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Originally Posted by MrPLD
I've heard somewhere that publishers are now only getting the first 100 pages or so done in an edit, I suppose it's enough to draw the person into buying and "who cares after that, job done, sale made".
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They're stupid if they are. People probably buy on far less than the first 100 pages, and skimping on the rest is ultimately self defeating.
I did know an editor a while back who lamented that her boss asked why she was "wasting her time" doing a line edit when "the glory was in acquisitions". Gee, I dunno. Maybe because she wanted to publish a
good book?
But I expect to see more issues like this because there are simply too many books chasing too few readers, and everyone is trying to cut costs. Skimping on stuff that was once a standard part of the process is a symptom.
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The financial pain of getting an edit is quite a lot - that said we pushed ours through, cost quite a bit (over $1000) and subsequently followed up with a proof from another person. It costs but it does also give one a bit more of a sense of security when putting the book out.
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An old friend asked for referrals from me. A friend of hers had written a novel set in California in the days when the Spanish ruled the area. It's an area in which she's a subject matter expert, so her friend asked her to read the manuscript.
He had done his research and had his facts straight, but had no idea how to tell a
story. But he was a friend, and she didn't want to injure the relationship by saying so. I passed along contact info for a couple of folks I knew who were editors and provided book doctor services. "Tell him you agree he got his facts straight, but don't feel qualified to comment on the literary merit of the work. These folks do editing for a fee and can provide the guidance he needs." That was what she wanted, and she was happy. (I don't know if her friend actually followed up on the leads.)
But I'm sorry, it doesn't matter who you are. The chances are excellent that your manuscript really needs an editor, if only to make a good book
better. The first challenge for any author is recognizing that and checking their authorial ego at the door. Many can't, and the results demonstrate it.
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Dennis