Which service should I choose?
Writers coming to WritersServices for help with getting their work
into shape for publication often have difficulty with working out which
service they should go for. The services have been designed to suit
writers whose work is at different stages, but there are certain broad
principles which apply across the board.
A more detailed version of this page is also available -
Choosing a service.
Do I need a report?
If you are serious about getting your work published, then it is worth
considering commissioning a report in the first instance. Most writers
coming to WritersServices need to do at least one further draft of their
work before they are ready to think about submitting it to publishers.
If possible, go for an Editor’s Report,
as this will give you more substantial feedback and a fuller framework for
further work.
If you want a little more help than this, then it’s worth considering
Editing, which will give you a more
detailed chapter-by chapter commentary as part of the report.
Authors frequently come back to us for further reports, sometimes a
number of times, after they have done another draft. In effect they are
using our editors to help them rework and get their work ready for
submission.
What about a Submission Critique?
Once the manuscript is in good shape, you will need to put together
your submission package and it may be worth considering having a
Submission Critique to make
sure that you have presented your work in the best possible light before
you send it off to agents and publishers. It is very important to get
your submission letter right and the synopsis is also a key element of
your submission.
This
page gives help with putting together your Submission Package.
Bear in mind though that the Submission Critique can only comment on
the material presented, so if the manuscript as a whole needs more work it
may be worth thinking about having a report done o it first.
Should I get my work Copy edited?
Copy editing may be what some
writers are looking for, but it is important to get the work as a whole
into the best shape before you embark on this. If you need to do
more work on your manuscript, do it first and avoid the expense of having
it copy edited when it’s not a final draft.
Strictly speaking, the publisher should take on the task of copy
editing, as part of preparing your work for publication. However, if you
know you have difficulties with getting punctuation, spelling and grammar
right, it may be worth giving your work a better chance of finding an
agent or publisher by paying to have it copy edited before you start
submitting it.
Do I need Copy editing or Proof-reading?
There is some confusion about the difference between and copy editing
and proof-reading. Copy editing is the initial work of preparing a
manuscript for publication, and includes correcting spelling, punctuation
and grammar. Proof-reading is
the final stage of checking that any corrections have been made and that
the work is ready to be printed.
What about Rewriting and Manuscript polishing?
If you want an element of reworking for your manuscript, then this will
probably come under Rewriting and we
will need first of all to assess what needs doing and how much time it
will take. If English is not your first language, you may feel you need
help with bring your work up to scratch. We call this service
Manuscript Polishing and it usually
involves both rewriting and copy editing to get the material into good
shape.
What if I’m a self-publisher?
We would recommend that self-publishers take just as much care with
their work as writers who are trying to get a publisher to take it on.
This may mean getting a report and doing some further work on your
manuscript.
If you’re ready to go ahead though we would strongly recommend
having your work copy edited first, to make sure that errors in the
printed version of your book do not let you down. Don’t forget,
Copy editing is a skilled task and it
is very difficult to spot your own errors.
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