Hello Fabulous Readers!
Today, I invite you to join me on an exciting journey as I delve into my first steps as an Indie Author.
You know, after hearing “no” from so many agents and publishers, I finally decided to give His Desire another shot. Originally, it had a different title, but honestly, I can’t even remember what it was. So, I went the self-publishing route. It sounds simple, right? But let me tell you, it was anything but easy. I was new to the whole scene and only had a few connections. So, I dove into research—lots and lots of research. And here’s the first mistake I made:
Editing
I wanted to share a little experience I had with my book editing journey because I learned quite a bit. So, I sent out my book to about a hundred blogs before it was fully edited—kind of a rookie mistake, right? I labeled it an unedited ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) and let them know it was still in the editing process, but I still got some negative comments about the editing in their reviews.
Don’t get me wrong; I got a lot of four and five-star ratings, but seeing those critiques stung a bit. I had to shake it off and push forward, so I sent updated ARCs to new bloggers and reviewers. Honestly, I gave away a ton of copies in the beginning! And believe it or not, I’m still doing that because the book is free!
Here’s another thing I learned the hard way: there are different levels of editing, and I had no clue! I thought editing was just one thing, but it turns out there are developmental, line, and copy edits. I ended up paying for just one type of editing—the least amount. Now it all makes sense why it was so affordable, because all three edits can get pricey, especially if you need them all. It’s totally worth it, but as someone just starting out and without a job, it felt like a lot!
Eventually, I got the developmental edits and the other two types done, and now my book really shines! It’s a winner now, and I’m excited about it!
You know, I made quite a few mistakes when I kicked off my publishing journey, but this one was definitely the biggest. Thankfully, I have an amazing editor I work with now for both my traditional and indie novels. She’s such a gem! She really knows how to blend all three rounds of edits into our process, and it makes a world of difference.
You know what? I’m owning up to a mistake here. If you’re thinking about writing that breakout novel, seriously consider getting some developmental, copy, and line edits. It’ll save you a ton of time reworking things later, and it’ll help your writing shine right from the start!
Until next time…
