My Writing Journey
I don't think anyone gets it. I think most authors starts out a natural. They study the craft. They knew from the beginning they would need an editor, a proof editor and they probably had some kind of income where they could afford more than one proof reader and they could find readers. Most importantly they got support at home. They were able to set up for book signings and a fancy one too. ( I've seen their photos. 🤢) I wish I could say the same for me, but when I was younger my father tried to squelch it because it reminded him of his mother. Only my mother and sister knew I had what it took to become an author yet at that time, I didn't want to achieve that dream until after I become a teacher. I knew it took money. I knew I needed a job and some income and I was right. I had thought editors were for certain authors so I never hired one for my first and second book and I learned the hard way that I was wrong!
As a result, I took down my first book and paid someone to copy edit but that after that people still didn't like my "condensed" version so I took it down again and made it longer. Noe I can't afford an editor because editors wants more than I can afford esp for a 80k work. Not to mention that proofreaders will triple that! So once again I'm a lone wolf. God will help me.
Another book that I didn't pay any editors or proofreaders to improve my Ms was the Past Hunter, but I did have a little bit of help from a former friend because he wrote a review saying my book should not have been published and another person offered he service on a donation basis. So in a way, it did get polished up and I am learning.
It is a hard road for me. I took up another talent that would help me pay for the services I would need, but sometimes I don't get asked to make a cover and I'm stuck. I have no money and al I can offer is a free cover but editors and proofreaders don't write books. When I wrote Baby Blues, I was able to pay a professional to edit my manuscript, but I wasn't able to pay people to proofread. My friends are as unreliable as a faulty bow. I did the best I could with research but those nasty three stars reviews and less are killing any chances of readers of wanting to read my book.
What people don't get is, I spent money on having my MS edited. If they don't like it, it is either the storyline or the lack of research. It is the story God gave me. I'm at my lowest. Don't ask me to look at a negative review when I'm at my lowest.
As a result, I took down my first book and paid someone to copy edit but that after that people still didn't like my "condensed" version so I took it down again and made it longer. Noe I can't afford an editor because editors wants more than I can afford esp for a 80k work. Not to mention that proofreaders will triple that! So once again I'm a lone wolf. God will help me.
Another book that I didn't pay any editors or proofreaders to improve my Ms was the Past Hunter, but I did have a little bit of help from a former friend because he wrote a review saying my book should not have been published and another person offered he service on a donation basis. So in a way, it did get polished up and I am learning.
It is a hard road for me. I took up another talent that would help me pay for the services I would need, but sometimes I don't get asked to make a cover and I'm stuck. I have no money and al I can offer is a free cover but editors and proofreaders don't write books. When I wrote Baby Blues, I was able to pay a professional to edit my manuscript, but I wasn't able to pay people to proofread. My friends are as unreliable as a faulty bow. I did the best I could with research but those nasty three stars reviews and less are killing any chances of readers of wanting to read my book.
What people don't get is, I spent money on having my MS edited. If they don't like it, it is either the storyline or the lack of research. It is the story God gave me. I'm at my lowest. Don't ask me to look at a negative review when I'm at my lowest.
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