/lit/ - Literature

>>8830

I don't know, but that passage you have there is shit even after the editing.

>>8833

It was the first image that appeared on google bot.

bump

>>8833

What's wrong with it?

>"It was a dark, stormy night"

This is a cliche. Delete it instead of try to acknowledge your use of cliche by adding "… as they say."

Who are they anyway? Bad Authors?

> "Violent strokes of lightning pierced the black sky."

The clause is redundant. You don't have to say the sky is black because you already said that it was a dark night. You don't have to say there is lightning because you already said it is stormy.

>"Opulent mansion…."

>"… appeared dead."

Lazy use of adverbials. Show, don't tell.

>"In her other hand…"

Four words that don't mean anything since we don't know what the other other hand is. Use "left", or "right", or omit the phrase.

I can go on and on. The editor might be able to correct the grammar mistakes, but even if you fix all of that the example will still be bad.

>>9033

>I can go on and on. The editor might be able to correct the grammar mistakes, but even if you fix all of that the example will still be bad.

Spot on. In lieu of editors, I would find reliable readers first. Someone that is like you who gives thorough input.

This is the reason I asked in the first place. What's the use of an editor if you already found someone willing to work with the same quality as an editor? Are they just there for additional eyes on your work?

>>8830

My editor works in a printing place, and she does editing as a side-job, but not really legally.

But she has an eye for stuff. She noticed lots of things I didn't noticed, gave advice for grammar stuff and storywise too. Also she was the first of my readers who actually had more to say than "it was good".

Since she does it off-the-charts, she isn't that expensive, and she also did my cover art.

So far as I see it, hiring an editor who doesn't live from this stuff, and has another, real job, is worth it.

>>9067

>But she has an eye for stuff. She noticed lots of things I didn't noticed, gave advice for grammar stuff and storywise too. Also she was the first of my readers who actually had more to say than "it was good".

Thanks. This is what I need.

What sort of credentials does she have? You can generalize, for example, she works on small press as an editor or on the big five or what have you.

Does she have interest on the genre you're writing? Maybe it's also another factor.

>So far as I see it, hiring an editor who doesn't live from this stuff, and has another, real job, is worth it.

Maybe it's because she's focused on your work because you're her only client as a side-job. Now I want to know your friend's contact if my beta reader to be is not competent enough (or I'll just ask my writer buddies around here). I think I'll go with your route rather than seek out someone that advertises themselves around.

>>9069

>What sort of credentials does she have?

She is a graphic artist by default. I think she works at a small comapny, but I don't really know. She is really busy

>Does she have interest on the genre you're writing?

No idea…

> she's focused on your work because you're her only client as a side-job

I don't know… Seems like so, but it took her 2 years to do it.

Also she is working in my native language, which is not English, so I'm afraid she can't help you

If you can't edit your own novel to make sure there are no grammar mistakes, you aren't ready to write professionally yet. Yes, there are people who can get published without knowing how to write in english, but you shouldn't try to be like them. They are the cancer killing commercial fiction.

You should look for an agent who will handle these things for you after you have been writing for a few years, but not before.

>>9077

After 3 reads, some parts of your own work becomes so tedious to read again, that you don't even notice the fairly obvious mistakes in it… At least that happened to me.

Also it's nice to have someone with a different prespective than your own to read your sentences

>>9070

I see. Thanks for the input. Anyways, I decided to go trad pub after careful research. I'll self-publish out of desperation, though.

>>9077

>>9079

Noted. I already have an outline how to do quality checks on my piece. Obviously, the chef needs to check if the food is good for consumption first. That includes sugar and spice and everything the grammar nazi hates.

>>9079

>it's nice to have someone with a difference perspective than your own

This is a point that >>9077 is missing, namely that a good editor does a lot more than just checking for errors in spelling and grammar (although finding those is important). Working with a good editor can be really helpful in bringing out the strengths of a story. Especially with a longer work (like a full novel) it's almost impossible to look at it with anything like the view that a new reader will have after writing and rewriting it. A good editor can help point out which characters or scenes work in the story and which don't, or which avenues that the story doesn't really explore but which might be more compelling than the ones that are already there. Obviously an editor isn't the only person who can do that (which is why most novels have a long list of 'thanks to all the people who read drafts' at the beginning), but that's one of the big advantages of having a good editor.