Know What You Want - Part 1

As a writer it is tempting to believe as I revise my work that I can spot any errors I've made. But let me tell you, I'm so close to the words I can only see the letters! There is so much more to a well written manuscript than the mechanics of spelling, grammar, and syntax. Does your story flow smoothly, are there inconsistencies in fact or tone, are you shifting POV in mid-paragraph, is your message clear?

More than once in books on writing I've read that I should have an editor edit my manuscript before I send it to a publisher or agent. Yikes! That means investing money in my book along with all those midnight hours I spent writing it. But that investment could mean the difference between my novel getting accepted or rejected.

Before I make an investment like that, I want to know what I am going to get for my money. (I don't buy a book without first looking at the Table of Contents.) The Know What You Want Series is designed to give you a deeper look at what an editor can do for you. In the coming weeks, we're going to look at what copy editing is and isn't, mechanics, content, levels of editing, and more. My goal is to give you a better understanding of the work of editing so when you send your WIP for correction you'll know exactly what you want from the editor. And you'll feel more comfortable about those hard-earned dollars you are spending for it.

Until next week...