Yes, writers of every skill level have to edit their work many times over, if they want a quality piece of work. Of course, the amount of times may decrease with experience, but still writers/authors have to edit. I've lost track of the times I've self-edited my first novel, probably because around the fifth time, I started skipping back and forth from chapter to chapter as I thought of things I wanted to rewrite or improve. Overwhelming much? Um, yes.
The Professional Editor
As I mentioned several weeks earlier, I hired a professional editor to give me an editorial assessment. I received the completed assessment several days ago. Mind you, this was an assessment of my whole novel. At 104,000 words, she had quite a task in front of her.
Although, she didn't respond that I'd written a perfect masterpiece, she did have very positive feedback and very doable revisions. I have struggled with lowering my word count closer to 90,000 words for a while (I started with 108,000 words), but she gave advice which should help me.
Did some of her advice hurt? Of course, but if I want to be able to publish my best work, I have to be able to set my pride aside and listen to those who know better what it takes to get published. Truly, after reading her assessment, I felt more encouraged than ever. I'm excited to get the revisions made. We are planning to have a Zoom meeting soon, which should be helpful as well. Is self-editing necessary? Yes, I think it is, but I wish I had hired a professional editor much sooner. I definitely plan to with my other novels.
What's Next?
While waiting for my assessment, I've been steadily editing novel 2 and writing novel 3, but now it's back to full focus on novel 1. When I finish making corrections and adjustments, it will be off to a Copy Editor. The Copy Editor, besides the line by line corrections, also plans to help me with the finishing touches. I want to talk more about that, when I get there.
Gratitude
I'm grateful for the support I've received from many of you. This journey so far has taken me on twists and turns I never expected. I have learned more than I ever knew I needed to learn. I've grown as a writer and as a child of God. I've eaten humble pie and I've gained confidence. I'm excited to see where the Lord leads me. I hope you'll continue to come along. I love being able to share my writing life with you.
Next Time...
Last time we learned about Flash Fiction. I've tried my hand at a few. Next time, I hope to share some of these very very short stories with you. I hope to see you here.
Happy Monday! I appreciate your spending part of it with me. Have a great week! See you next time. I pray the Lord God will bless you and your family with faith, hope and love. In Jesus' Name.
In Christ,
Sandy
