What do authors need most besides a literary agent or big name publishing company to come along, sweep him or her off his or her feet with a hefty signing bonus and promises the author will never have to lift a finger to market their own books? Throw in a Hollywood executive producer knocking on the door with a movie deal starring Tom Hiddleston or Keanu Reeves (or your celebrity crush of choice), I’d say that’d round out an author’s dream very nicely.
But…the odds of the above are so itsy bitsy tiny, what do authors really need?
Here’s a short list. Feel free to add your own thoughts:
Strong coffee/tea – preferably in an IV drip for convenience.
A creative friend who designs book covers and social media graphics…or a substantial budget for these items.
A supportive friend who serves as an accountability buddy so the author actually spends time writing, not browsing social media and getting lost in TikToks.
A PhD in marketing (or at least high-level proficiency in Amazon and Facebook ads).
Beta readers who will be brutally honest with the author.
A friend’s shoulder to cry on for those days it all becomes too frustrating to endure.
A professional editor friend (or just a professional editor) who reviews the manuscript to determine where in the process the beloved book baby should start on the road to publishing after a good, solid draft is completed.
- Is it mush and needs developmental editing to mold it into a strong story?
- Is it fine structurally, but could use some paragraphs and sentences rearranged to improve reading flow?
- Or is the author still confused about they’re, their, and there?
- Or did the author strike gold and the manuscript is ready for the Nobel Prize in Literature?
I may not be able to help an author with most of the above, but I’ll keep the coffee pot brewing, can be brutally honest (while also being nice), my shoulders are strong so sob away, and I CAN PROVIDE YOU WITH A MANUSCRIPT REVIEW!
What is a MANUSCRIPT REVIEW?
It’s an editorial assessment of a written draft, outlining the strengths and areas for revision, in addition to a recommendation for what level of editing a manuscript requires to become polished and publishable. This is not editing a book. It’s evaluating the book to recommend the appropriate level of editing.
Due to increased demand for manuscript reviews, I have opened one slot in April in my schedule specific to this function.
If interested, or if you wish to schedule a future slot for a manuscript review, please email me at kvcfreeman5@gmail.com.
In the near future my new website for the editing side of my business will go LIVE. When that happens, I will post here with the new website information.
In the meantime, if you’re interested in the editing services I offer, please follow me on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/KCFreemanEdits.
This is so true!