Book Editing Advice From A Professional

I am proud to introduce a guest post from editor, Neal Hock of Hock's Editing Service. Neal is the editor I hired for my new manuscript, Dead Girls Don't Cry. I invited him to share his expertise with us today at The Jennifer (Author) Diaries!

One of the few things that I remember from a management training class I was in a number of years ago is a discussion about “but” bombs. A “but” bomb is something like “I thought you did a good job, but …” That “but” clause blows up anything positive that you said to the person, because instead of focusing on the praise you gave, the person is focused on what follows the but.

Occasionally, I will peruse reviews on Amazon to see what readers are saying about self-published authors. I can’t help but notice the number of “but” bombs that I come across. You know the reviews that I’m talking about. “I really enjoyed the story, but there were a bunch of typos that distracted me.” “I thought the author showed a lot of promise, but the poor grammar ruined a perfectly good story.” “Interesting concept, but …”

Now, I’m not advocating writing for reviews. But I am saying there are things that you can do to minimize the chance of receiving these types of “but” bomb reviews. Of course, you can hire an editor. But you may have a difficult time finding one to work with you if your manuscript reads like a first draft. Here are a few tools to help improve your writing and eliminate embarrassing mistakes:

• Make sure you have a reliable dictionary. My preferred dictionary is The American Heritage College Dictionary. Other good choices include Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary, Random House Webster’s College Dictionary, and New Oxford American Dictionary. Make sure that you have the latest edition, and take a look at the fine print to learn how to effectively use your dictionary. You’re a wordsmith, and there’s no better resource than a good dictionary.
• Make sure you have a reliable grammar guide. There are a number of books available that deal with grammar basics, including The Handbook of Good English; The New Webster’s Grammar Guide; Random House Webster’s Grammar, Usage, and Punctuation; and The Elements of Grammar. You don’t have to become a grammar guru, but make sure you have a solid grasp on the basics and a reliable guide to turn to when you run into sticky issues.
• Make sure you have a reliable usage guide. Usage guides are helpful because there are a number of debatable issues regarding how we use words. A good usage guide will discuss controversial topics that may elicit the attention of the grammar police. One affordable option is Merriam-Webster’s Concise Dictionary of English Usage. Other, more in depth, options include Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary of English Usage, Garner’s Modern American Usage, and The Careful Writer.
• Make sure you have a reliable style guide. The one that I use as my standard is The Chicago Manual of Style, which is widely regarded as the industry standard. While I would recommend that every writer own a copy of it, I realize that it’s probably overkill for most writers. There are a number of reliable style guides available, such as the Strunk and White’s The Elements of Style (which touches on more than just basic style issues) and Merriam-Webster’s Guide to Punctuation and Style.

Don’t let the grammar police arrest your story from the get-go. With tools such as the ones listed above, you can make sure that any “but” bombs you receive are story-related, and not related to the controllable issues of grammar and spelling.

Neal Hock is the proprietor of Hock’s Editing Services (HES). He has edited and proofread over seventy manuscripts, and has worked with small presses and numerous best-selling independent authors in a variety of genres. You can find more information about HES at www.hockseditingservices.com.