Why Self-Publishers Need a Pro Editor

Writing a book isn't easy. Publishing one is. It's just a matter of converting the book file with free software, and bam! You're published. Your book is available to the masses.

But what makes your book worth reading? Your marketing may get you noticed and your expertise may find you an audience, but if your text is incoherent, you've wasted your effort, time, and money. If you want your message to matter, your prose to persuade, or your advice to call others to action, before you hit that "publish" button, you need backup.

Having someone you know read the manuscript before publication is essential, of course, but hiring a publishing pro with years of experience can offer your manuscript expertise in the broad areas of the subject matter and in the minutia of the commas.

What professional editors, copy editors and proofreaders catch every day:

  • grammar problems,

  • typos,

  • incorrect numbers and math,

  • spelling mistakes in names,

  • misused words,

  • flaws in logic,

  • broken timelines,

  • organizational issues,

  • redundancy,

  • wordiness,

  • and so much more.

Experienced editors, in effect, help you do your job by making sure your message is concise and clear, that your plot makes sense. Their work hides invisibly in the background, while your words do the work that you've intended. There are no glaring errors to distract your audience from what you have to say. Your text is polished and professional.

An experienced proofreader aids your credibility. How often have you seen a typo in the newspaper, a name or number obviously wrong, and you've thought to yourself, "If the writer got this wrong, what else is wrong here? Can't trust anything the article says." Don't let this happen to your manuscript. Don't turn off your readers before they've absorbed all your insight.

An editor can move your project through the publishing process from its early organization to last-minute proofing and from testing on various e-readers to the final upload. Let someone take that burden off your desk. After all, you've got the marketing campaign to worry about.

Convinced? Contact me for help with your project.