In this episode, Lisa and I discuss goal-setting for the professional editing process. I also have a new Tip of the week- All reviews of your book are valuable! Listen in… EPISODE 05- Indie Editing: How to Set Goals.
First, and I chatted about our weeks. It was the 4th of July weekend, so we both viewed some great fireworks. I’m also hard at work drafting my WIP which is YA sci-fi romance. Lisa, on the other hand, had an incredible encounter with one of her fans from the Tucson Festival of Books.
Next, we dove into the main topic for this episode—editing. We discussed the stigma that is sometimes associated with self-publishing in regards to editing. Lisa talked about the beginnings of self-publishing and why the stigma started. I mentioned that independent publishing does not equal amateur publishing.
We then talked about our experiences with working with a professional editor. Lisa has had two editors, and I’ve had one that’s my ‘ride or die.’ We continued talking about our experiences in regards to finding a good fit with an editor. Next, we talked about the different general types of editing—developmental, copy, and proofreading. It’s important to be honest about what your needs are in regards to your manuscript. If you are a first-time author, it might be best to have an editor go through your manuscript for all three types of edits. Here’s a great website, Grammar Factory, that provides more information about editing if you’re interested in knowing more.
We moved on to what I called our editing therapy session. I asked Lisa to divulge her strengths and weaknesses in regards to editing. She seemed a little stumped, so I started. We didn’t have too much trouble coming up with our strengths—Lisa is aces as great descriptions, and I’ve got a knack for plot arc. On the other hand, I let loose on my very serious comma problem. But, don’t worry! I’m working on the issue and am currently in comma therapy with my editor.
Lisa and I finished up the discussion on editing with what to look for in an editor. Some simple tips are to ask for a sample edit to make sure you are compatible and think about your budget and pricing. Editing can be the most expensive part of publishing your book.
Lastly, I gave my Tip of the Week: All reviews of your book are valuable! I mentioned that even negative reviews could be helpful. Lisa suggested that from a marketing perspective, all reviews are relevant when considering the mysterious Amazon algorithm.
On our next podcast, Lisa will be reviewing The Kiliwanna Affair by Scott A. Combs, and I will have another Tip of the Week.