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Joyce Elaine

AVAILABLE NOW: The Gift of Death

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Editing

My Editing Venture

Hello loyal readers! I know it’s been a while since I’ve written a blog, so I figured it was time. Some of you may have read that I entered another writing contest a few months back. I did not move along to the next round. Oh well, I can’t win all the time!

Now to update you on The Gift of Death. I had to look for an editor and it was not something I was looking forward to doing. It’s hard to find an editor who knows what they are doing, that you can trust, and doesn’t cost you an arm and leg. Don’t get me wrong, I’m willing to pay top dollar for a good editor because it will just make my book that much better, but I had no idea where to start. A couple of friends pointed me to an editor they knew personally but after reading their bio, I didn’t feel like they were a good fit for me. Then a good friend of mine reached out to someone she knew who sent her a couple of links that were full of editors.

So my search began…

I sent out three emails to individual editors, knowing that I wanted to have a couple different types of editing done. I won’t bore you with the whole editing thing but there’s more to editing than just looking for spelling, puncture and grammar errors. I knew I’d need to hire at least two editors. One for those type of edits and then one who looks at the whole picture. It was a little discouraging knowing I had to search for not one, but two editors!

I found a few that I thought might be a good match so I sent them emails. They all responded and were interested in taking on the project.

But then something amazing happend!

I stumbled upon a company on the list called The Artful Editor. I checked out their website and as I read what they offered and then checked their reviews, I was smiling from ear to ear. What was so great about this company is they offered what’s called an “Everything Edit” package. It was the two types of edits that I needed done and each edit is done by a different person on their staff. So, I didn’t have to look for two different editors, they did it for me!

What was also great about The Artful Editor was that they offered a payment plan that I was able to pay in three installments. They get the first payment and then started the first round of editing. Once they were finished that (it took a little over a month), I sent them the second installment and they sent me their edits. I was excited and nervous to look over what the editor had to say. I was happy with the results! The editor pointed out things I missed…a lot of things…and gave me many great ideas and suggestions. Some of them I didn’t take but most of them I did. I had the chance to speak to him if I wanted but I didn’t have a need to.

Once I finished with the edits, I sent it back to them for the second round of editing. This one took closer to two months before it was finished. Once it was, I sent my third payment installment and then received the edits. I had more things to fix again but again, I was happy with the work that was completed.

Those edits have been completed and now I have a finished book that I’m even more excited about. A few days ago, I found a company that I hired to do my book cover. It will take them one to two weeks to have a design sent to me and I cannot wait to see what they come up with!

I’ve been thinking about marketing and actually publishing this book. But I am nervous that my book is still not good enough, that there may still be missed errors and plot holes and so, here I am, going back to the Artful Editor for another round of editing. This one is proofreading and it’s basically one last round of another pair of eyes reading over it. Don’t dare ask me how much I’ve paid for all the editing! It was a lot but I believe it’s worth it if it means having a product that you can be proud of. I don’t want to look like an amateur (even though that’s what I am) when I publish my first book because then no one would ever read my second book!

So once I get my book back from the editor for a THIRD time, I guess I will have to be ready to accept that it’s ready to be published. It will probably be another month or two but that’s okay. It will give me time to try to generate interest.

So that’s where I am at right now. It would have been nice if I could have had a Halloween release date but I don’t know how possible that will be now that I’m waiting for the last round of edits. But hey, good things come to those who wait!

In the meantime, if you haven’t already done so, please sign up for my newsletter by filling in the contact box here on my website. You’ll be the first to know about release dates, you’ll get special promotional offers and even some free stuff!

Thanks for reading!!

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The Next Step Has Been Taken!

Although I’ve been working on my current WIP, Wildflowers, I couldn’t stop thinking about my completed novel, The Gift of Death. The two books are in two totally different genres and I think I’ll have to use a different pen name for each novel but that’s beside the point! I had sent query letters to many agents last year to try to get an Agent to pick me up for The Gift of Death. After having no luck, I knew my next step would be to have the book edited and then either self publish or find a publishing house that takes independent writers.

Editing is not cheap! If you want a good editor, you better be prepared to dish out some serious money! I struggled with this. Not because I don’t have the money but because I just wasn’t sure if “I’m” worth it. I mean, I think my novel is good, my beta readers loved it, but that doesn’t mean that it’s good enough for “the market.” If I pay for an editor, I may never make that money back in book sales. In fact, I’m pretty sure I won’t even come close. The sad thing is that if a friend came to me with the same issues, I’d tell that friend to go for it and you have to at least try.

So, with some pushing from my husband and my youngest brother, I decided to go for it. Like my husband said, if you dish out all that money to get the book edited, publish, and you don’t sell one book, at least you can say you tried. That’s better than sitting around wondering what if. So I put my big girl panties on and began looking for an editor.

A friend on Facebook connected me with an editor that she knows but after reviewing her website, I didn’t feel what she offered was what I was looking for and I didn’t think my book would be an interest of there’s. Then a good friend (Hi Celeste!) got some information from someone she knew. In that information was a website, Editorial Freelancers Association, which is basically a database of editors. I was leery on choosing someone I didn’t know so I knew I had to be careful.

I made a list of five editors that I thought might be good for me and emailed four of them. Two of them got back to me right away, the 3rd one got back to me two days later, and I haven’t heard back from the fourth one yet. After researching their company and services and emailing back and forth, I ended up going with the first one who responded to me. I can say that TODAY I signed the contract with them! I don’t want to name them just yet…I’ll save that for after I receive my services from them. I will say that the owner has been quick to respond, has answered all my questions and wasn’t once pushy. What really turned me on to them was that it’s not just one editor, it’s a group of editors. This worked out in my favor. When having a book edited, you need one editor to do the developmental editing (the big picture) and then a different editor to do the copy editing (spelling, grammar, punctuation, etc.). They had two editors who were willing to take on my novel. You can’t imagine the relief I have of not having to find a second editor! Phew! And on top of that, it’s all one package and I only pay one price total!

The developmental editing will start sometime around May 4, 2021 (which is such a quick start) and it will take between five to six weeks. Then, it gets sent back to me with suggestions. I make the changes I feel are necessary then send back to them for the copy editing, which takes three to four weeks. Then….well, then I have another decision to make. Do I try to self publish, try to find a publishing house without an agent….OR, I could try an agent again now that it’s been edited. I’ll make that decision once the editing process is over….

Wish me luck!! I’m so nervous sending my book off to professional strangers to read and edit and pick it apart….my backbone is strongly in place!

Thanks for following!!

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