Alternatives to hiring editors for self-publishing

shadowwalker said:

Second, while there are readers like you who don't mind these errors and subsequent revisions,

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I said no such thing.

OP, get yourself a copy of Self-Editing for Fiction Writers, and find a used copy of Ken Rand's The 10% Solution. They'll help you with the initial editing process. Have a couple of people read it and offer feedback on the story (not writers, preferably, or at least not all writers, just people who love reading your genre), and once you're satisfied that the content and the word choice, all the "writing," is how you want it, you consider the book done, read it again for proofreading purposes. Then read it again in a larger/different font, or print it out and proofread the paper version.

Finally, load it into your Kindle/ereader or your computer and have the text-to-speech program read it aloud to you. Your ear will catch things your eyes missed every time.

GigiBee said:

I feel like if I can turn out just ONE readable novel ever in my life, I'll be happy.

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You will be! It's quite an accomplishment.
It sounds like you've come really far. Good luck on your final stages.

shelleyo said:

I said no such thing.

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I must have misinterpreted this: "If a writer finds a bunch of errors in a book, there's little harm and, I think, something to be gained from fixing them. At least future readers will get a cleaner book." to mean that, as a reader, you don't think it's a big deal. My apologies for that. I do, of course, stand by the rest of my post.

shadowwalker said:

I must have misinterpreted this: "If a writer finds a bunch of errors in a book, there's little harm and, I think, something to be gained from fixing them. At least future readers will get a cleaner book." to mean that, as a reader, you don't think it's a big deal. My apologies for that. I do, of course, stand by the rest of my post.

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I'm not saying there's little harm if there are a bunch of errors. There's little harm in fixing them. I could have said that line better, but the rest of the post made my position pretty clear. I said writers shouldn't go into it with the attitude that stuff can be fixed later, but should strive to make the book the best it can be the first time. We agree there, I think.

Self-publishing allows me to update the front and back matter of my books to link to new releases as I wish, so if I noticed an error, I'd fix it. It seems negligent to me for someone to see errors, shrug, and leave them in. Why not make it better for future readers, since you can do so easily? That was my point, not what I think as a reader.

For the record, I won't buy a book with errors in the sample, and if I got into a book that suddenly fed me a bunch of errors, I'd be done with it. No amount of email notices about revised versions would get me to go back. It is a big deal.

First,thank you all for the tips! AW has help for what I've been thinking and worrying about once again!

I know without a doubt I need a firm editor. I also know how much a good one costs!


I have been saving for quite awhile. I have a great fear of sending my books out in the world unprepared.I'm going to self publish,so I want to put my best effort out there.

shelleyo said:

I said no such thing.

OP, get yourself a copy of Self-Editing for Fiction Writers, and find a used copy of Ken Rand's The 10% Solution. They'll help you with the initial editing process. Have a couple of people read it and offer feedback on the story (not writers, preferably, or at least not all writers, just people who love reading your genre), and once you're satisfied that the content and the word choice, all the "writing," is how you want it, you consider the book done, read it again for proofreading purposes. Then read it again in a larger/different font, or print it out and proofread the paper version.

Finally, load it into your Kindle/ereader or your computer and have the text-to-speech program read it aloud to you. Your ear will catch things your eyes missed every time.

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Hi!

You mention "Kindle/ereader" and the text-to-speech program. Is that free from Kindle, the KDP area? If so is it easy to find? I was at the site yesterday and don't remember any free software like that. Old Hack... as an "option on the Kindle" you mean if one owns a Kindle device and subscribes to them, not writers trying to post for free?

I'm hoping to publish my novella there coming up once I first find a beta reader(s). I'm the only one who has read it except for a retired newspaper editor (worked 30 years in her profession) I've been an email pal with, yet maybe she is more like having a friend or family member read and thus objectivity can fall behind. I appreciate you advice Polenth as over the years I realize the family/friend pattern and also asking to read causes uncomfortable situations and better to just ask another writer to read. Also my email friend gave great praise and realize now thanks to advice even the great novels one can find weak areas and no such thing as a novel without need of something.

It would be nice to hear a voice reading my story back to me. I read all 30,000 words out loud to myself to help with my editing process and that worked well. It is in the action/drama genre. Readers I think would be older teens and up. The protag is a 17yr old girl so maybe no of interest to serious adult fiction readers, however I think my story would reach a wide age range as my friend is 84 who wrote the comments.

Also my protag and antag are both allegorical characters, thus I feel readers might be from a bit more mature teens and up. Anyone interested in reading and commenting on it let me know. I'm a slow reader; and it takes me about 3 1/2 hrs to read. I'm hoping to sell it in the Christmas market; but I don't think with timing that can happen. Any suggestion of a good online writers group would be much appreciated too. As far as the editing subject... I can't afford one so end up reading and editing on my own. The retired editor found some things but not much grammar wise etc., which that's good. Reading it out loud to yourself is a good idea I advise to anyone attempting to be their own editor. Hope I've helped some in regards to the subject of this thread.

Sincerely,
Winfred0000

I think the text-to-speech function mentioned is an option on the Kindle, not a piece of software available online.

Winfred said:

You mention "Kindle/ereader" and the text-to-speech program. Is that free from Kindle, the KDP area? If so is it easy to find? I was at the site yesterday and don't remember any free software like that. I'm hoping to publish my novella there coming up once I first find a beta reader(s). I'm the only one who has read it except for a retired newspaper editor (worked 30 years in her profession) I've been an email pal with, yet maybe she is more like having a friend or family member read and thus objectivity can fall behind.

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As far as editing volunteers go, I'd be cautious of anyone who is always positive or only picks up on tiny things. It's highly unlikely that a novel doesn't have some areas that need rewriting. Even the best writer is going to have weak areas in a piece that long. That's the issue more than how related you are to them... will they tell you when it's terrible?

It's also very unlikely that you don't have some missed words, spelling mistakes and similar errors. There aren't many error-free books, even from the big publishers, so there are almost always more mistakes to find. Which is either horrifying or comforting, depending on how you look at it. Though knowing Twilight has dust moats does make me feel a whole lot better about my editing.

Having a variety of beta readers with different interests can be very much to your advantage as well.

I have a handful of betas who each spot very different things - I know one is always going to think my prose is magnificent, but she'll catch every historical and factual error that slides by. The other will slam me for dumb character mistakes and pacing, and one has a fantastic eye for language (especially regional idioms), grammar and cliche-annihilation. Between them, they catch me up on a lot more than one would alone.