Indie Authors, "Clearing up false perceptions"

I wanted to take a moment to touch on the subject of "Editing" and the importance of editing your work.  Indie Authors are often perceived by authors that had their manuscript published through traditional publishing houses, as well as the publishing houses themselves, as writers who produce less than stellar or quality work.

I would like to be the first to put this myth to rest.  This is not true of ANY writer, whether they've chosen to use a traditional or indie publisher who takes pride in their work and how their work is perceived by the world. The method and reason a writer chooses to publish their work is as individual as the goals each writer has set for themselves.

I chose to become an indie author for several reasons. (1) I wanted to retain all creative control over my manuscript and characters. (2) I wanted to retain the rights to my manuscript and images. (3) I did not want to wait the 12-18 month time frame it takes to publish my work and deprive children of enjoying it sooner.  

None of the reasons I stated above would indicate my work is one of poor quality, but simply reveals a personal choice I've made.  The editing process can be tedious in addition to time-consuming.  It is always an excellent idea to have several pairs of eyes on your manuscript.  No matter how many times I read over my manuscript,  my editor always finds something I missed or offers their suggestion on how I can make it better.   Now, I want you to keep in mind when your editor offers their suggestions, their suggestions should NEVER override your own gut in terms of what and how your manuscript should read.  "Take the GOOD throw out the BAD" still rings true!

I have several colleagues who have been very generous in allowing me to use their eyes by helping me edit my manuscripts.  I can only begin to imagine how many typo's and grammatical errors my manuscript would have contained had it not been for the keen eyes of these two lovely ladies, Donalisa Helsley, author of "The Day No One Played Together "  and Tracey Searight-Dilbert, author of "Detective Pancake"

If you are not as fortunate as I am do not worry, there are plenty of authors who share my desire to help other writers critique their work.  You can locate and sign up to be a critique partner @Ladies Who Critique.com   I just recently signed up as a member and I am looking forward to sharing my experiences with you, good or bad.

Until next time, Happy Critiquing!

Writing Resources:   Copy blogger