Attention New Writers!
Because I like to support new writers, I often buy books from them for my Kindle. Unfortunately, too many have self-published before they were ready.
What I think is happening is because it is so easy to self-publish, new writers aren't learning enough about writing.
Oh, I know everyone says there aren't any writing rules, or you should ignore them, but back when you had to find a publisher who liked your work well enough to publish you, there was a lot you could do to make sure you were ready.
I'll step back to when I began.
First, I read a lot. I knew what a book looked like. Nowadays, I've purchased books that were formatted so strangely, it made me wonder if the author actually ever looked at the inside of a book.
I read all the articles about writing n Writer's Digest.
Going to writers' conferences taught me to so much, Even today I always learn something new when I attend one.
Because I sent my manuscripts out to agents and publishers, I received lots of feedback that I could use to make my writing better.
And through the years I've learned so much from the critique group I attend faithfully.
Also, I never send a book out to be published or the ones that I self-published without being edited by an editor.
What I've been reading lately is so full of problems I know it wasn't looked at by an editor.
Not every typo is going to be caught by an editor, but when there are typos on nearly every page it makes the reading very difficult. Simple things like repeated phrases right in the same sentence would definitely be caught by an editor.
One of the big problems I see a lot of, is the writer not having a clue about how to handle point-of-view. That's something you can learn about at writing conferences.
The book I'm trying to read now has an interesting premise, but with some good editing it could be a really good book--right now, it isn't.
Please, new writers, do yourself and your potential readers a favor and have a real editor check your work before you self-publish.
--Marilyn
Comments
What is sad is the book I'm reading now I would have loved to have given a review--but I just can't. I have a feeling the author would be offended if I told her she needs to take th book down and go over it again.
Then, Marilyn, what do you do about an author who asks you to read and review their work--and it has all the above issues going on? I've wrestled with that several times.