Tips for self-editing your book

From Rick:

You’ve probably heard it from many sources that writers should not edit their own books. Some of that advice comes from self-interested editors who want you to believe that in order to sell your their services. Some of it comes from editors offering sincere advice so you don’t make a huge mistake by releasing your book with errors that you are not aware are errors. And some of that advice comes from those who honestly believe that authors cannot properly edit their own work.

While the latter is often true, it’s not an absolute. I recently ran across a good article that attempts to strike a middle ground. I freely admit that it’s tough for even the best editor to edit his or her own work properly—but it’s not impossible. It takes time and care to do it, but it can be done. However, it depends on the author’s level of writing skill how successful self-editing will be.

In the article mentioned below, Derek Murphy provides excellent guidance for helping indie authors to do at least a good portion of the editing to save money. Many editors charge by the hour, so the more work you do in advance, the less time they have to spend (and charge you for) on your book.

In any case, this article gives good guidance for indie authors. Read it over and see what you can learn to help both your writing and your pocketbook.

HOW TO SELF-EDIT YOUR BOOK (25 WRITING TIPS FOR INDIE AUTHORS)

Until next time,

–Rick