8) Editing and Revisions

Hello all,

I'm sitting here in the local coffee shop, going over a revision of my story I just received back from the editing service I purchased. I had slipped up though, and accidentally sent the first draft of my story in for the second round of editing... in effect getting two different editors opinions on my first draft, instead of getting a second more refining edit off the first submission.

Now, at first I was pretty mad with myself, "how could I be so stupid and send in the wrong file?". In reality it probably is a very common mistake. Unfortunately for me, I couldn't get a second shot at sending in the intended file without having to pay for another round of editing. But, on the bright side, I can now see what the two editors spotted, or didn't spot. If both of them pointed out an issue, then it's probably something that needs to be fixed. If only one person pointed something out, then maybe it's not that big of a deal.

The point is, for you, when you undergo your editing and revisions, you will no doubt hear many opinions from all of the different alpha/beta readers you utilize. Pay attention to what gets pointed out the most, and fix it, if it needs to be fixed. The key thing to remember is that what you are writing is your story. Don't let your editors hijack your work, if they don't like something one character did, it isn't your job to change the story to please them.

For example, my first editor didn't understand why one of the characters in my short story did a certain action. The second editor, never even left a comment or question on the incident. Some people will get what you say, others wont. Remember you can never please everyone all the time, and it will look worse if you try to bow to everyone's wishes. Not to mention, you will probably feel bad about not staying true to your story.

Get the best editing you can, polish your work as much as you can, and don't rush. Rushing opens you up to mistake, and mistakes can -no, will- make you look like an amateur, especially if you are self publishing through Kindle or another eBook outlet.

So, in closing, to reiterate what I said above - write for yourself, and that special someone. Editors are people, all with their own opinions, some people will like the way you say things, others wont. Your job is to stay true to your story, your characters, and your convictions. Do that.

Now go forth, and forge your story!

-Matt

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3) CreateSpace: Editing Service

I have not mentioned it on this blog, but I currently have one of my short stories being edited by CreateSpace! This fancy little website below:

https://www.createspace.com/

It is an Amazon company, which is kind of comforting knowing they belong to such a giant. Makes me feel better about knowing it isn't just some hole-in-the-wall editing service. (Nothing against those, you just never know who the editors are). With CreateSpace, you can rest assured that the editors used have spent time in the industry, with a minimum of 5 years required to become a CreateSpace editor.

Once you have your manuscript uploaded, they will send it to an editor that specializes in your genre, which is outstanding!

Here is a personal example that really stuck out to me; in my manuscript I used the term "frakk" to replace swearing, it sounded pretty SciFi to me, so I figured it was good! What I didn't know, was that Battlestar Galactica, uses "Frak" as a swear word. My editor, who may not have caught it if she wasn't a SciFi fan, pointed out it may come off as seeming like I stole the term, or was trying to rip it off with the added "k".

I haven't figured out if I want to replace the word with an actual curse, or come up with another swear. She recommended I consider just using the same word BSG uses, since it is commonly used in society and other SciFi pieces.

I have been very pleased with this service, they are very attentive. I purchased the "Editing Package Plus" which includes two rounds of line editing focussing on plot, characters, etc. As well as one round of copy editing, specifically focusing on grammar, spelling, and the like. For a total of three rounds of editing. You can elect to keep the same editor between each round, or have a new one for each round. Each has its positives and negatives.

Once it is finished I shall link it for all of you, I am releasing it on Kindle, and it is the first short in a series of three, preceding one novel length book. I plan on releasing it for free for the first few days of its release, so stay tuned and get yours!

Anyone else have experiences with editing? Any editing service you would recommend or caution to avoid? Comment below! Don't forget to like, share, and spread the word about the blog! We want to grow and help everyone as writers!

Now go forth, and forge your story!

-Matt