Before You Push That Self Publish Button

Discussion in 'Self-Publishing' started by peachalulu, Jun 12, 2013.

  1. Scot

    Scot Senior Member

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    Sound advice. For some reason errors leap out of the printed page and hide themselves on screen. Why I wonder?
     
  2. AASmith

    AASmith Senior Member

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    I assume its because you are looking at it in a different way, literally. Just like when you take the time to read your work outloud, it suddenly sounds different and you can decide whether or not the words flow. You can also pick our errors easier that way as well.
     
  3. antlad

    antlad Banned

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    Print it out and read it out loud. Hire a proofreader/editor, if you cannot, trade proofreading/editing with someone else.
     
  4. Arcadeus

    Arcadeus Senior Member

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    I do something similar to this. When I finish a work, I will give it at least a couple weeks before I edit.
    If it's too soon after having put something from my mind to paper, I will read it while filling in the mistakes. Suddenly any missing words are apparent, instead of reading correctly in my brain. As well as any sentences that just sound funny. Just have to wait a little while for it to not be so fresh in my head.
     
  5. kenc

    kenc Member

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    Great advice.

    Obviously checking and proofreading are going to be critical to spotting a lot of these kinds of problems. I also wondered though, how many of them could be detected automatically - with software. I would have thought some of them (word echoes, cliches, ...) would be quite easy for a computer detect. Any recommendations for tools / software to help with this?
     
  6. D.Clarke

    D.Clarke Active Member

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    Fantastic article. Thank you.
     
  7. Bill Chester

    Bill Chester Active Member

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    kenc wrote: Obviously checking and proofreading are going to be critical to spotting a lot of these kinds of problems. I also wondered though, how many of them could be detected automatically - with software. I would have thought some of them (word echoes, cliches, ...) would be quite easy for a computer detect. Any recommendations for tools / software to help with this?

    Less than a week ago, I bought ProWritingAid (which should be called AmateurWritingAid). https://prowritingaid.com/ It does all of the checks that have been discussed here and more. You can try 500-word samples at the website to see if it is for you.
     
  8. MarcT

    MarcT Active Member

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    After about 25 rejections I practically rewrote my book, left it in a drawer for a few months and then gave it to a professional editor, who took it to pieces.
    Best thing I ever did with it to be honest.
     

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