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Professional edit/critique - Yes or No?

edited March 2014 in - Writing Problems
I am considering a professional edit or my novel. I have heard differing experiences of this. One writer I know was told to dig a hole and bury her novel and start again, another had so many flaws pointed out that she didn't write again for a year. She is now being published by a traditional publisher despite the percieved flaws.
I had my first novel critiqued by RNA's new writer scheme but found it hugely disappointing. The reviewer obviously wrote for M & B and wanted me to write the sort of novel she wrote (cut it to 50,000 words, make the hero more dishy, cut out one pov ect.) It wasn't a M & B type story and I felt that she wanted me to write a different story to the one I'd written.
Now I am thinking of self-publishing my second novel. Should I have a professional edit or just go with what I'd got. I've had five full ms requests from agents who tell me that they liked the novel but in current market conditions etc. I know a lot of writers on here have gone down this route. Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks.

Comments

  • DEFINITELY get your script professionally copy edited before sending it out. It makes a world of difference having a script with as few errors as possible.
    However, if your story is good enough it will still interest a publisher despite any errors there may be. And of course in the publishing process there will be proof reading and you will get a chance to see this before printing.

    Contact Helen Baggott for a really good service at a reasonable rate http://www.helenbaggott.co.uk and she'll also give you comments without hacking your script to bits.
  • Before you self publish get it edited.

    Get quotes- one person's work may not need as much work as another's, and that can reflect in how much it will cost.

    Ask those who have self-published for recommendations.
  • Two words -god yes- I would Never have progressed as a writer without one - thing is there are SO many what do you do???

    The good ones will let you send them a sample which they will give you feedback on either for free or for very cheap cost - my advice is to try a few and send them all the same sample then pick the one that 'gets you'. That sounds a bit vague but you will know what I mean when you see it - it will not be the one that is the kindest or necessarily the cheapest but if you can find someone that understands how you write its brilliant - I use hayley Sherman at whoosh she's a bit 'off the wall' at times but works for me - try a few trust me you'll never regret it worth every penny they give you an insight you can never get from friends family or writing forums - I'm very passionate about this as you can probably tell!!!
  • If agents are reading and liking, it must be of publishable standard. Critiquing services are more valuable before you get to that stage (though some have links with agents which can be useful). A good copy edit is worthwhile if you can afford it.
  • I agree with datco, casey. Definitely get your novel critiqued to get a professional angle on what has been produced by an amateur. It makes sense. I got a Writers' News one done for £50 on I think it was the opening 3 chapters and I was very pleased with the obvious insight of the reader. Another good experience of this type was from Cornerstones. I paid nearly £500 for the full works, ending with an hour-long phone chat with my reader. That day will go down in the history of English literature, in my view, because if I ever get the book published, it will be a hugely revamped version thanks to her input.
    Seriously, casey, without a critique you are running blind; with one, you know you are putting yourself in the hands of an experienced member of the industry. Or, to look at it another way, how frustrating it is to get your submission to an agent/publisher answered with a set rejection message which leaves you none the wiser. A critique is the equivalent of that agent telling you in detail why it wouldn't be accepted.
  • Thank you all for your advice. I have self-published my novel The Water Gypsy both on Amazon and through Create Space. A huge learning curve but what I have learnt is 1) get a copy edit and 2) get a professional to provide the cover.
    I'm happy to say that I'm getting enthusiastic feedback from some unexpected places. I'm glad I did it. No regrets. My book is out there and being enjoyed by readers.
  • I've been approached by editing services to do paid edits. They pay so little that I wonder who agrees to the work. For example, it takes me about two hours to properly critique 300 words for the 'Under the Microscope' piece in the magazine. How long would it take me to properly critique a novel? I feel that most of these editing services are taking advantage. If they were doing a really useful job, they would have to charge thousands.
  • That's where I've seen your name!
  • James, I have three friends who have done this job - yes, they spend HOURS doing in-depth work and get paid a pittance. They do it because they need the money and it is something they can do. It's them that are getting taken advantage of, not the authors.
  • My 10th traditionally published book is coming out this year and I've never had a professional critique. I'd consider it though if I kept getting a manuscript rejected and didn't know why.

    There are sites where you can upload your work for free and other writers will critique it. I used You Write On at one point and found that helpful. Because of one reader suggesting I enter the book in a competition, I did and won.
    Check it out here http://www.youwriteon.com

    Be warned, you do need a thick skin.

    James, I love your column and it's the first piece I look out for in Writing Magazine.

  • James, I have three friends who have done this job - yes, they spend HOURS doing in-depth work and get paid a pittance. They do it because they need the money and it is something they can do. It's them that are getting taken advantage of, not the authors.
    Liz
    If your friends are writers, they could be making much more money writing. Professional copywriters can make £300-400 a day (and a 'day' might be only two hours). I make a living from professional writing.

  • Professional copywriters can make £300-400 a day...
    Just spat my cheap coffee everywhere...I'm in the wrong business!
  • (wipes up spit)
    And me!
  • Most people's first complaint with self-published work is that it's full of typos and inconsistencies (blue eyes in chapter one becoming brown in chapter three, Tom becoming Tim, etc). A good proof-reader should be able to take care of those. I think that's the minimum you'd want if you were going to self-publish, as you'd definitely want to avoid those common pitfalls. Unless of course you're very confident in your own abilities - although spotting your own mistakes is far harder than seeing someone else's!

    Anything beyond that, I think, is perhaps more suited to seeking traditional publication. A critique is only ever one reader's opinion, and will/should be biased towards current industry trends with the aim of giving you the best chance of your work being picked up by an editor). This may push it in a direction you don't necessarily need it to go if you're putting the book out yourself.

    Good luck, whatever you decide.
  • You have to have expertise in the subject you are writing about to 'write copy'.
  • Not necessarily, Liz. I have a couple of friends who make a decent living as copywriters. The main skill they need is the ability to compile and process information, plus the writing talent to present it in an engaging and accessible way. It's this ability to convert others' expertise into readable articles that's made them successful copywriters.
  • LizLiz
    edited June 2014
    Ah... I should have said, ability to research and assimilate. or have expertise in.

    My daughter does this, too. She mainly writes about what she knows, ie the green areas and sustainability, but she has also been employed by the council to write for them, and various newspapers. She makes a good living.

    But the people I was talking about were doing it for the experience, had no Cv as it were (actually one of them did, but had no contacts and needed money badly).
  • Ah... I should have said, ability to research and assimilate. or have expertise in.

    My daughter does this, too. She mainly writes about what she knows, ie the green areas and sustainability, but she has also been employed by the council to write for them, and various newspapers. She makes a good living.

    But the people I was talking about were doing it for the experience, had no Cv as it were (actually one of them did, but had no contacts and needed money badly).
    It's not necessarily true that you have to know a particular subject or have a good CV. What you need is to be able to write quickly and to order. The skills of copywriting are the skills of writing in general. I have written articles about accountancy and the motor industry. I write for magazines, websites, spoken word, visual media, direct mail and brochures. The key is understanding the target audience and tailoring the words to fit the format.

    My only qualification for being a copywriter is being able to write well and quickly. That's what companies pay for. That, and some initiative. I once had to write an interview with a CEO without ever meeting him or receiving any information about him. That's when being a fiction writer becomes useful!

    I think all writers should have a go at copywriting. It hones your skills and makes you unsentimental about writing. The can be no 'in the mood' when your deadline in 30 minutes away and you need to pay your bills. When you learn this professionalism, novels become easier. All of my published novels are first drafts.
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