The Word Cloud

Okay, I just re-read a very helpful critique that Malcolm and Babblefish helped me with and was at first thrilled with the comments and took them on board.
But then I realised, this was just a snipped of my MS and that the changes given to me would also need to be applied to the whole thing. I'm not a subjective reader, so I can't go through like they did and give myself helpful feedback, I need someone to go through the entire damned thing (who knows their stuff) and tell me what I need to do.

So what do I do about that then?

I also have an entire damn thing that needs going through, although I'm not sure how well I know my stuff. Perhaps we could come up with some kind of mutual editing deal?

'Guys' - this is hard work. There are editors and editors - some focusing on technical aspects like grammar and some on development issues, like POV.

A professional could charge $12 per 1,000 words - that's cheap !!

Nashelle is good - whether you can enlist her help, no idea. A whole M/s takes time - I changed a POV on my 70k novel - it took me 5 days, 4+ hours a day. Heartbreaking to remove.

Upside is that if a publisher is interested, they will do it for you (hopefully).
Downside - you might not like the end result...

Sorry
stephen

Three suggestions, Liss:
1. Do a manuscript swap with another WC member who has completed their story, pending editing. make comments on each other's stories and post back to each other (or do it on screen and email back). I have done this with two other members and it has been a very rewarding process all round.
2. Set up a critiques group on here and advertise it in "Critiques" so that three or four other members can join you to go through chapters or entire manuscripts and compare notes (specify that they must have complete or almost complete stories so that you do not get time-wasters).
3. Pay someone like Writers Workshop for a professional critique. You can of course do this after doing the above as well (in fact, that's prob the most effective way.)

Thanks Worsey :) x

Hi Liss, don't panic! This writing bunisness can seem very daunting but before you pay anything for editing, I'd suggest you put your manuscript away for a good few months and write somthing else. Post things here, learn more about the craft. Then when you return to your MS you will be able to veiw it more objectively, and, because you have grown as a writer, the changes you may need to make will be more promenent.

Breathe. I think Nashelle is right to suggest you putting it our of your mind for a while and coming back to it fresh and objective. It is almost impossible to impersonate a critical editor - which is why it's probably best to pay one. Given my experience of working in publishing and a literary agency, I don't think it's true to say that if a publisher likes it they will do the work. Of course the publishers will want to develop the work but they are looking for reasons to reject it and you don't want to give them any. I know it can be a slow painful process but your work will be better for it at the end of the day. Now take another breath. x