The only constant is change.
Things are changing at Page Readers.
Four years ago Page Readers started as a hobby. My love of books and desire to support Indie Authors inspired me to begin offering reviews and interviews with my Blog Talk Radio Show. These interviews spilled over into the website where I could write about the authors, the show and their work. Then I opened it up to guest posts and written interviews. Soon I was receiving upwards of 100+ requests a month.
Next came an offer to partner with another author/publicist to pull together a list of qualified, reputable reviewers and interviewers to help authors gain exposure for their work. I learned so much about how authors can use Social Media to build their audience and I eventually branched out to become an Authors Assistant.
Now, I find myself evolving once again.
Self-Publishing has become the avenue for so many to finally see their work in “print” – whether it be on paper or online. But many authors feel that because they’ve skipped the steps of finding an agent or going the route of traditional publishing, they can also skip the step of hiring an editor.
Yes, authors can now self-publish without fear of being seen as unprofessional or “less than” their traditionally published peers, but self-editing? This is something that should not be done – and it shows when an author has passed on hiring “another set of eyes.
If you’ve worked hard to develop the story and you truly want to present your work to the world, you want to be sure it’s good. Unless of course, you’re in the third grade and it’s okay to have typos
But bottom line, you want people to enjoy reading your book.
As a reviewer I’ve said this about a poorly edited story – It’s like driving down a highway, cruising along, enjoying the scenery, your hand waving along the wind out the open window and BAM – you hit a speed bump. A miss spelled word, a repeated sentence or a character who suddenly goes from being blond to brunette snaps you out of the moment and you realize – this book is no good. The author has gypped you out of a good read.
Why do authors skip this step? The answer is usually because of budget restrictions or the author feels “it’s fine.” But answer me this – how costly do you think it is having a poorly edited book on the market? Reviewers will tear it to shreds. Then who is going to buy your book? You won’t be able to give it away.
Having worked with authors in different capacities, I’ve heard the same complaints over and over – finding a good editor is hard to do, and when you do, they’re expensive or their wait list is long. Or worse, the editor completely changes “the voice” of the story – the words on the page are no longer “yours.” The story has too much of the editors changes and your vision has become convoluted and, well, just not the story you dreamed of telling.
One of my very talented authors experienced a nightmare publishing experience: Her publisher/editor didn’t do their job when it came to editing and published her work without her okaying the project – the book went out, mistakes and all. After much legal wrangling, it was decided to just let the story go and move on. All her hard work down the drain, not to mention a lot of her hard earned money. It wasn’t pretty.
As we discussed her options of what to do next, I asked if she’d be open to me having a go at it. In doing so I’ve discovered a new love, a new way to help the Authors I’ve worked so hard to support: Editing. My client was thrilled with my input on all counts – I didn’t change her “voice,” I caught typos and missed words, confusing sentences and character traits that didn’t line up. The end result is something both us of are extremely proud of.
Now I’d like to offer this service to you. If you’re an author in need of affordable, dependable, quality editing from someone who knows how a story should read – smooth, flowing, entertaining and with NO “speed-bumps,” please contact me. I accept all genres, fiction and non-fiction and will work with you to create a book that readers will find entertaining, informative and worth the price they pay to own it.
Yes, Page Readers will still host author interviews and guest posts mixed in with the occasional review.
