Hey all, Not that I'm at this stage yet, but I see a lot of advertisements in the back of writing magazines for "manuscript coach" and/or editor. Basically, people to look at your novel before you submit it--making sure it's as top-notch as can be. If the credentials are there and the price is right, it sounds like something I would want to do just so I can have a completely objective look at my work from someone who doesn't know me but knows their stuff. Any thoughts on whether or not this is a good idea. Why or why not?
if you want to be a professional writer, you shouldn't need one! you can get feedback on the quality of your writing on sites like this one, so why pay a probable scam artist to do what we do for free?
You'd be better off spending your money on a reputable writing course, with a good tutor to give you feedback--or make use of writer's groups or online forums like this one, as maia suggests!
I'm not sure I agree completely. Every book needs editing eventually, so matter how good the writer. I'm not talking about scam artists, but good reputable copy editing can be a very useful learning tool in its own right. I certainly know I have learned a lot by reading the critiques and line-editing in my work, and implementing ways to make things better.
I used to be desperate to have everyone read my in-progress stories, so I could get feedback, but every time I did that, people pointed out various things they didn't like, and it just made me lose confidence and give up the story. So now I'm writing my stories without letting anyone see them until I've gotten far enough into it that I can't possibly back out.
Seeking critique and feedback on finished stories is imperative for any writer. Editing is a reality of being published. Having said that, I'm not sure I'd respond to a "book doctor" ad in the back of a magazine. If you know a writer who can personally recommend an editor, I think that could be valuable. But there are other (cheaper) options available to you, if you want to improve your writing skills. Take a writing course. Join a critique group (either online or in person). Read a lot of books. I'd be careful about contacting random "manuscript coaches" because there are a lot of people out there who prey on the hopes and dreams of newbie authors. Editing (especially story editing and critique--not so much copy editing) can be a very subjective thing, and unless you've gotten a personal recommendation or feel comfortable that the editor in question is a good fit for your work, you're rolling the dice that what you're given will be worth what you're paying. Having said all this, when I signed my first contract with a publisher, I was assigned an editor whose specialty is taking new authors through in-depth story edits and critiques. The experience was the single best crash-course in writing I've ever had. So I don't think this concept is a bad one. I just think that potentially spending thousands of dollars for some random person who is unaffiliated with a publisher to make subjective comments about your book may not be the best use of your money.
I agree, I guess it's a 'risk' in a way, especially when money is involved. I was talking about professional editors really, I don't even really know what these 'manuscript doctors' are. Not sure I want to know either... I second what you said about personal recommendation.
...but if you want to be a pro, you should be able to edit your own work and not have to pay someone else to do it for you, to make it good enough to submit... ...and there's little to no chance that the money you pay to a professional editor [the good ones are not cheap!] will ever be made back, since so few first books ever get published...
Writers should self-edit, definitely. I did so 5-6 times. Still a new pair of eyes picked up things I didn't see, nothing too major (grammatically speaking), but rather stylistic suggestions, and one or two things 'that didn't make sense' or needed clarification. It shouldn't be a case of 'here you go, read this mess and turn it into something good.' As for the money, well yes... big chance of that happening. I see it a bit as a business investment, which may pay off. Or it may not.
I am about to enroll in an online course, and cannot decide if it is worth the $800. There are some that are cheaper but, I guess, sometimes you get what you pay for, right? Are these types of courses worth the $ ?
I've taken a couple of the Gotham Writers' Workshop courses, and I think they're worth it. I'm going to take another one, anyway. I find the "lecture" material rather old hat (anybody who has read any "how to write" books has seen that stuff before), but the interaction between class and instructor is excellent, as is the focus on critiquing the work of others and getting your own work critiqued. Also, the class provides deadlines for submitting work, and I find I need those - I have a discipline problem, and if someone doesn't light a fire under my ass, I tend to not finish things.
Stanford University offers a series of online courses for entry to advanced level writers, but it is at twice the cost. I just want to get quality feedback for what I'm paying. If I can get the same quality for half the price, I'm always willing to take a chance.
