Before an editor sees your work

What happens to a rough draft?

• If the editor is working for a prospective publisher, it's going to go back to you with little of it read - or it will land in the trash if there's no SASE.

• If you're paying an editor by the hour, you'll spend more money as they fix things you could have done yourself.

• If you're paying a per-word or flat rate, they'll deal with minor technicalities and give you less in-depth advice.

Even if you've hired a developmental editor, you want the manuscript to read easily so they can focus on the larger picture. Before an editor sees your work, make sure it's your very best effort.

Before an editor sees your work:

Look at comparable work.

Look at work meant for the same audience to understand what is expected for the genre and general conventions:

• Fiction: What's the usual length? How is the story structured? Are there elements that seem to be in every story? What kind of ending is the norm?

• Non-fiction: How is the information presented? Are there particular formats, charts, visuals? Are there footnotes? Bibliographies? What kind of language is used - is it appropriate for your intended audience?

Participate in a good critique group and/or find good beta readers.

This needs to be people who will give you honest feedback. If possible, some of them should be familiar with the genre of fiction or the subject matter of non-fiction. If they spot places the story doesn't fit expectations - listen to them!

Secondary Characters & Harlan Coben's Tell No one

Secondary characters help add texture and depth to a book. They can be used for comic relief in an otherwise tense story. They’re fun to write. Harlan Coben’s Tell No One has great secondary characters – not full descriptions, just the essential elements for the story. It’s also got a nice plot with lots of twists.

You don’t need to tell your reader every bit of background for every secondary character. That’s going to slow the action and the reader may lose the storyline.

Consider this scenario for a romance:

Your protagonist is trying to get to the airport before her love interest leaves forever, and her car breaks down on a back road. When a stranger stops and offers her a ride, she’ll probably be hesitant about accepting. You do NOT need to give this character’s life story, or even what they ate for breakfast. Possible ways to handle their description:

• Give the key descriptors that make your protagonist comfortable accepting the ride – there’s a baby in the back, or the driver is an awkward teen who is worried about getting into trouble for not going straight home if they give her a ride to the airport.

• Show how the driver is somewhat sketchy, so she’s not sure she should take the ride, but getting to the airport is essential. The driver might share (in one sentence) an experience that made them go out of their way for her, probably when she’s getting out of the vehicle.

• Let the driver be annoyingly chatty, going on about their own wedding, but have your protagonist tune it out to worry whether they’ll get there on time.

Publishing with kdp AND Ingramspark

Publishing with KDP and IngramSpark is possible, as long as you don't sign up for Kindle Select. My last three books, I published through both KDP and IngramSpark at the same time. (Use these links to get started – there are phonies out there!)

Why both? There are a few other legitimate companies, but KDP is the least expensive I’ve found. But many bookstores and libraries prefer dealing with Ingram, which is where they purchase most traditionally published books - IngramSpark is their platform for small indies.

I did expanded distribution with KDP, so my books are available widely (including Nook). While my royalty is higher when sales are made directly at Amazon, some people do not shop there! I still get a royalty when a book sells elsewhere.

I’m not sure I’ll do IngramSpark again. They charge each time you upload a manuscript, and their process is not user-friendly. Just getting sales reports is complicated. I’ve been spoiled by Amazon’s efficiency and most of my sales are still through Amazon.

Also, I may try signing up for Kindle Select when I launch my next book. "Boosting" blog posts through my Facebook page is increasing traffic at this website, so getting a boost from Amazon may be a good way to increase sales on a new book. If I do participate in Kindle Select, eBooks can only be published/sold through KDP. I'm not sure it would be worth the hassle to sign up for print-only at Ingram.

One more thought: Another reason I like KDP is not currently true.

When we did a school yearbook with them, we never hit publish. The school was able to buy author copies (not labeled PROOF), then sell them to parents. This avoided concerns about the kids’ photos going out onto the web. It was also nice for people who wanted reasonably priced books just for family.

Amazon eliminated this option – so it’s not currently available. They’ve had complaints and are reconsidering. I’ll let you know when they go back to it.