Tag: writing

Is My Manuscript Ready for Professional Editing?

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By Caylah Coffeen

You’ve completed your manuscript! Congratulations! That’s a huge milestone that many writers never reach. But how do you know if your book is ready for professional editing?

You may have a lot of conflicting thoughts and emotions. Authors are known for beating themselves up. You may think your work could never be good enough or that there’s no way anyone would ever buy your book. These feelings of doubt may make you think that a professional edit will never be worth it.

Or you may love your story and characters so much that you find it difficult to receive feedback or think of your book from a business angle. It’s hard to step back and ask, “is this a marketable product?” Some authors double down about making any changes to their story.

With so many emotions tangled up in your projects, how can you attain a clear perspective on the current state of your manuscript?

We’ve got a checklist for you.

But first, tell yourself two things (try saying them out loud):

  1. My story is wonderful! I am a valuable writer. I work hard to improve and can! There are readers out there who will love my book! Be kind to yourself! Everyone starts somewhere.

  2. Every book will benefit from an outside perspective and edit, no matter how talented the author. No one should complete a book in a vacuum. Stories are made for other people, and while you may not incorporate all advice you receive, feedback is invaluable.

The Checklist

The easiest way to self-assess your manuscript’s readiness is to consider how many edits you have already completed and how much feedback you’ve received from others.

Did you know that most published books undergo 8-10 edits before reaching shelves? That’s right. 8-10! And many manuscripts undergo 3-5 edits before they’re ready for a professional editor.

Here’s an editing checklist I recommend every author complete before investing in a professional edit:

  • Step 1: “The Cleanup Edit”
    Complete 1 self-edit – this will help you catch many inconsistencies or errors in your first draft and improve readability for others.

  • Step 2: “The Critique Edit”
    Find a critique partner (a fellow writer in your genre) and complete 1 edit incorporating their feedback.

  • Step 3: “The Alpha Edit”
    Find 1-3 alpha readers to provide feedback about their reading experience (what they liked, what they found confusing, when/if they lost interest) and make edits accordingly. Alpha readers perform the same tasks as beta readers, but betas often offer feedback later in the process, after a developmental edit, since their role is to offer subjective feedback about what readers experience, not editorial advice.

  • Step 4: “The Workshop Edit”
    Consider joining a writing group or workshop to receive multiple perspectives from fellow authors at once. Or exchange your manuscript with your initial, or a second, critique partner. Edit accordingly.

The Work is Worth it

We know this task list sounds daunting – it’s a lot of work! Potentially years worth of work. But don’t be too hard on yourself, as this is the case with every specialty. It takes time to perfect your craft. Doctors spend 7 years in school and residency programs before they can practice independently. Artisans spend decades in apprenticeships and working before they can be considered a master. Acclaimed photographer Henri Cartier-Bresson famously once said:

“Your first 10,000 photographs are your worst.”

Henri Cartier-Bresson

Wildly popular SFF author Brandon Sanderson says he wrote 13 novels over 8 years before he ever sold his first!

Consider this period of drafting and editing to be your “author apprenticeship.” It’s worth putting in the time to complete these 4 rounds of edits, and you will save a lot of pain and money in the long run if you do.

You may be coming off the high of finishing your first manuscript and are excited to see what an editor would think. Perhaps it feels less daunting to recruit a professional than it does to start again at the very beginning (that’s what coaching is for!). But let me assure you that a first draft is not ready for a professional edit. Likely, neither is a second.

How We Can Help

But our team here at Creative Cornerstones offers support through all of these stages! You don’t have to figure it out alone. We can suggest training resources, conferences, offer 1:1 coaching, and even help you find critique partners and alpha readers through social media or local groups.

Even if you have not completed 4 rounds of edits on your manuscript, you are always welcome to send us your first 1000 words to receive a sample edit. Email them to creativecornerstones@gmail.com.

Or schedule a free 20 min consultation over Zoom to discuss your goals and best next steps!

Schedule a Free Consultation!

We want to help you achieve your dream of becoming a successfully published author!

Hi, I’m Caylah Coffeen, a freelance editor and marketer of sci-fi and fantasy books. I love reading and writing and am a follower of Jesus Christ.

I’ve worked for Monster Ivy Publishing and Eschler Editing, and am currently a weekly editor with Havok Publishing. Reach out to chat about books and publishing!

Thanks for stopping by my website! I hope you’ve found some helpful resources about reading, writing, and publishing. If you liked this article, here’s some more free content…

A huge wave crashes into a line of coastal houses, a stormy sky behind them.

Writing with Childlike Faith

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Guest Post By Dana Bell

In 2018 I was done with writing. Being a published writer was not at all what I thought it would be, and the stress of having to complete multiple projects burned me out. The last thing I wanted to do was write.

Know why I didn’t quit? A couple reasons. My ex had tried to take everything I cared about away from me. I wasn’t about to allow him to win. The other – I couldn’t imagine doing anything else.

Rediscovering the joy of writing

So, I began a journey to re-discover the joy and fun of writing. God played a huge part in that. I put aside all professional gigs and went back to fan-fiction. This genre taught me so much about being a writer and allowed me to practice the tricks of the trade. My goal: write between 1000 to 1500 words a day. That took me about an hour. By the end of summer, I’d gotten up to 3000 a day. Not a goal I had set for myself.

But I did not make the journey alone. Even when writing fan-fiction, I would sit down at my computer and pray one of two simple prayers:

“Thank you, Dad, for letting me write” or “Hey, Dad, you want to come and play?”

“Hey, Dad, you want to come and play?”

Dana Bell

From faith to a book deal

By the end of the year I sold my first romance novella. NO ONE sells their first romance.

I continued the practice of praying before I wrote, whether I was playing in someone else’s universe or crafting my own original work.

Yet there is one more element involved. It isn’t just prayer. It is faith. Faith so unshakeable I believe that when I sit down to write God will give me the words. My fingers get going on the keys and don’t stop until I’m finished for the day, however many words I write.

Speaking of faith, I actually asked God the other day why He puts up with me. I’m not exactly the most faithful of children. I was curious. Know what the answer was? In that amused and tickled father way He answered, “Because you have the faith of a child.”

That startled me. Of all the answers He could have given, He gave me one I didn’t expect.

My ability to speak with God like this is new. I talked to Him earlier about this article and He said, “I’ll give you words.” So, I quit worrying about it and trusted He would do as He promised. Did I pray first? Of course, I did.

Prayer doesn’t have to be complicated

One thing few people teach about prayer is that it doesn’t have to be complicated. One word can be a prayer. I know. I’ve done this. As I recall, the prayer was, “Father!” I didn’t need to say more.

I have another way to pray, which I use when I have no idea what to say. Paul taught about it in the Bible, and yes, I can Speak in Tongues anytime I want. I don’t know the exact language, but I know the country and region it comes from. Since I know many Christians teach this gift is gone, I won’t go into detail. Though I could teach endlessly about the Gifts of the Spirit, all of which I’ve used at different times in my life.

Rare though it is, I walk in both the natural and supernatural world. I dream dreams and have visions. That’s Acts 2:17.

What does this have to do with writing, faith and prayer? Everything.

God had proven himself faithful all throughout my life. I was saved as a child. I even spoke in tongues, but I didn’t know what it was and quit doing it. Scared me.

He has taken care of me even when I did something stupid or didn’t deserve it. I fought off a purse snatcher when I lived in Boston. Serial rapists hunted around me when I lived in a Denver apartment complex. He sent an angel to watch over my home. I came home one night, and my neighbor told me the guys had been caught. They had lived on the second floor of my building. Recently, I almost lost my house because I had no job and no unemployment income. I went to God with my simple faith and said, “You’ve always taken care of me.” God provided, although not in the way I expected.

I still have my home. I even have a job now.

Have faith God will give you words

These are all acts of faith and the reason I place high value on them is because unless the writer believes God will give them words, their prayer won’t make any difference.

I have faith. I pray. I sit down. I write.

It is a sweet time with God. An Act of Worship.

Yes, writing is worship.

I know, normally we think of worship as church, music and some dancing. Speaking of dancing, Yeshua is a delightful dance partner. Won’t go into the story on how I know that.

Yet writing, when God is invited to be part of it, is worship. It is a father hanging out with his child, delighting in the talent he inspired and the willingness of his child to share it with Him.

I’ll add here that God has taught me a few tricks with writing. I’m a pantzer and had a horrible time finishing my earlier books. Not to mention, I work on multiple projects at once. I’ve learned to leave myself notes about unanswered questions, plot points I need to complete, or what the next scene is. For my last three books, this was a huge help.

Before I asked God to be part of my writing life, I struggled to get the words out. I thought I had to be inspired by the natural world, as many writers are led to believe. Now, I sit down, ask God to join me, and the words flow.

This is precious time with my heavenly father. Part of a rich relationship I share with Him. The Bible says to ask God for what we need. I’m bold enough to walk into His throne room and ask if can fall asleep in His lap when I have problems sleeping.

God has never said no.

My solid foundation

I will share a dream I had during a deeply troubled time.

I was in a house. Built on a rock. Right next to the ocean. It had glass windows along the side of the house and in the ceiling. Huge waves smashed into the house, over and over and over. No window broke. The house did not flood. Someone stood in the house with me. Years later I realized it was Yeshua. He just appeared in a different way than I had ever seen him before.

The dream interpretation was easy. I had my solid foundation. The waves were all the troubles I was going through. My house stood because of my childlike faith.

I recall this dream when I go through times of trouble.

Every writer needs faith. Open every writing session with prayer. Invite God to come and join you in your time of Worship.

About Dana Bell

Owned by a demanding Ocicat named Taj, Dana Bell lives in Colorado and enjoys writing tales about cats, places she’s lived and others she’s visited. She is the author of multiple titles including Bast’s Chosen Ones and Other Cat Adventures and Winter Awakening.

She also writes paranormal romances such as Bound by Blood: Idaho Vampires under the pen name Belle Blukat. As an editor she enjoys putting together anthologies with various themes and helping authors master their writing skills.

Thanks for stopping by my website! I hope you’ve found some helpful resources about reading, writing, and publishing. If you liked this article, here’s some more free content…

Prayer to my Shisho in Heaven

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Guest Post By Sue Martha Shigemitsu

Note: “shishō”—Japanese word for “master” or “instructor”.

Dear Heavenly Father,

Thank you for giving me this opportunity to write.

Lord, You are Lord of All Creation and have created this world from nothing, bringing life to us.

Lord, because You are the Master Creator, I ask that You would be my Shishō—my Master and Instructor in creating things. I want to create with You, both something new and using what I already have; but I want to make things that honour You and give you glory. I want whatever I imagine, produce, and contribute to be things that glorify You by telling other about Your love and grace; to create stories, worlds, and characters that touch the hearts and minds of readers and inspire them to seek Your face. I want my writing to be flavoured with the saltiness of Your Word and brightened with the light of Your love and grace. However, I cannot do this alone, because this is something I know I can only accomplish if I work with You.

Lord, please help me. Show me, guide me and create with me these stories that are flavoured with Your saltiness and brightness—stories that make readers thirst for You and seek Your presence.

Lord, thank You for Your generous grace and abundant love that You have shown me. I pray I will share it through my life and writing, that others too will discover, learn, and grow in that same love and grace.

I leave all these things with You.

In Jesus’ Name I pray,

Amen

A young Japanese woman with a sweet, round face, glasses, and short-cropped hair stands inside a warm living space, smiling.

S.M. Shigemitsu is a Canadian fantasy writer of Japanese descent who published her debut novella, The Blue Bird of Happiness, on Amazon in 2022. She has also worked overseas as a teacher in Mongolia, Japan, and Bangladesh.

Hi, I’m Caylah Coffeen, a freelance editor and marketer of sci-fi and fantasy books. I love reading and writing and am a follower of Jesus Christ.

I’ve worked for Monster Ivy Publishing and Eschler Editing, and am currently a weekly editor with Havok Publishing. Reach out to chat about books and publishing!

Thanks for stopping by my website! I hope you’ve found some helpful resources about reading, writing, and publishing. If you liked this article, here’s some more free content…

A man kneels at the cross, silhouetted by a cloudy sunset. He palms are open, his head bowed, and a stack of books rests at the foot of the cross.

A Writer’s Prayer

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Guest Post By Wayne Thomas Batson

Oh, Lord, you know
I have ideas all the time.
But I often wonder,
Which are yours and which are mine?

I toil in silence with thoughts and words,
While minutes spin and hours fly,
Wondering if it’s all worth it,
Or will be when I die.

Could I have better spent my days
With family and with friends,
Or in the mission field,
Where means justify the ends?

Could I have done something more
Than crafting stories in so many pages?
More than making up lives of fiction
That might not live on through the ages?

How can my feeble language
Capture your grace, your hope, your love?
How can the plans of a broken man
Ever be enough?

What if no one ever reads my work?
Or just to be polite, a few?
Can all these images and words
Be written just for You?

Maybe I could sow or reap,
But stories make my heart sing.
So I present to You these pages
As a private offering.

The Lord’s reply came swiftly
Over many years, hard learned.
He said, have you ever seen me waste a tear
Or from a faithful gesture turn?

Those minutes, hours, years you spend
Have already been redeemed.
Not one word written on my behalf
Will be as fruitless as it seemed.

For I do not judge by reviews or likes
Or by bestseller lists.
Your name in lights could never match
Your humble willingness.

Let me have your every word
Every sentence, every story.
I will take that meager bread
And multiply it for my glory.

Take the gift I gave you
Brook no fear nor regret.
Your good and faithful service
Will touch the world as I intend.

About Wayne Thomas Batson

A middle aged man with blue eyes and a peppered beard stands in front of a dark wood bookshelf.

Wayne Thomas Batson is the bestselling author of The Door Within Trilogy, The Myridian Constellation, and a host of other sprawling tales. A middle school English teacher of 33 years, Batson and his lovely wife Mary Lu live in a woodland home called Timbervale in the secluded hills of New Market, Maryland.

Hi, I’m Caylah Coffeen, a freelance editor and marketer of sci-fi and fantasy books. I love reading and writing and am a follower of Jesus Christ.

I’ve worked for Monster Ivy Publishing and Eschler Editing, and am currently a weekly editor with Havok Publishing. Reach out to chat about books and publishing!

Thanks for stopping by my website! I hope you’ve found some helpful resources about reading, writing, and publishing. If you liked this article, here’s some more free content…