| Your manuscript is finally written. You breathe a great | | | | professional editor can help detect passages that are |
| sigh of relief. But hold on; you aren't done yet. Use your | | | | unclear, poorly organized, or overwritten. This is called |
| spell-checker, grammar, and style checking program to | | | | content or creative editing. During a second reading |
| catch obvious flaws and flag overly long sentences, | | | | your editor will do copyediting, whisking out grammar, |
| for example.You also may have learned to type on a | | | | spelling, usage, and punctuation errors. The job of an |
| typewriter and thus put two spaces at the end of a | | | | editor is to hone and polish your manuscript to a fine |
| sentence. In the computer age one space is | | | | edge, not to impose his or her style on it.Where do you |
| preferable. Otherwise, it looks awkward when typeset. | | | | find such folks? There are several options. Look in |
| No problem, though. Simply do a search and replace, | | | | Literary Market Place under "Editorial Services;" or |
| and change the two spaces to one.Even the best | | | | contact the ASJA (American Society of Journalists |
| writers can benefit from good editors working behind | | | | and Authors) Writer Referral Service at |
| them. Editing is a special skill the average author | | | | 212-398-1934.Be sure the person you hire has had |
| doesn't perform well. And since, in spite of their | | | | experience editing books. An article or book writer is |
| expertise, editors are notoriously poorly paid, the | | | | often not experienced or qualified in the editing |
| expense of getting professional help for your work | | | | process and typically has an editor going over his or |
| won't normally be too large. By the way, please, please | | | | her manuscript.Short of hiring a pro, which is best, enlist |
| don't submit an e-book without editing. Most sites will | | | | the help of several literate friends or associates to go |
| simply take what you give them and put it up. If our | | | | over your work. It's a good idea to give them some |
| industry is to prosper, every author must take personal | | | | instructions. Ask that they underline any misspelled or |
| responsibility for presenting a quality product.A poorly | | | | questionable words, circle unclear passages, and note |
| edited book is harder to read, harder to believe, and | | | | rough transitions with a question mark. Also |
| less likely to be reviewed. It is shameful to see a good | | | | recommend they jot any suggestions in the margins. |
| book cut to ribbons by a reviewer because of poor | | | | Encourage them to be specific. Distinct constructive |
| grammar or spelling. In a recent review, while the plot | | | | criticism is like surgery; it cuts out the malignancy and |
| of a particular book was praised, the reviewer noted, | | | | spares the rest of the body. Vague criticism is like |
| "Unfortunately, the reader also has to detour around | | | | chemotherapy; it causes the copy's hair to fall out and |
| some disasters in editing and proofreading."Because | | | | makes the whole thing look sick.Even best-selling |
| authors know their subjects so well, they are usually | | | | authors use others to refine their work. |
| too close to their material; objectivity is lost. A | | | | |