Book editing is an essential part of the writing and publishing process, that will consume many rounds when producing a manuscript through a professional publishing house.
As an independent author, however, there are particular luxuries and processes that may have to be adjusted or eliminated in the name of resources, finances, accessibility, or expertise. Copyediting should not be one of those cuts.
By nature, most authors already have a way with words, sentence structure, punctuation, and can maneuver their way through a Google Doc, Microsoft Word document, or word processing program. Regardless of the preferred method of recording the literary masterpiece (by hand, or on your smart phone or tablet, perhaps?), it is still important to have another set of eyes go over your words. Having a friend or family member read your book is a great idea...but it is still crucial to have a skilled editor give your manuscript a careful scan.
Here are a few specific reasons why even independent authors need an experienced book editor, before sharing their book with the world.
CONSISTENCY | A copyeditor will help to ensure that your language, style, and tone is consistent throughout your text. Checking for uniform capitalization, formatting, hyphenation, and punctuation usage, they will make sure your narrative voice is the same from the beginning of your document to the end.
PROFESSIONALISM | As an independently published author, you still want to ensure that your text is polished and error free. Checking for correct sentence structure, punctuation, and grammar, and also making sure that your writing is clear and reader-friendly, a professionally edited book will enhance the reader experience, and also give you credibility as an author.
READABILITY | Helping to improve the flow of your manuscript, an editor will restructure your sentences where necessary, and ensure that your text is accessible to your target audience. Having a clear manuscript can boost reader satisfaction.
OBJECTIVITY | After researching, writing, re-writing, and editing your manuscript independently, you may be too close to your work to catch any errors. A copyeditor will help to bring a fresh set of eyes to your text, catch any inconsistencies, repetition, or awkward phrases that you may overlook. This will help to improve the quality of your text, overall.
CATCHING ERRORS | While reading your manuscript, a copyeditor will also notice if there are any holes in your plot or factual inaccuracies. If these errors make it through to publication, your readers will be confused and possibly frustrated. Having a keen editor will help to tighten your narrative, and provide fact-checking where needed.
MARKETABILITY | In general, a book that is well edited is more likely to receive positive feedback, and be well received by your readers. As an independent author, it may also help to increase your chances of attracting literary agents, readers, or publishers (if this is your desire), and will bring you greater success with a solid piece of writing.
It is a step in the production process that is very important, and having a tightly edited manuscript will elevate your work and enhance your words and the impact of your story.
Find an editor that is familiar with your genre of writing, and if you are writing in a specialty field, or using a culturally-specific tone or language, research the editors that will match your needs and understand your vision. It is crucial that you are comfortable and confident with your choice of editor, so take your time to find a good fit!
Kya Publishing offers copyediting services for fiction and non-fiction manuscripts, children's books, resumes, articles, and other documents. Visit our website for details, and let us know if we can assist you on your publication journey! If it turns out that we are not a good fit for your project, we can direct you to additional resources to ensure you are matched with a suitable professional.
https://kyapublishing.com/editing
