Catherine Ryan Howard writes the blog Catherine, Caffeinated – which is filled with the amazing wisdom she’s gathered through her writing and self-publishing experiences.
To celebrate the latest edition of her hugely popular book SELF-PRINTED: THE SANE PERSON’S GUIDE TO SELF-PUBLISHING, Catherine is here today to talk about hiring an editor.
Q: What do you think is the BIGGEST benefit of having your self-published book edited by a professional?
A: That to me is like asking what’s the biggest benefit of being alive, or going on holiday, or having an entire Toblerone cheesecake to yourself. It’s ALL benefits. But I think – since you have “editorial services” in your blog URL – you’re after a foolproof pitch to authors on why they absolutely have to get an editor.
I shall turn to my Scary Review Story that I drag out whenever this question arises. I can go on about standards and professionalism and all that jazz, but from the personal point of view of a writer, here’s why you should hire professional editorial help to give your book a professional polish BEFORE it goes out into the world: acidic, evil, contemptuous reviews.
Not “I didn’t really like this” reviews, mind you, because we don’t all like the same things and the world would be a pretty boring place if we did. I mean incredibly awful angry reviews that take offense at the very notion that you ever put pen to paper, let alone what emerged in the end. You will get at least one and it will sandblast its way several layers into your very soul. You’ll wonder if you wrote a book the reviewer didn’t like or killed their puppy, so filled with hate will this review be. In fact, it’ll be so DRIPPING in hate that you – and anyone else who reads it – will instantly dismiss it as being irrelevant.
UNLESS…
[Dum-dum-DUUUUUMMMM]
[That was scary, dramatic music, in case you couldn’t tell]
The evil, acidic review that would’ve been otherwise easily dismissed mentions typos or other errors that really exist in the book. Then, other people who read it might say, “Well, that bit’s true, so…” and then, having believed the rest of the vitriol, will not buy your book.
Honestly, it’s a horrible feeling. It’s bad for your publishing career AND for your soul. Save yourself by giving your book a professional polish before it hits the virtual shelves.
______________________
Catherine Ryan Howard is a writer, self-publisher and caffeine enthusiast from Cork, Ireland. SELF-PRINTED: THE SANE PERSON’S GUIDE TO SELF-PUBLISHING (3rd edition) is out now in paperback and e-book and available from Amazon. Follow the #selfprintedsplash on Twitter today (Friday 24th) and/or visit www.catherineryanhoward.com for chance to win an amazing prize that will get your self-publishing adventure started!
“SELF-PRINTED is my self-publishing bible. It taught me how to format, create and upload my e-books and print-on-demand paperbacks. It showed me practical things such as how to build a website/blog and how to promote my books. More importantly, it taught me how to compete with the professionals. Just look at the results – The Estate Series has sold nearly 100,000 copies and following that I got a traditional book deal with Thomas & Mercer too, so I’m now a hybrid author. Jam-packed full of hints and tips all in one place, I’m always referring back to it. In a word, it’s priceless.” – Mel Sherratt, author of The Estate Series and DS Allie Shenton Series
The post Catherine Ryan Howard on the BIGGEST Benefit of Having Your Novel Edited appeared first on Playle Editorial Services.