For those of you who already know the answer to the question at hand, I applaud you. 

But there are a few who might be wondering why, in fact, one would ever worry about editing. Two schools of thought rally around this subject. Some of you might be thinking one or both of the following:

1. Who needs an editing service? For God’s sake, I could edit the local newspaper in my sleep. I’ve got this, people!
2. Why should I bother with editing? That doesn't matter! I wrote this book with my bare hands and I’m hitting ‘publish’ tomorrow!

It’s true that indie publishing has simplified the once traditional route to getting our work out to readers. But that’s all the more reason to take your writing seriously. By overlooking the editing process, you’re only hurting yourself. Once you decided, “I’m getting published someday!”, you essentially said goodbye to writing as a hobby. Look, I’m not telling you to stop enjoying the creative process. Of course not. I think we should all remember why we got into it, why we still love writing. However, you should see your manuscript as a potential book. 

Notice I said potential? Before you hit ‘publish’ on that Amazon screen, think carefully about the ramifications of publishing a book without official edits. 

We’re all familiar with bad reviews, right? Not only have we seen them on book purchase pages, reviews have changed the fate of restaurants and hotels alike, even something as simple as a pair of shoes. 

Words have power. Just as our books can move readers on an emotional level, enough bad reviews can kill your book’s reputation. Having said that, a negative review happens now and then. No author, not even a famous one, is immune. It’s true that you can’t win every reader over. But, wouldn’t you want to be judged on the merit of your work, the quality of your story, rather than the editing mistakes and glaring grammar problems you thought weren’t so relevant?

Take it from me. I’ve been a published author since 2010, and I still jump to catch all the editing issues before I even consider publishing the book. With my latest book, Directions of the Heart, I fortunately fixed the mistakes in the proof copy CreateSpace sent and was still able to meet my deadline before the collection officially released. And this occurred after numerous rounds of self-editing, and assistance from outside sources. To date, no one has mentioned any editing issues in the book's reviews.

But let’s get back to the discussion here.

Consider this. If you decide to go the traditional route and you skip the editing step, you’re not going to win any points with literary agencies or publishers to which you send query letters. Once they get a load of the first few pages of your manuscript, you’ll get a tasteful yet boring form letter that basically says, “Sorry, but no thanks!”

So…the question you need to ask yourself is:

“How important is the finished product to me?”

I think most writers want to put their best work out there. Some are even perfectionists about it. Does it irk you when you missed making a word plural on an email or social media? You want to fix it right away, yes? But it's not always possible. I feel your pain. Now, why wouldn’t you have the same reaction with the book that you’d like to show readers?  

“I’m ready, Marie. I am hitting ‘publish’ right now!”

Whoa…slow your roll there, cupcake. Have you read through your manuscript a few times? For example, two or three weeks between each round? Did you read it aloud or even print it out? Sometimes these different techniques allow us to see glaring errors we missed before. And I’m not even touching the idea of having to format your book for release.

But let’s go back to the beginning. Remember the eager writer who can’t wait for the world to see his or her work? Ditch that dream just for the moment. You need to put your editing hat on! 

Look, this is when things get gritty, or at least they should. Think of yourself as the girl who fell for the bad boy. He can do no wrong, but your family is trying to tell you otherwise. Yet the intelligent thing to do would be to weigh your options, consider your future with this guy. Likewise, you’ve got to look at your manuscript with a critical eye, not rose-colored glasses. Fall out of love with your book for a while. I’m not asking you to second guess everything, just to be smart. Now is the time to keep an eye out for plot holes, character confusion (using the same name for two different secondary characters…yeah, it happens), and, among a thousand other aspects, making sure you didn’t miss any important details. 

Believe me, when you’re finally ready to see them, they’ll pop out at you. For example, if you want to ensure your characters are fully developed, answer these questions. You won’t include every detail in the book, but at least you’ll know your protagonist much better and be more aware of when those facts matter within the story. 

By now, you’ve probably realized that I’m talking about self-editing. Mmm-hmm…it’s a thing. Even if you are open to using an outside source for help (critique partners, beta readers, a proofreader or other editing service), do you really want to hand your hard work over to a total stranger without perfecting it on your own first? Nah, probably not.

Here are some possible questions to ask yourself with any work of fiction:

1. Chapter Opening and/or Closing: Does it hook readers to read more?
2. Plot: Is there a compelling event, subplot, tension or conflict that is causing the story to evolve?
3. Pacing: Are the sequence of events or actions of the characters making sense? Are there too many minute details that are weighing the story down? In other words, is the narration too long?
4. Character Description: Can readers visualize the character? Is it easy to enter the character’s mind and feel emotion?
5. Scene:  Is it important to the story? Why? Does the character support the scene? Is it rich in details?
6. Character Building:  Is there an internal or external struggle? Is the character struggle important to the scene or the story? Why? Do you understand the character’s motivation? If it’s confusing, maybe you should find out why.
7. Point-of-View: Is head hopping occurring? If there is a POV shift, did it elevate the plot or move the story forward?
8. Transitions (Between chapters or scenes): Are they occurring seamlessly between paragraphs?  Are they building tension in the story?
9. Grammar and Word Choice: Are there repetitive phrases? (Suggestion: Use synonyms. They break up repetitions.) 

A critique partner will often help you narrow down many such problem areas. Still, it doesn’t hurt to suss out some of it for yourself.

Okay, let’s say you’ve tackled that as well as possible on your own. Now comes the dreaded part. Unless you’re a total editing maven (and even if you’re an editor in real life, I still wouldn’t suggest editing everything on your own), then self-editing can be a grueling yet necessary process. Luckily, the internet has provided us with awesome tips. Hallelujah!

I swear by these next two articles from The Write Life: 

10 Simple Ways to Edit Your Own Book

25 Editing Tips for Tightening Your Copy

With my first pass, I use article number one, and then I read through the manuscript. During round two, I launch into the second article. This is a more detailed look at the mistakes people often make while writing. After implementing the article’s suggestions, I read through the book again. Take decent breaks between each round (you don’t want to be too familiar with your work). With both articles, utilize the advice but try not to drown out your unique writing voice. I always do another read-through before anyone else sees my work. That’s three full rounds of self-editing.

“Marie, this could take a while!”

No kidding. But the best endeavors often do. 

Will you catch everything? Nope. But I guarantee it will be a lot better than where any of us started out with the first draft.

So…hopefully, your work is edited well enough to hand over to a critique partner or beta readers. Try to provide a questionnaire to help focus your betas on what kind of feedback that you’re looking for. It looks something like this, but you can tailor it to your specific genre.

Perhaps you’re thinking of checking out an editing service. I’ve worked with a lot of good editors through my publisher. I would advise you to compare rates. Most editors charge per word. That can really add up, especially if you have a novel-length manuscript. Plus, there are different types of editing. Are you looking for basic copy editing or something more thorough, like line, content or developmental editing? Word of mouth is usually the best way to find a good editor. Ask your fellow writers or authors who they used for their latest book editing.

I hope we’ve established the importance of editing. Do errors still slip through at times? Even with the professionals? Sure. I’ve noticed the occasional typo in a big six bestselling novel. The fact is no one is perfect. But I bet you’ll agree that one or two minor issues would be far better than a 100,000 word manuscript riddled with errors (which is likely to cause your reader to toss the book, or their Kindle, out the window).

Editing is too damn important, both for your professional integrity as a writer, and to avoid making your eyes cross when you reread your published book. Plus, readers will love you for giving them a polished product! You can’t lose there. I know you’d prefer them to talk to their friends about the story and how it makes them feel, rather than get hung up on all the grammar problems. Right?

I thought so. Despite how much of a pain it can be, editing is your friend.

Really! ;) Are you still with me?

Okay, we’ll go with whatever makes you comfortable. In any case, editing is an aspect of the writing process that you can’t afford to ignore. At least, if you want to survive as an author. A well-edited and published book is certainly something of which you should be proud!

I hope you found some helpful tips here. Have a great weekend, and, as always, happy reading! :)

It is a writer’s worst fear – what they call ‘writer’s block’. Being frozen when you intend to work on your project. The idea that the well has officially dried up. Perhaps you encountered a deadline and just went blank because of the strain. Or, out of the blue, you cannot find the urge to write. Unfortunately, sometimes it’s not exactly temporary.

The truth is that this is one of those moments every writer simply doesn’t relish. Sure, we can try to be reasonable and say…ah, what a relief! I’ll just take some much needed time off. No problem. 

But then the fears creep in.

What if this is it?

What if my last story or book was the last one I’ll ever write?

Even if this is short-term, what if I lose my readers in the time it takes to get the urge back?

Will my best efforts be good enough?

All that, among other worries, of course. 

Writer’s block happens, even to the best of us. We all have moments when life’s stressors have just overloaded our mental capacity to be creative any longer. Maybe there was a period of grief, financial strain, or a number of other personal situations that can interfere with one’s imagination. Whatever the cause – or even if you don’t believe there is one, it’s likely a multitude of things that fed into the block – do yourself a favor. Give your inner writer a break.

I really mean that. 

Draw a deep breath. No matter how long your writer’s block lasts, it’s not going to do any good to stress too much over the whole thing. Why? For one, freaking out will not only put more stress on you, it may lengthen the period of the barrier jarring your creativity. I can name around two or three points in my life when I experienced writer’s block, and putting extra pressure on myself only made it ten times worse. 

Let’s face it; as humans, we tend to fear the worst, and then we jump to try to fix everything. Even things that may not be so ‘fixable’. Often it’s not just a lack of willpower for a project which is blocking you, but a bunch of stressors that led to the problem. That’s why patience is key.

Stay positive. Believe me, I know it’s tough. Especially if the cause of the block is more emotional, it is harder to look up rather than down. But keeping a positive outlook, at least about your creativity, will seriously help. Plus, who knows? This could be a brief situation, right? That leads me to my next point.

Take a break. However long you need, take some time to chill. Relax, and STOP overthinking. 

Go enjoy your life! Heck, go on vacation if necessary. That deadline or story will still be sitting there tomorrow. Why work yourself beyond your limits for something that may result in what…one word? Keep a small notepad on hand, just in case, though. You never know when a great line or idea will pop up, which you can use for a future project.

Distract yourself. Maybe this is a good time to really start launching your blog. Or work on that DIY project in the kitchen. Anything you have to do to distract yourself from the ‘block’ that’s hanging over your head, just do it. Some writers use this time to approach specific parts of the impending project that don’t require too much of your creative juices. For example, learning more about your characters, or doing research on the locations which you’ll use to create a great setting in the novel. It isn’t necessary at this point, though. In my opinion, throwing yourself into a project that has nothing to do with your book or story is better. But, hey, you may as well get some things done in the process. ;)

Measure the muse. You’re going to have moments that feel like false hope. You really want to work on your story, but you are afraid to dive in, that it might result in…well, nothing. If ideas are creeping up, it won’t hurt to write them down somewhere. However, be certain that your urge to write isn’t only a way to pressure yourself into finishing something. Until you’re truly ready to get fully immersed in the writing process, try to discern what urges are real or just temptation.

Other projects. Depending on the source of your writer’s block – an external reason, such as an event that happened in your personal life – or an internal writing dilemma, such as needing to resolve a plot conflict – it might even behoove you to work on a different idea entirely. Sometimes we have to step away from something to get better clarity.  

Try writing a new story. Or, work on a project you’ve kept on the backburner for months or years. And if that doesn’t pan out, try using a different part of your brain. Edit a work in progress. At times the best solution is to do a complete turnaround. Maybe once you’re done with that project, you’ll have a ‘Eureka!’ moment and suddenly the motivation to work on whatever you had trouble with before will return. 

The struggle is REAL, as they say. All right, let’s suppose that you can’t even handle working on a brand-new project, or something which is just sitting around. Consider other options. What might some of those be? Relax; I’ll tell you…

Reading is awesome! Huh? That’s right. If you’re a writer, you are almost certainly a reader at heart. Read a ton of books, especially those in your preferred genre. But don’t be afraid to change things up and try something that’s a little out of your wheelhouse from time to time. 

Reading is actually a two-part “cure”, so to speak. It gets you out of your head, and into the fictional world. That’s where we love to be! Even better, it helps to familiarize you more with what other authors are doing, so you can develop your own style when you’re ready to start writing again.

You’re ready to dip your toes in the water of success. Notice I said ‘dip’. That means, for God’s sake, please…you gotta take it slow. Unless you’re an old pro at handling writer’s block, you do not want to relapse. I suggest you try a few writing exercises first. These are really helpful for jumpstarting a writer’s creativity. There are some great prompts in Natalie Goldberg’s Writing Down the Bones. And if you’ve never had a journal, consider the idea of journaling for a while. Sometimes you need to get all the junk out of your head before you can find the real meat which results in a story or book. We humans have so much going on up there! 

To help you out, there are some links below with exercises or writing prompts that might get you started in the right creative direction. And if a book or story doesn’t come from any of these, don’t sweat it. This is just for fun. Remember, the point of writing is also to enjoy what you’re doing. Why else did you become a writer? :)

Ideas for Exercises

https://www.pw.org/writing-prompts-exercises

https://psychcentral.com/blog/archives/2014/09/27/30-journaling-prompts-for-self-reflection-and-self-discovery/

https://daringtolivefully.com/journal-prompts

http://writetodone.com/10-best-creative-writing-exercises/

http://inside.warren-wilson.edu/~creativewriting/Prompts.php

http://blog.ed.ted.com/2015/11/17/21-fun-things-to-write-about-in-10-minutes-or-less/

http://www.writersdigest.com/prompts

https://learning.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/11/13/500-prompts-for-narrative-and-personal-writing/

http://thinkwritten.com/365-creative-writing-prompts/

http://www.dailyteachingtools.com/journal-writing-prompts.html

So…you’re finally ready to take on the real world. Okay, let’s say I trust your judgment. Perhaps that story or book, or even an entirely new one, is calling to you. Consider the following statement first.

Ease into the project at hand. As aforementioned, putting too much pressure on yourself all at once is just going to place you right back where you started. In the black hole of writer’s block, of course! Don’t get me wrong. I understand your excitement. To experience the genuine call of the muse is like a beautiful madness has descended upon you. But, try to be patient.

At first, cut the book or story into small segments, parts that are more approachable. Work on each section separately. Remember, you don’t want to find yourself in a pit of regression as soon as you’ve started. I like to separate everything into individual scenes or chapters that eventually make a whole, and even handle my research topics one at a time, so I don’t feel as overwhelmed. When you finish, you’ll be amazed at what you’ve accomplished overall.

Seriously…no worries. If you’re currently suffering from writer’s block, the best thing to do is to distract yourself and do your best not to stress out about it. The time will pass before you know it, and then the muse will return in full force. With some patience, you’ll be right back to constructing those stories freely, and enjoying your life as a writer. That’s what we’re here for anyway, right? ;)

I recently attended the RomCon in Denver. The cost of travelling, accommodations, registration, food reached to nearly $2,500. Was it worth it?

So far, I’d have to say in monetary return – no. That is, unless the connections I made translates into a sudden burst of sales at Amazon and Barnes & Noble. Not likely.

In terms of a useful experience, maybe. The speakers ranged from terrible to great. The organization of the event could have been better. The accommodation was poor (I froze in some of the lecture rooms and my room flooded from a leak in the ceiling, etc.) Did I have fun? I’ll explain later. Did I learn anything? Not as much as I hoped.

What was good:

1. I met some amazing authors
   • Barbara Vey, http://barbaravey.com/aboutbarbara/
   • Cherry Adair, http://cherryadair.com/
   • Rebecca Grace, http://www.rebeccagrace.com/index.html
   • Jennifer Zane, http://jenniferzane.com/  http://jenniferzane.com/cover-design/
   • Marsha West, http://www.marsharwest.com/
   • Debra Holland, http://drdebraholland.com/
2. Excellent presentations on character development, plot workshop, cover design workshop, the value of independent publishing, and writing sex scenes.
3. Entertainment: My favorite event was the Mimosa Madness. Authors participated in a social event wherein participants had to complete a bingo-like card. The fun in finding the author to match the description on the card made way for a crazy and zany hour of getting to know everyone. The prizes were terrific. And the mimosa, yummy!
4. Facility (Crown Plaza Airport): food was tasty and served quickly

What could have been better:

1. Speakers should stay on topic(some speakers strayed off topic half the time)
2. Speakers should allow time for questions
3. Audio / visual equipment in working order
4. Sound system improvement (echos distract and make comprehension difficult)
5. Ensure lecture room temperatures are comfortable
6. Improve registration – ensure registrants are greeted upon arrival and understand procedures (I arrived Thursday early evening but no one had info or handouts; the next morning the registration felt chaotic)
7. The book signing event could have been two evenings instead of one short event.

One of my favorite memories:

I met Kasi and Jerrie Alexander, fellow authors published by Omnific Publishing

The worst:

My main goal was to gain insight into marketing techniques. Lo and behold, that was the worst lecture. The author talked about her experience with online dating service. I waited for the real meat and potatoes on marketing. It never came. Ugh!

The second biggest disappointment was attending the “Birds of a Feather Reader Chat & Book Giveaway.” When I entered the room and discovered piles of books on each chair, I felt overwhelmed with the generosity. This event was led by a rep from the Book Reading Gals. Casual is good but being sloppily dressed in front of your guests is an insult. After a USA chant (not being American, I felt out of place, again), the rep began to mention book titles and author names. Her favorite expression was ‘OMG’ or ‘Oh my God,’ but I don’t recall hearing why any of the books rated the ‘OMG’. This went on for the entire hour as she strutted within the circle of attendees. The attendees were mature people and deserved more than ‘OMG.’

Did I have fun? I did until the insult.

During an event someone pointed to me and told the room full of people that I was from Canada. She turned her back to me, then made a statement ending in ‘eh.’ Everyone thought it was humorous, except me. Until that point I felt just one of the many people enjoying the day. After that, I felt like an outsider and disrespected.

I’m attending one more writer’s convention this year. It’s the When Words Collide in Calgary, Alberta, August 8-10. The cost will be small as it’s only a short drive from home and a bunch of us authors are sharing the cost. Finger crossed this event will prove to be worth it.Life of a Writer