Are you an indie writer? You should really check out the conference at indierecon.org. It’s all free and full of useful tips. I wanted to talk a little bit about Joanna Penn’s insights on mistake number two. I’ve been reading a lot of indie releases lately, and this seems to be the most common mistake.
What’s the most important thing a writer can do? After writing a great story? Edit. And then edit. And then have an editor edit. A professional, honest, red pen-wielding, or “Track Changes”-wielding, editor.
Why? A mass of typos looks unprofessional as it devours your prose and chases the reader right out of the story. It’s not good for anyone. Editors will help you find plot holes, character inconsistencies, and a slew of other mistakes. Sometimes they will simply glare at you and ask “What were you thinking? Why is there a space dragon in your urban fantasy?” Don’t cringe, that’s a good thing. We want our stories to be the best they can be, and you’re going to need an editor for that.
Read Joanna Penn’s post on the IndieReCon website to learn about the other six mistakes: http://www.indierecon.org/2013/02/7-worst-mistakes-indie-authors-make-by.html
Stop by her fantastic site if you haven’t already: thecreativepenn.com
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