Jessica Steiner (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
jessicasteiner) wrote2012-05-05 03:33 pm
jessicasteiner) wrote2012-05-05 03:33 pm
Entry tags:
Why I Decided to Hire a Freelance Editor
This is the first of my series on the process and what I learned in hiring a freelance editor to edit my novel, The Sleeping Death. Go here to see a list of the rest of the planned topics.
Though this is a more meta topic compared to the 'how-to' nature of the rest of this series, it's actually critically important to the whole rest of the process, so it's worthwhile considering this question yourself in detail if you decide you want to go this route. Your own reasons will determine if hiring an editor is something you want to do and also exactly what you will be hiring the editor to do, because there are different options. It will also help you determine your budget.
E-Publishing Makes it Necessary
The big, overarching reason why I decided to hire an editor to go over my novel is because I am not planning to go the traditional route with this book and shop it around to mainstream publishers. Instead, I'm epublishing. This means that when I decide it's time to release the book and send it out into the world, that's it. It's done. There's no gateway that will stop it and tell me that my book is just not good enough for public consumption.
If I were intending to go the traditional route, I wouldn't necessarily have to worry about it. The publisher will provide an in-house editor who will edit my novel and help me get it ready for publishing. But in the epub, independent world, the only option is to hire someone to do it myself.
Many people who want to traditionally publish will still get a freelance editor to look it over. This is quite an investment of money considering that the publishing houses will edit your book for you, also. But if you really aren't sure that your book is good enough to even be accepted by a publisher, a manuscript consultation seems to be something marketed to you. In a later part of this series, I'll go into more detail about what manuscript consultations are.
It's Not Something I Can Do Myself
I might be able to format my book myself, and promote it. If I were artistic I might even be able to do the cover for myself. I can figure out how to upload it to the various online book stores.
But editing isn't like that. I have spent a lot of hours editing the book myself, but there comes a point where a second set of eyes is the only way to get it to that next level. I can show it to my friends and family - and I will - but I feel that a fully-trained, experienced editor, with knowledge of the genre and the field, will bring expertise to my novel that my friends and wife simply can't. And an editor is an unbiased third party who won't be afraid to tell me what's really wrong with it.
So when it comes to business, when there's something you can't do yourself, you have to pay to have someone do it for you. Writing is a business, so I'll shell out.
My Name is On This Thing
I'm looking to build a career, starting with this novel. Since I'm putting myself out there, this book will be something that some people will read and decide never to read my stuff again - while others will read it and be excited to read the next thing I put out.
When it comes down to it, I want as many people as possible to be in the second category.
I want this book to be as good as I can physically make it, before anyone buys it. It's worthwhile spending the money to do that, because the return on investment should be worth it. I'll sell more copies, not just of this book, but future ones, if this book is good enough to impress people and leave them wanting more.
So these are the three main reasons why I decided to take the plunge, open my wallet, and shell out some pretty big bucks to hire a freelance editor.
Next week I'll discuss how I prepared for my search.
Though this is a more meta topic compared to the 'how-to' nature of the rest of this series, it's actually critically important to the whole rest of the process, so it's worthwhile considering this question yourself in detail if you decide you want to go this route. Your own reasons will determine if hiring an editor is something you want to do and also exactly what you will be hiring the editor to do, because there are different options. It will also help you determine your budget.
E-Publishing Makes it Necessary
The big, overarching reason why I decided to hire an editor to go over my novel is because I am not planning to go the traditional route with this book and shop it around to mainstream publishers. Instead, I'm epublishing. This means that when I decide it's time to release the book and send it out into the world, that's it. It's done. There's no gateway that will stop it and tell me that my book is just not good enough for public consumption.
If I were intending to go the traditional route, I wouldn't necessarily have to worry about it. The publisher will provide an in-house editor who will edit my novel and help me get it ready for publishing. But in the epub, independent world, the only option is to hire someone to do it myself.
Many people who want to traditionally publish will still get a freelance editor to look it over. This is quite an investment of money considering that the publishing houses will edit your book for you, also. But if you really aren't sure that your book is good enough to even be accepted by a publisher, a manuscript consultation seems to be something marketed to you. In a later part of this series, I'll go into more detail about what manuscript consultations are.
It's Not Something I Can Do Myself
I might be able to format my book myself, and promote it. If I were artistic I might even be able to do the cover for myself. I can figure out how to upload it to the various online book stores.
But editing isn't like that. I have spent a lot of hours editing the book myself, but there comes a point where a second set of eyes is the only way to get it to that next level. I can show it to my friends and family - and I will - but I feel that a fully-trained, experienced editor, with knowledge of the genre and the field, will bring expertise to my novel that my friends and wife simply can't. And an editor is an unbiased third party who won't be afraid to tell me what's really wrong with it.
So when it comes to business, when there's something you can't do yourself, you have to pay to have someone do it for you. Writing is a business, so I'll shell out.
My Name is On This Thing
I'm looking to build a career, starting with this novel. Since I'm putting myself out there, this book will be something that some people will read and decide never to read my stuff again - while others will read it and be excited to read the next thing I put out.
When it comes down to it, I want as many people as possible to be in the second category.
I want this book to be as good as I can physically make it, before anyone buys it. It's worthwhile spending the money to do that, because the return on investment should be worth it. I'll sell more copies, not just of this book, but future ones, if this book is good enough to impress people and leave them wanting more.
So these are the three main reasons why I decided to take the plunge, open my wallet, and shell out some pretty big bucks to hire a freelance editor.
Next week I'll discuss how I prepared for my search.
Thoughts
That's an excellent start. Many people are only noticing now that it's starting to make waves.
>>I've listened to writing podcasts as authors literally went from warning against ever self-publishing to cautiously saying that self-publishing is something to consider, to announcing that they are no longer going to be going with traditional publishing at all, and moving exclusively to self-publishing.<<
I've tracked articles rather than podcasting, but have seen a similar trend.
>>Thank you for turning me on to the crowdfunding community! I've heard of something like this happening in a few different places and I'll likely join.<<
Please do! We'd love to have you.
>>I've also heard of Kickstarter as something that several authors have done, for example, to determine whether they'll write a further book in an old series on their backlist.<<
That's a popular one, although there are many other sites too. I have a list of them:
http://penultimateproductions.weebly.com/websites-for-crowdfunding-projects.html
>>This is one of the reasons I started a blog, for sure, so I could participate in the discussion and learn as well.<<
Same here. My LiveJournal audience is very enthusiastic. The one here on DW is still building momentum.
no subject
I'm excited to participate in the next Creative Jam! It sounds like tonnes of fun.
Okay...
Wow, you beat me! Mine was about an hour of drive time each way. I mostly listened to music (this was long before podcasts existed).
>>I'm excited to participate in the next Creative Jam! It sounds like tonnes of fun.<<
Coming up May 19-20. If you like science fantasy, there's also a Torn World Muse Fusion open this weekend:
http://torn-world.livejournal.com/108588.html