How much is it going to cost me? This is a question I get often from potential clients who are seeking an editor for their manuscripts. Sure, it’s a legitimate question. But it’s not a question I can respond to with any accuracy until I see the project.
I explained to someone this morning that, for a well-written manuscript of 150 pages, I may charge only $500. But if the manuscript covers 300 pages and needs a lot of work, my fee might be around $3,000 or more.
That’s why I always ask to see at least a portion of the manuscript before we discuss my fee. Saying that I charge $50/hour doesn’t mean much to a hopeful author. Most don’t see what I see when I take a look at their manuscripts. Many of them don’t know where the problems exist, nor are they aware of the bad habits that show up in their stories. If they knew, they wouldn’t need an editor.
Some authors are saving themselves money by not hiring an editor before showing their manuscripts around to publishers or before seeking out a “self-publishing” company. In too many cases, they have cut corners in the wrong place. The publishers they approach are well aware that the manuscript is not ready and they reject it.
Yes, publishers do have editors on staff. And yes, if your manuscript is accepted, these editors will work on your manuscript before it goes to publication. But NO, you do not send a manuscript that is in need of fine-tuning to any traditional royalty publisher. He wants to see it in its final, finished, finely tuned, completely edited state.
I keep reminding authors of the fiercely competitive publishing climate we’re facing now. And I ask them to consider things from a publisher’s viewpoint. If you were a publisher and you received three good manuscripts, but you only had the finances/space to publish one of them, how would you choose? A biased author would say, “I’d choose mine, of course.” But that’s definitely not the correct answer. Here’s how most publishers would make the decision. They would choose:
• The manuscript that needs the least amount of work.
• The author with the best platform and marketing plan.
• The project with the most sales potential.
The last point is awfully difficult to predict—which is why some of the most successful books out there were rejected many times over before finding a publisher. But a publisher will certainly consider the content of the book. If one book reflects a topic or genre that’s wildly popular at the moment, he’s going to lean toward that one.
As for the point in the middle, I told a new author this morning that no matter what publishing option you choose, the author is responsible for promoting his or her book. Even the traditional publishers expect their authors to participate heavily in promoting their books. If the author has a platform (a following, a way of attracting readers) all the better. In fact, I sometimes suggest to budding authors that they put a hold on their marvelous book idea and concentrate on building their platform—credibility in their book’s topic, a reputation, a following, a desire for this book—before approaching a publisher.
Now about the competition for authors: as I said, it is fierce. But I wonder if this might be a good time for authors to approach appropriate publishers. Let me accentuate the word, APPROPRIATE. Many publishers specialize. Make sure that you are approaching the right publisher for your project. I’ve done a lot of writing about how to locate the right publisher. If you need a refresher course, leave a comment and I’ll write a blog on the topic.
In the meantime, here’s the point I want to make today: I wonder if your chances of landing that appropriate publisher are greater today. Why would I suggest this? Because so many hundreds of authors are signing with fee-based, “self-publishing” companies, there can’t be as many of them in line at the traditional publishing houses waiting to be noticed.
I would imagine that these publishers are producing fewer books, too, because there are so many books flooding the market. But they are still publishing books. Why not yours?
This may just be the best time ever to present your excellent, professionally edited project to the appropriate publisher of your choice. Make sure that you have all of your ducks in a row. To reiterate:
• Build a platform.
• Write a book that is needed/wanted.
• Perfect the manuscript to a standard of excellence.
• Be persistent and patient when dealing with appropriate publishers.
To help you to better understand the publishing industry and how to navigate it, read my book, The Right Way to Write, Publish and Sell Your Book.
http://www.matilijapress.com/rightway.html
For an evaluation of your manuscript, contact Patricia Fry at PLFry620@yahoo.com