New Voices Good Stories discussion

I was just hoping to get some feedback from some authors who have recently finished their first book...or even veteran authors who are still having similar feelings. I am working on my first book (a little more than half way ready for publishing) and am caught in the cycle of always wanting to review and update. While in college my professors always said that their comes a point when you just need to stop editing. Does that still hold true today? When did you know that you reached that point and do you have any tips on how to reach that place of confidence where you can finally say "It's finished?"

Hi Andrea

I wish I had known your professors! All I can tell you is this, I had my book proof read and edited but I was way too eager to get it out there. I never rechecked what I got back properly. Now it's out there with everyone looking at it, there are some mistakes in it. Some are due to the download with Amazon but some are just silly little things I should have picked up on. (Now I have to go over it again and resummit). My opinion, you can't edit and check it enough!

Dee

Hi Andrea,

I agree with Dee. I too was anxious to get my book out and I had two editors- one I paid who did a crappy job and another one to look over it for me b/c I burned my resources on the first editor. You can never check it enough, because once it's out there that's it! Make sure to hire a professional. If you're lucky to get someone who is a professor in English/Journalism who is willing to do it for FREE, still get someone else to check his/her work. Also, get two or three other people to read it once the editor is finished, because I'm sure they'll find more mistakes. Just tell these trusted readers you're on a deadline, but don't rush them too much or they may miss something. Next to selecting your cover, editing is the second most important part of your book. People see the cover first, and then read the inside. If both are good, they complement each other, but if the cover is awesome but the story's editing is bad, it takes away.
I understand your wanting to get your book out there, but you'll regret being anxious, trust me!

Also, keep in mind that writing a book is like planning a wedding. There will always be something that you wish you could change or do differently. Don't change things, keep it as it is and save it for the sequel like I'm doing now or for another story idea. The more you change the story, the longer it's going to take to get it out there. Only change what you feel is "really" important for readers to know.

~Selena