cop duo, working together to make one awesome story of badassitude. I should also note, although it should be obvious, that an editor generally costs money, which is something to consider in a job that only really costs you time. You'll have to make your own judgement call there, but I like to save that cash for things like cover design and marketing.
In the end, I chose to use the approach described earlier, letting highly literate professionals read my work and just provide me notes to work with, but still leaving the bulk of the editing in my lap. Although it is not my favorite job, it has most certainly increased my abilities as a writer, as well as forced me to buckle down even harder on my dedication to my work. In a one man show, nothing gets done unless you do it.
With all that being said, go forth and write and edit or write and hire. Either way, you'll be one step closer to your dream of having a published novel.
A.C. Harrison
Like what you see here? Spread the word and support indie authors! Follow me on Facebook or Twitter. Find me on Smashwords and Kindlemojo.
It was during the prodution of my first book and I found myself on my third round of edits and roughly 2/3 of the way through the text. In a bout of frustration, I messaged a friend of mine a question, "I enjoy writing so much, why do I hate editing?"
It should be noted that this particular friend is a mechanical engineer, and some of his best deadpan punchlines come from his stark observations. I don't know if he does it on purpose, but it works. His relpy was simple and effective: "Because you're a writer, not an editor."
A good bout of laughter later and I was reinvigorated, pushing again to finish my novel so that I could finally publish it. It wasn't until much later that I thought of the simplicity of my friend's statement and just what it means for a writer, especiallly one that is independent.
I think that a lot of new authors see self-publishing and suddenly believe all their troubles are over, that they now can share their amazing story with the world and accolades and money will shower down upon them. Let me kick that theory square in the jaw with a little stark reality (it's called 'tough love').
What I learned from my editing experience is that an independent author has to wear many, many hats. It's not at all about laying down some prose and sticking it on the web, though many people do this and dilute the purity of the art. Being an independent author means exactly what it says: doing everything on your own. That's the core of independence, and for many people that's not the best ticket.
The truth is that when you're an indie author you're more than an author, you're an editor, a proof reader, a cover designer, a book promotor, and so much more. Hell, you're even public relations and technical support! Don't laugh, I had to teach people how to download my novel at my launch party. Thanks, Amazon!
If you're thinking of dipping your toes into the writing game or, God forbid, you've already started down that dark path, you need to ask yourself a very important question: am I independent or interdependent? There's no wrong answer, so long as you hold true to the ancient Greek aphorism "know thyself."
There are pros and cons to each side, so I'll do my best to lay down an executive summary of each, using editing as context. Everyone has different approaches to writing, so find what works best with you and apply it. That being said, don't be afraid to change if things aren't working out the way you believe.
In examining editing your own work, there is a benefit to knowing the content and having a singular vision. If you have a clear picture in your mind of the feel and flow of your book, having more chefs with their hands in the pot is only going to complicate things. Also, if you're a strong writer with the dedication to improve your craft, you will find this method very rewarding. When I did the rewrites for "Jupiter Symphony" and now "Unto Persephone," I was looking back at an earlier version of my writing and able to identify patterns and faults, something that might not have been revealed to me had I allowed someone else to tackle editing duties. If you're handling your own edits the right way, you'll also familiarize (or for many of us, refamiliarize) yourself with the rules of grammer and diction. What you are effectively doing is building up your skill set, adding tools to your kit to deploy when you write and edit your next novel.
On the flip side, because you know your own work you're also going to justify to yourself why certain sections can stay the way they are, or you may lose focus or motivation. I often found myself challenged when it came to writing in new sections or rewriting whole chapters, as editing is not something I inherently enjoy. It's also incredibly easy to miss basic spelling and grammar errors when you're editing by yourself. The sneaky way around all these problems is to have a couple of well-read and intelligent friends or colleagues read your manuscript and give you notes. This will help give you a guiding path on your self-editing journey, and many thinsg that you overlooked will be identified for your correction. The onus is still on you to make things happen, but you can mitigate many of the more common errors this way.
I think for many writers, especially first timers, the daunting task of editing may seem a bit overwhelming. This is doubly true for those who do not have any experiencing in editing. The other factor to consider is just how clear or muddy the manuscript has become. When things go off the rails, become silly, or magically morph into something entirely different than what you intended, a professional editor can be a God send.
The key thing to remember about an editor is that they are not a writer. They give an unbiased, outside opinion on your work, ferreting out inconsistencies and segments of bad plot or poor writing, on top of weeding out all those pesky spelling and grammar mistakes we're all prone to. They bring their own tool kit to complement yours, letting you focus on what you are best at: creating a story. They'll then be able to polish it up for you and hand it back for some more writing, keeping you moving at a faster clip and involved with the process that you love.
On the other hand, and editor can sometimes be an unwelcome intrusion, especially if you and your partner do not see eye to eye. It's important to find an editor that is familiar with your genre and/or your vision, and who can support and appreciate what you're trying to accomplish while still providing needed feedback and constructive criticism. This is a major factor that can easily be overlooked. A good writer and editor should be like a buddy cop duo, working together to make one awesome story of badassitude. I should also note, although it should be obvious, that an editor generally costs money, which is something to consider in a job that only really costs you time. You'll have to make your own judgement call there, but I like to save that cash for things like cover design and marketing.
In the end, I chose to use the approach described earlier, letting highly literate professionals read my work and just provide me notes to work with, but still leaving the bulk of the editing in my lap. Although it is not my favorite job, it has most certainly increased my abilities as a writer, as well as forced me to buckle down even harder on my dedication to my work. In a one man show, nothing gets done unless you do it.
With all that being said, go forth and write and edit or write and hire. Either way, you'll be one step closer to your dream of having a published novel.
A.C. Harrison
Like what you see here? Spread the word and support indie authors! Follow me on Facebook or Twitter. Find me on Smashwords and Kindlemojo.
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