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Professional edit/critique - Yes or No?
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
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.
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.
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!!!
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.
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.
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.
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.
And me!
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.
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).
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.