Juanita Kees - To Edit or Not To Edit

Please welcome Juanita Kees to the blog! I really enjoyed her story Fly Away Peta - great characters and an intriguing plot! :)

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With so many authors opting to self-published and eBooks fast becoming the next big thing, the focus has once again returned to editing. Why is it so important to edit your work before you publish it? Writing is an art that needs work to perfect. The more you write, the better you get at it and the easier it is to spot flaws in your work.

I'm sure you've seen the Cambridge University study where letters are jumbled up in a paragraph, yet you can still read what it says? You can read and understand it, but would you want to be publishing a book written like that?

When you're working closely with your manuscript, you're involved with the plot and the characters. You're keen to get your thoughts on paper. Ideas may become jumbled. Your POV's may get muddled. You read and see what your mind wants you to, not always what it really says. And after reading the same piece over and over, your eye may miss those important details, those messages you're trying to get across to the reader. That's where an editor can help.

Editors are our best friends on the road to publication. They're the ones who will hold your hand through the saggy middle and help you find structure. They guide your feet when the end of the road seems too far away. Most importantly, they help you mould your masterpiece into the best it can be.

Would you want to put work out there with your name (or pen name) on it if it wasn't the absolute best it could be? There’s more to writing than checking spelling, punctuation and grammar.

An editor won’t rewrite your work or do your research for you but they can help you improve the structure, format, flow and readability. Editors work closely with you to create the perfect manuscript, all while maintaining the integrity of your own ‘voice’.

Grammatical errors and inconsistencies can easily be overlooked due to close involvement with your manuscript. A fresh review by an independent eye will help you locate those hidden flaws and help polish your manuscript to perfection.

The first step is to believe in yourself. The second is to trust an editor with your work. Go on, what are you waiting for?

Blurb: Fly Away Peta

The time has come to face her worst fear and the clock is ticking…

Peta Johnson will go to extreme lengths to protect her daughter Bella. When Bella is kidnapped, the search for her takes Peta back to the small Western Australian country town of Williams, a place she’d vowed never to return to. The town where her dreams were shattered and her nightmare began. Back to the place she’d been destined to meet two very powerful, yet very different men. One would break her heart; the other would destroy her soul. Both would change her life forever. The search for Bella brings them together. Secrets and lies keep them apart. Will Jaime and Peta renew their love in the face of danger or will he let her fly away again?

Bio:

Born in Port Elizabeth, South Africa and now proudly Australian, Juanita is a freelance writer of book reviews, blogs, web content, advertorials, newsletters, resumes and training manuals. She also writes articles on business management for Stanford Who’s Who, New York, USA.

Having recently completed a diploma in Proofreading, Editing and Publishing through the Australian College QED, Bondi, NSW, Juanita is a freelance editor for US Publisher Damnation Books, and proofreads scientific text books for Elsevier Press, Oxford, UK.

Juanita gained her professional experience as an administrator and Customer Care/Quality Assurance Coordinator conducting audits; writing and proof-reading reports, operating procedures, company policies, capability statements, newsletters and customer correspondence.

Juanita escapes the real world by reading and writing romantic fiction. She conducts interviews with fellow authors and writes book reviews, as well as the odd blog about the frustrations and delights of being a writer.

When she’s not writing, editing or proofreading, Juanita is the cleaning fairy and mother to three boys (hubby included, his toys are just a little more expensive). Her not-so-miniature Daschund, Sam is her critique partner and keeps her company while writing.

Juanita loves to hear from fans and would love for you to enjoy her writing journey with her at:
On the Web
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Facebook    

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Agreed - editing is such an important part of the process! Have you been lucky enough to work with a great editor? I'm still looking forward to that part of the process.