Goodreads asked Ken Brandt:

What’s your advice for aspiring writers?

Ken Brandt Three things.

First, after you have written and edited your heart out, but before you show your draft to a professional editor, show it to ten friends. Ask them each for cold, hard, objective feedback and suggestions. Some will come back with great idea about rearranging chapters, cutting out sections, adding sections. Others will turn out to be super copy editors. You will be surprised and very impressed with the suggestions and very grateful for the time and effort your friends generously put in. This worked out so well, that I did it again with ten other friends. It was just as valuable an exercise with them. You will gain a better sense of what people like and dislike in your draft, your book will be better, and you will appreciate your friends even more.

Second, use a professional editor for the copy, and a professional graphic designer / art director for the cover design and book design. It has to look good to attract buyers, and be visually easy, interesting, and pleasing for your readers.

Third, after you have worked with your professional editor for a while and it looks like your book is complete, make a final ruthless edit. Read your book again (for the millionth time!) and cut out the least important, least interesting 5-10% of it. Your book will be shorter and sharper, with more impact. As Yogi Berra said: addition by subtraction.

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