I couldn’t wait.
This is really a horrible truth about me. At times, I can be pretty impatient and I can rush into things too quickly without being absolutely sure. Over the years I’ve learned from horrible mistakes just how grueling the effects of that really is. This is one example.
Awakened was my first novel. I love the “love story” that it is, however, I made a horrible mistake. I published it without getting it professionally edited.
Before I released it on LuLu, my husband and I sat down and read through the entire novel. I read most of it out loud– hoping to catch the errors. We were sure it was “decent.” My husband encouraged me, “There are Best Sellers who misspell words and have grammatical errors in it. Don’t be so hard on yourself.”
Truthfully, I wasn’t sure it was good enough.
I remember the day I hit send– the day I submitted my manuscript. I said, “Oh well, here we go.”
And then– in an instant– it released and was available to the public.
It was into hands of readers.
Eek!
I received great feedback. Readers loved the suspense, story-development and they fell in love with the characters. But I truly believe most people were too kind enough to tell me the truth: I needed an editor. Eventually, some friends shared their honest opinion. “We love the story, but…”
I knew they meant well. I knew the truth about it. I was embarrassed and ashamed.
One day I picked up a paperback copy of Awakened and I cringed.
“How could I have missed this?”
“And this…?”
“And this…?
There were too many errors. I couldn’t keep count. I realized I made a horrible mistake.
Why I didn’t hire an editor:
- I didn’t have the money. I was flat broke and didn’t have the extra money to hire one. As a stay-at-home mom, I couldn’t afford it.
- I assumed “group critique” was good enough.
- I didn’t want to wait.
- I was excited.
Before you publish:
My experience taught me something very valuable. It taught me the importance of seeking professional help and working harder at perfecting my craft. I highly recommend the following before you publish:
- Join a writing critique group: I recently blogged about how connecting with other writers is incredibly beneficial. At a critique group, you’ll get lots of great feedback about your work. They’ll be honest and you need honesty. If you are having trouble finding a critique group, having a writing mentor (or consultant) can be as beneficial. We can certainly help you with that!
- Research affordable editors and hire one. Editors charge various prices– but that mostly depends on their “resume” and “skill.” Writers who have been in the publishing industry for years may charge a bit more for their expertise (according to my research). However, there are also very credible writers who are very affordable. Comment here for any referrals. I have great resources I can highly recommend. Hiring an editor is a great investment into your project!
- Ask supportive family and friends to read your manuscript. Ask for honest feedback. Sometimes family will give a very unbiased opinion because they love you and want you to do well. Connect with the people you know will give constructive criticism.
Take your time. That’s one of the most important things I can share. It’s exciting to consider the end result– your book in your hands. But let’s also remember that it takes time. Don’t rush the process like I did. You don’t want readers to get a bad taste in their mouths from reading an unedited book! And readers can be vicious sharks!
In the next post, I’ll talk about some of the first “constructive criticism” comments I received from my first critique meeting! And later, I’ll share “my common writing errors” that my editor was nice enough to share with me!
Stay tuned!
**A quick addition to this post: I am so grateful for the people who have read Awakened and who really did enjoy it. I was touched by the encouraging comments that many people gave me. I was told it was an easy read, had a great story line and it was truly inspiring for single women. That blessed me tremendously. Those are the things writers (even newbie writers) like to hear. So, thank you from the depths of my heart! Awakened will be re-released soon and it will be edited and polished well!**
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