In the last session of our Big Beautiful Book Plan Tele-Course, I was asked for my thoughts on putting a book proposal through an editor prior to submitting to an agent or publisher.
Aspiring authors often think the publishing house will (and should!) eventually edit their book, so why invest in editing now?
My answer: Editor, editor, editor, all the time, every time. It’s not like in Anchorman, where Paul Rudd’s character says, “Sixty percent of the time, it works every time.” No, 100% of the time, every time, get an editor to go over your work before submitting it to your agent or publisher.
Here’s the goal: When an editor first sees your proposal at the publishing house, you want him or her to say, “Oh my God; this is going be easy and FUN.” Fun means they’re not going to have to wrack their brain to fix it. Fun means they’re looking at something written by a peer. Fun means they not only think of you as a great find (even if your topic is sad or heavy)—someone smart, talented, and clued in to their world and the greater marketplace—but also even a potential buddy. Right? That’s fun.
Fun means they pick up the phone and call you. Not send a rejection to your agent three months later, if at all.
Fun stuff still happens in publishing. Every single day. I want that for you.
It’s likely you’ve heard me say this before: Publishing, like any industry, can be harsh. You want to make sure that you’ve literally dotted all your “I’s” and crossed all of your “T’s.” Your work has a much better chance when it’s tight and lean and riveting, which can’t happen if it’s loaded down with filler words and awkward sentences. You don’t want editors thinking, “Diamond in the rough,” because rough means polishing is required. If too much polishing is required to make your work shine, it could be considered a dull read despite your incredible potential.
“Potential has a shelf life.” ~Margaret Atwood
Yours,
Linda
xx
P.S. What are you doing to make publishers read your work and think, “FUN!”?
