[stylist] editing questions

[Shelley Alongi]

 Hi Sarah,
Just a couple of notes on editing. I am working on self-publishing my second book. I have a copy and story editor. We meet online and my phone every couple of months or so to see how progress is going. The advice and copy editing is invaluable. Remember as a self publisher we are in more control of our work. I have the option to refuse or revise suggestions and I value that for my own personal writing journey. Many of the ideas are invaluable and find their way into the Final offering. In addition to this I have someone help me put my books online and they do further editing as in catching things such as capital letters that got missed, etc. As a writer I am always proofing my work and run spell checks consistently and often. Sometimes I do not take the spellcheck suggestions because they are not what is intended but at least I check. Sometimes I could check even when the final is done just to make sure I didn't miss anything. Also, I have a habit of reading through my work line by line. I try to do as much editing as possible.


As far as story editing goes I have that also. Sometimes I do not go with the advice given and I look at my work and say OK how can I better explain this because in the end it is my work. However, many times the story ideas are quite helpful in explaining and filling out the plot of the story. But then again I am learning that I am a perfectionist which is a good thing in many cases including writing. But, no matter how much editing I do with it without help I always think I could do a better job even if the work is pristine.

Good luck. It is hard work but well worth it in the end. Email me off list if you have questions because I have one self published book and I'm currently working on. My second month. I plan to self publish three more books in the next year or two. Anyway, the biggest complaint I get right now is from the actual software that is in use by the publisher because we present the work one way and it comes out in print another way. I don't know who is entirely at fault here but you may or may not know that self-publishing companies ask you to purchase a copy of the work. This may give them money but it has proved helpful in my case. Anyway, good luck with your projects.

Shelley, Queen of Bells Out!

See Trespasser, my first published novel at lulu.com
http://www.lulu.com/Queenofbells712

> On Jul 26, 2016, at 1:16 AM, Sarah Harris via stylist <stylist at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> 
>   Good evening. To everyone who has published books, do you have an editor,
> or do you edit yur own books and have someone do things such as centering
> chapters and adding italics? I work at a community college, and my boss has
> been my editor. However, I will have a new boss next week and will no longer
> be able to work with this boss as an editor. Should I hire a reader or find
> someone else to help with editing? I enjoy writing but am not sure I'm good
> enough to edit the books on my own. Thank you, and feel free to email me off
> list. 
> 
>                sarah Harris 
> 
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