[Vor Lady]

Help!

[jdm]

What about an e-book in Adobe Acrobat (just a thought).

[coconutt2000]

A good editor can really enhance the quality of the work.

[JLS]

You need an agent. If the agent can sell your book to a publisher, the publisher will assign it an editor. Others may differ but I don't see a reason for an editor before then.

[Sloth]

I have no knowledge of such things, but I'll bump the thread for you. $5 a page certainly sounds very high.

[Jeff Head]

I self published my:

Dragon's Fury Series

... and I did it using LightningSource.com.

Good friends here on FR helped edit it...but a number of errors still crept through. NIce thing about self publishing is that you can update it at your will and leisure.

That company gets you onto Amazon, Barnes & NNObles, and several others. They take PDF format.

[coconutt2000]

How about you give her three chapters to work on?

[kingu]

What subject?

Fiction or fantasy - if it is either, you'll want to secure a known editor who has edited previously published novels for the industry. They'll usually list which books - if the book is published by a company you want to print your book, they're the ones to hire.

Odds are that you'll never get a publishing company to look at your manuscript. Cover letters to get them to look at a synopsis, and then if you win the publishing lottery, they'll ask for a manuscript and then, if you're really lucky, they'll read it.

Nonfiction is a much different matter. There it matters who has read your manuscript. History topic? Make sure you get someone noted in the field to review it. Science? Backup in a peer review journal.

[aft_lizard]

I heard somewhere that you also need to come up with your own cover art, helps sell your book to the publisher.

[atomicpossum]

If you're looking for critique, look around for a writing workshop, either real-world or online. You can get a lot of feedback and provide it to others, as well.

If you're just looking for info on how to format your work for submission, you can look around online for various publisher's submission guidelines, or go to the library and check out books like the Writer's Market current edition. This will help, as well.

[republican4ever]

Yes, you do need an editor. It does not matter how many times you read and re-read your own work, you will be blind to your own mistakes and inconsistencies. Friends and relatives may not be objective enough and spellcheckers at times cannot recognize errors such as using a word that is correct in itself in the wrong context.
Shop around for the best rate, usually given by word.
I am a copyeditor, so I know what I am talking about.
Good luck!

[HitmanLV]

Yes, it's very difficult to self-edit. You should get an agent, and your agent will shop your book around to an editor, who will help you make the book better and publish it for their banner.

[jdm]

My recommendation is to heed Jeff Head's advice. He's a great writer and his material is readily available at amazon.com, etc.

[Vor Lady]

Thanks so VERY much for all your input! I love FR for all the things I learn!

[ladyinred]

While I haven't been published, I do know that using an editor is the best way to go. Not just for now, but for the future. The big publishing companies will look more favorably upon your future works if you have done all of the "right things." We just had a huge writers conference in my area, and reps from the big houses were there and this was their "must do" recommendations. (self publishing is also a big no no to them, btw.)

[Doohickey]

I'll do it fer $2.00 a page. I talk real good and am a good spellur.

[meowmeow]

Recommend you read up on the industry before you publish. There are plenty of good resources on-line and at your local book store (writing resources usually has its own section). Getting smart on the book publishing world now before you jump in will save you a lot of headaches.

[aimhigh]

You could publish it yourself. see www.lulu.com

[Brainhose]

I've only written technical documents and educational documents at work.
Self-editing is very difficult.
Having someone else read it is a huge help, they always find mistakes that you may miss. When they point out the mistakes you'll say "How on Earth did I miss that?". I'll ask around and see if I can dig someone up.
I know my sister is very good at that sort of thing. I'll see if she's willing or if she knows someone else who is.
Best of luck and congrats on your novel.

Reminds me of a terrible joke though:
2 Lions are crouching in the brush staring at an author and his editor sitting under a tree.
1st Lion: Are you as hungry as I am?
2nd Lion: Nah, I ate earlier, but go right ahead.
The 1st Lion charges from the brush and grabs the editor and consumes him, leaving the author unscathed. He then saunters back to his friend waiting in the brush, all the while licking his chops.
2nd Lion: How come you only ate the editor, surely you could have finished them both?
1st Lion: Easy, because writers cramp but Readers Digest.

I'm sorry, I did get that from Readers Digest many years ago.