tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4954486699810607306.post6203845792053162593..comments2023-11-02T02:40:48.410-07:00Comments on Crime Fiction Collective: A Writer's Best FriendL.J. Sellershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10213491074676394406noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4954486699810607306.post-38823730465445277462011-10-01T07:19:49.110-07:002011-10-01T07:19:49.110-07:00So very true, Andrew! And advice serious writers r...So very true, Andrew! And advice serious writers really need to take to heart. <br /><br />There are a lot of excellent fiction editors out there (like me, for example). Be sure to check out their credentials and testimonials, and get a sample edit of at least 8-10 pages of your manuscript before making a decision. Not a sample edit of someone else's writing - you need to know how they'd handle your work.<br /><br />Thanks for this excellent, critical advice, Andrew.Jodie Rennerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17180607353893233389noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4954486699810607306.post-7262552888122011782011-09-30T19:43:45.206-07:002011-09-30T19:43:45.206-07:00This is an extremely important point and one I can...This is an extremely important point and one I can't stress enough. It doesn't matter how good a writer you think you are. After numerous rewrites of a manuscript (which is just as important) you are too familiar with your work and have lost all objectivity. <br /><br />An editor with a fresh and critical eye will bring things to your attention you never knew existed, both developmentally and in the line/copy editing. These are the people who will help bring a novel to the next level. I consider their work to be an invaluable part of the process.<br /><br />And for those who say they can't afford to hire one--I say you can't afford not to. If you're serious about selling your book, then this is a step you simply must take.<br /><br />Thanks for the post, Peg.Andrew E. Kaufmanhttp://www.andrewekaufman.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4954486699810607306.post-22468412662436587852011-09-30T11:46:25.794-07:002011-09-30T11:46:25.794-07:00I'm excited to form a relationship with an edi...I'm excited to form a relationship with an editor when I'm ready. My favorite critique partners in the past have been those who make me stretch. Usually that involves digging a little deeper and working a hell of a lot harder.Peg Brantleyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04906858123466177508noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4954486699810607306.post-86468351454288511522011-09-30T10:29:14.806-07:002011-09-30T10:29:14.806-07:00Apparently, I need an editor when posting comments...Apparently, I need an editor when posting comments, too.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12487464497446199247noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4954486699810607306.post-15869454069938074732011-09-30T10:25:37.177-07:002011-09-30T10:25:37.177-07:00Well, said, Peg.
I can't count how many time...Well, said, Peg. <br />I can't count how many times in the recent past I've read print books that are riddled with errors, both spelling and grammatical.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12487464497446199247noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4954486699810607306.post-88313424664479829532011-09-30T07:56:23.970-07:002011-09-30T07:56:23.970-07:00Excellent points, Peg. As both a freelance fiction...Excellent points, Peg. As both a freelance fiction editor and a voracious reader of fiction, I couldn't agree more.<br /><br />As a reader, I've been frustrated many times by slogging through (or putting down) books that desperately needed an editor - or a better one! <br /><br />I once bought an early copy of John Grisham's first novel, A Time to Kill, at a second-hand store, and it was riddled with errors! On every page! Obviously, that edition later got cleaned up and reissued.<br /><br />And as an editor, I of course thrive on - live for - being a major influence in the transformation of a so-so novel into a good one, or a good novel into a great one. Some novels need developmental editing before the copyediting phase starts, and others just need polishing for style, pacing, spelling and grammar - all of which can be irritants to the reader, to the point where they'll even put down a good story.<br /><br />Bestselling authors often thank several editors in their acknowledgements, which makes those authors more endearing, I think.Jodie Rennerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17180607353893233389noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4954486699810607306.post-22316283657179983992011-09-30T06:33:23.235-07:002011-09-30T06:33:23.235-07:00I thought I would share this news clip from Shelf ...I thought I would share this news clip from Shelf Awareness today:<br /><br />The e-version of Neal Stephenson's new novel, Reamde (Morrow), has "missing content" and many typos, leading Amazon to "recall" the Kindle version. The Awl reported that Amazon notified customers yesterday that a corrected version is available. A key sentence in the Amazon missive wasn't encouraging: "The version you received had Missing Content that have been corrected." That are good news!<br /><br />Seriously, everything needs to be edited!L.J. Sellershttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10213491074676394406noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4954486699810607306.post-72234939992503827402011-09-30T06:12:31.245-07:002011-09-30T06:12:31.245-07:00Thanks for this terrific reminder. I've done e...Thanks for this terrific reminder. I've done enough freelance editing—and been edited enough—to know what a difference it can make.<br /> <br />Sometimes though with big-name authors and NY publishers, there may be other stuff going on. An editor pushing an author to write a story their heart isn't into or pushing them to meet a deadline that's too soon. Or sometimes an author may simply not want to be edited, and it could be because of a bad experiences in the past. Editors have been known to ruin books too, I'm sad to say. It's the exception, though!L.J. Sellershttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10213491074676394406noreply@blogger.com