By this point, you’re writing your first draft, or you have already written it.
As I said in the last chapter, that draft is only the first run-through, and it is subject to change. This is because you still have work to do.
Some people, like me, love the free-flow of putting down the ideas that takes place in the last chapter.
Others prefer what I’m going to get into now: Editing and perfecting the words you’ve already written.
You may think the “fun” part of writing the book should be finished, now that you’ve put your initial free-flow of ideas down on paper.
The truth us, you want to pay special attention to the editing process, so you can make sure to turn out a professional product.
Read and Re-Read
It may seem obvious, but once you have written the final word, go back and re-read what you wrote a few times.
Check for some of the obvious things you may have overlooked:
You might even want to use the tried and true method of setting your writing aside for a period of time before you return to it. You’d be amazed, once you come back, to find how many obvious errors, and even more subtle ones, will jump right out at you after you’ve had some space for it.
In the end, ask yourself: Is it the same quality of work you would send to the editor at a publishing house?
If you think you have done all the editing you can possibly do…
Get a Second Opinion
Have another person read it. You can have a family member read it, but be careful. Only enlist the help of family for basics they might miss about your spelling or sentence structure. Why? Because they’re family. Let’s face it, whatever you do will be wonderful to them. They are not going to give you the most objective opinion, and that’s what you need right now. The same goes with a good friend. Asking them to read it is a good first step, but you want to go further.
Is there anyone else you know who can read what you’ve written and give you good feedback?
Join a Writer’s Group
A good novel writer’s workshop can be helpful in polishing your manuscript into a saleable ebook.
Remember, though, that in attending such a group, you will be side by side with people from all sorts of varying walks of life. Their tastes and preferences for reading may differ vastly from yours. Their feedback may range from helpful ad useful to downright negative and critical of your work. You might get advice such as changing the entire plot line of your work. Take their criticism as constructively as you can, but remember, in the end it’s your manuscript. You can choose to have it read however you like.
If nothing else, sometimes attending a writer’s workshop is a good exercise in developing a thick skin, something you will need as a writer. Even if you self-publish your work, you will be open to reviews and criticism from readers who may not always cast your work in the most positive light. You must learn to take this for what it is and not let it define you or your work.
Hire An Editor
How do you hire your own editor? Thanks to the magic of the internet, you can now go online to get one. You can hire a proofreader for cheap on Fiverr.com. Often they will charge $5 for a set number of words, with additional fees for additional pages. For that price, it couldn’t hurt to pay for a second set of eyes to look it over. The bonus is, it will be a stranger to you, so you can get a more objective opinion.
So you see, you can’t write your ebook in a day and then call it done. You want to be sure you’ve made certain that your writing is as tight as can be, whether you’re writing fiction or nonfiction.
A Note About Rewriting
Perhaps by this point, you are feeling a little discouraged.
You may have had what you thought was a “finished product” when you picked up this ebook, only to rethink things and decide it’s not polished as good as it can be. Or, even worse, that the whole storyline should be scrapped and rewritten.
You may have thought you had a finished product, and gotten feedback from a critique group or other reader that told you otherwise.
It can be discouraging when you just want to be done with the thing. But take heart.
There’s a saying, “Writing is rewriting.” As frustrating as it may be, it’s true.
I can’t tell you how many times I’ve had to scrap an already-written piece in order to edit it to make it better. The Adoption Conspiracy was initially a completely different work. I rewrote it and rewrote it, and ultimately had to rewrite the storyline altogether when I worked it into a specific genre.
My point is, you already know writing is hard work. You wouldn’t have gotten this far if you thought it was easy. Now is the time to dig your claws in and hang in there a bit longer.
Even if you have to scrap most of it and start over, keep in mind, it will be a stronger work in the end. And when it comes down to it, there is no rush to get that novel published. The more work you put into polishing it to the best of your ability, the more chance it will have of being a success.
Activity
Decide how you will edit your book. Start a spread sheet of who you sent your manuscript to, and when it was returned. This will help you keep track of when you sent it out and to whom. (It can be helpful in the case that you need to send gentle reminders to them to actually send it back, along with their feedback!)
Write the final draft for your ebook. Take your time. Make sure it has been edited thoroughly before you decide it is done.