[Editor/Mentor] Need recommendations for first-time author

dchisholm125 · Mar 26, 2013

Sorry in advance if this is the wrong forum/has already been posted. I sifted as much as I could, but didn't see a thread.

I'm looking for an Editorial recommendation on a budget/who specializes in first-timers.

(Oh and yes, I know the first thing that comes to mind when on a budget would be the SYW forum, but I don't think I'll get someone willing to read 185,000 words for free!)

I'm trying to find an editor that may double as a mentor. I need developmental editing as well as copyediting. In my case I'm looking for a dystopian-loving editor, a sci-f editor, or at least one that can offer advice on elements of the story.

I know rates are steep and I'm looking probably well over $1000 for the edit, which is why I'm hoping AW can help. Maybe an editor who could fall in love with my work and help get it published? That'd be perfect! (Who wouldn't want that?)

I'm open to all suggestions, not just editing-related. Any help is greatly appreciated for this first-time lost soul self-publishing wannabe author. Thanks!

Old Hack · Mar 26, 2013

Don't spend money on an editor just yet.

You're right that you can't put your entire novel up in SYW: but you can post the first few hundred words of it, and hope for a good critique. It might not seem like enough for you but the problems that appear in a short piece will probably also appear in the rest of your novel, so it's a valuable exercise.

You can also spend time critiquing other writers' work. I know this isn't directly improving your own work, but it's a brilliant way to learn how to write better: it gives you a great insight into how writing can be improved, and I promise you that if you do it enough you'll very quickly be able to apply the things you've learned to your own work.

If you do these two things your work will improve considerably. You'll also make friends here, and perhaps even find someone who will be willing to beta-read for you. Stranger things have happened.

Good luck!

Maryn · Mar 26, 2013

Old Hack's post should be stitched up as a sampler. It's that universally true.

Maryn, just sayin' is all

nkkingston · Mar 27, 2013

Also, if the piece you post in SYW hooks people in, you may find some of them are willing to beta read the rest for you. For free! Fans of the genre, fellow writers.

My first instinct is that 185,000 is very long for a debut novel - it either needs massive cuts (like, in half) or to be put to one side until you've got some more commercial length stuff published and publishers are willing to take bigger risks on you. If this is definitely the book you think you have the best chance of getting published first with, there's really no point paying for editing until you've trimmed it right down, and that's the sort of thing beta-readers can really help with.

Susan Coffin · Mar 27, 2013

I agree with all the wise folks in this thread. Also, you might look for a real life critique group. If you don't have a writers club in your area, look on bulletin boards at the library, local bookstores, etc. for critique groups. Feedback is essential.

quicklime · Mar 27, 2013

Old Hack said:
.... but you can post the first few hundred words of it, and hope for a good critique. It might not seem like enough for you but the problems that appear in a short piece will probably also appear in the rest of your novel, so it's a valuable exercise.

...!

this part is worth quoting especially--if you post 1000 words and someone shows you how to cut say 400 of them that are going into excessive infodumping, over-explaining, etc., that sort of thing can help you go through the rest of your novel.

You're looking at several thousand dollars, OR MORE, and the pay is based on word count. That alone is a very strong incentive to fix what you can, and the trick above will let you fix quite a bit, if you're fortunate and a quick learner.

dchisholm125 · Mar 27, 2013

Thanks everyone!

I'm trying to plod on without an editor, but after four run-throughs I've reached this point. I'll try to repost stuff in SYW-SF/F as I have before.

It's just a scary place that gets tough to sift the good critique from the bad. We're in SYW for help, so even in a masterful work I'm sure someone will always find something wrong with what's been written.

I really want to be a quick learner and cut, cut, cut, cut to around 90,000, but there are tricky intricacies and nuances to the plot that make it longer, but more entertaining and wholesome. I have a feeling I know which scenes need to be cut... even after spending so much time on them.

I'm probably just feeling the gravity of a novel setting in and am looking for shortcuts I shouldn't be taking. All the work comes AFTER you've written it. Writing was the easy part!

Thanks everyone, I'll see you in SYW and hopefully I'll come away from it with all my hair afterward.

nkkingston · Mar 27, 2013

It can be really hard to cut stuff that you've worked hard on, but if you've got a gut instinct telling you which scenes need to go, trying relocating them to another document and saving it. It gives you the safety net of knowing you can always put them back. And if you get published, you can always offered them up as "deleted scenes"!

(my current manuscript is in a folder consisting of "Space Romance" "Cut from Space Romance" "Space romance draft 2" "Cut from Space Romance draft 2" and "Space Romance draft 3". Guess which file I submitted and had accepted? And am now cutting more from...)

quicklime · Mar 27, 2013

dchisholm125 said:
.

It's just a scary place that gets tough to sift the good critique from the bad. We're in SYW for help, so even in a masterful work I'm sure someone will always find something wrong with what's been written.

.

fwiw, I'm not sure I've seen more than a dozen (if that) "bad crits" in all my time there. They may not always agree, but they generally have reasons and the discussion is usually helpful, even dissenting advice. But you DO have to learn to weed, and choose what makes the most sense or is "most correct" for your work sometimes.

mccardey · Mar 27, 2013

Also, it's perfectly ok to specify that you want a gentler crit if that suits your style better. You can sort of build up to the great bloodletting that way... :evil

[Editor/Mentor] Need recommendations for first-time author

dchisholm125

can jump higher than you

Old Hack

Such a nasty woman

Maryn

At Sea

nkkingston

Bemused Girl

Susan Coffin

Tell it like it Is

quicklime

all out of fucks to give