Post by Richard on Aug 27, 2012 16:41:35 GMT -5
Editing and Formatting are just as important to a novel as the story itself.
I have read any number of professionally published books, by famous authors, that have had errors in the books. Sometimes a misspelled word, which is the editors fault, sometimes an attribute or account was falsely assigned to the wrong character, which is the author's fault, and so on.
This is an issue that Indie authors MUST pay extra attention to. I personally feel that 3-5 errors in a standard sized novel is the maximum allowed.
If an Indie author cannot afford editing services, then finding several beta-readers is a must. After the author looks over his/her own story numerous times, his/her mind will already know what is going on and will not be able to accurately filter out the mistakes. It will act like a computer search and automatically fill in the line or thought.
I get personally "sick" of reading and editing my stories after about the 6th time. And that is with having an editor.
To be taken seriously, do it until you think it is perfect, then have someone else verify that for you.
I have only read three Indie authors so far. Two of them had several releases online. They had editing and formatting issues. I wouldn't buy them again. The story I reviewed for one of our own members here had minor issues that should have been caught. The story itself, and the unfolding of it, was much better quality than the other two authors I had purchased.
Don't let your ability of creating be hindered by the necessary, but not as fun, issue of mechanics.
I'm not very good at it, so I end up paying.
I have read any number of professionally published books, by famous authors, that have had errors in the books. Sometimes a misspelled word, which is the editors fault, sometimes an attribute or account was falsely assigned to the wrong character, which is the author's fault, and so on.
This is an issue that Indie authors MUST pay extra attention to. I personally feel that 3-5 errors in a standard sized novel is the maximum allowed.
If an Indie author cannot afford editing services, then finding several beta-readers is a must. After the author looks over his/her own story numerous times, his/her mind will already know what is going on and will not be able to accurately filter out the mistakes. It will act like a computer search and automatically fill in the line or thought.
I get personally "sick" of reading and editing my stories after about the 6th time. And that is with having an editor.
To be taken seriously, do it until you think it is perfect, then have someone else verify that for you.
I have only read three Indie authors so far. Two of them had several releases online. They had editing and formatting issues. I wouldn't buy them again. The story I reviewed for one of our own members here had minor issues that should have been caught. The story itself, and the unfolding of it, was much better quality than the other two authors I had purchased.
Don't let your ability of creating be hindered by the necessary, but not as fun, issue of mechanics.
I'm not very good at it, so I end up paying.