Quote:
Originally Posted by VydorScope
Notice that very few people in this survey put a book down due to bad editing for example, yet that is one of the things most authors seem to scream about in their advice, "make sure its professionally edited" and etc. Not saying do not have your books edited, it is just an example.
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I understand where the readers are coming from. I have occasionally come across a book or a series that clearly had never been edited or if it had, the editor was a first grader just learning her alphabet. Yet the story was compelling (to me). So I cursed the author for making me try to figure out who the suddenly appearing character was supposed to be, and I bit my tongue at the heroine's eye color change. I read the book.
I find it especially frustrating when the story is excellent and it is clear to me that had the author hired a professional editor the book could be outstanding -- a book that I would give 5 stars to and recommend repeatedly. Instead, because of the lack of editing, I didn't give it a positive review and I didn't recommend the book to anyone.
I also put the author on my do-not-buy-ever-again list. Rip me off once, shame on you; rip me off twice, shame on me!
When I have bought a book, I hope to get something out of it. If the story is good, I'll read it even in the absence of editing because I bought it. The killer is when the story sucks and the editing is worse, yet I can see where had the author invested in a professional editor the story might be readable, even enjoyable.