Red Adept Editing

Feature MonthAuthorBest Advice
2019 March Setta JayI think the best advice I was given had to do with the importance of hiring an editor and proofreader. I tend to miss my own mistakes no matter how many times I read through a manuscript.
2019 February Danielle Lenee DavisWrite to market.
2019 January Chanda StaffordIf you want to be a writer, you’ve got to keep going. Even when it’s tough, even when you don’t have any time, and even when there’s a million things you need to do instead, if you want to be a writer, sit down and write and don’t give up.
2018 December SM PerlowI don’t rush my writing out. I work hard during the editing process to polish my stories. But at some point, it’s time for them to be done and published. It’s time to ship.
2018 November Angela CookEmbrace your voice. When I first started writing, I never allowed myself to come through in my writing, and well, that made for very bland prose. It’s kind of like going on a first date—you don’t feel comfortable enough to “be yourself,” so you kind of just play it safe. The same thing can happen when you first start out writing. Once I learned to be true to myself and write honestly, my voice came through, and it made my writing so much stronger.
2018 October Jordan RivetWrite the first draft as quickly as possible and don’t worry about making it perfect. You can fix anything in rewrites once you have the raw material on the page. Writing a quick, messy first draft can give the story energy and momentum. It’s also easier to cut and move scenes as needed if you haven’t spent ages perfecting every sentence.
2018 SeptemberAnthony MelchiorriWrite every day. Be disciplined.
2018 AugustLeighann DobbsI spend a lot of time thinking about titles. I usually look up words that have to do with my book in the thesaurus and then put a bunch of options on paper and play around with them.
2018 July Pete BolandDon’t make your main character passive.
2018 JuneTerry MixonTo be a writer, you need to write. Stop screwing around and get it done. Also, the best way to market your book is to write the next one.
2018 MayAnna BarkerPut your ass in the chair and write.
2018 April Krista StreetWrite every day. As a new writer, that was hard to do. Now, I can’t imagine a day going by where I don’t write or edit something.
2018 MarchJJ Gould300 words a day and 50,000 words for a book.
2018 FebruaryLinzi BaxterDon’t force the story; let your characters guide you. Write what you enjoy.
2018 JanuaryTracie DelaneyWrite a story that you yourself would want to read over and over, because believe me, you are going to be spending a huge amount of time with that story and those characters.
2017 DecemberSelene CharlesAt the end of the day, writing is a job. There are days you’re just not going to feel like working. Those are the days that you really earn your paycheck. Sit down. And just write. They may be the most awful words you’ve ever written, but as the great La Nora says, “The most important thing in writing is to have written. I can always fix a bad page. I can’t fix a blank one.”
2017 NovemberJohn SneedenMy number one piece of advice to new authors is this: find people who are successful in the field, then absorb everything they produce. In short, surround yourself with the best. Read authors in your genre who use excellent prose. Find a good editor (I recommend Red Adept!) and read any books or articles that editor has published. For example, I own most of the books in Red Adept’s excellent Beyond the Style Manual series. I’ve read each one twice and took copious notes, which I refer back to when I edit one of my own books.
2017 OctoberGreg ChaseAll the struggles, setbacks, and soul-crushing doubt will make for great backstory once you’re successful. Keep writing.
2017 SeptemberMeredith PottsQuantity is really important in today’s publishing landscape. Even if they are shorter works like novellas, try to release a number of books in quick succession.
2017 JulyMichelle MutoRead and write as much as you can. It’s what every author will tell new writers, but it’s still the best advice out there. While writing, steer clear of social media as much as possible. Find ways to focus on the positives while writing. Avoid anything you feel brings negativity to your day. A sense of happiness is beneficial in fostering creativity and confidence. Also, don’t research how to publish and market a book without actually having written a book. You can’t sell or market what you haven’t written. Work on the craft first.
2017 AugustJovee WintersDon’t expect to write perfection on your first round. Just write. You can’t fix anything unless you have actual words on the page first.
2016 OctoberJason ParentFind a team of editors, beta readers, friends who can be objective, and other writers with whom you can work quid pro quo. Get help. I always wanted to do everything myself, to stand on my own two feet. It took me a while, but I eventually learned how stupid that is. People with different experiences and points of view will strengthen and enrich your writing. Don’t push them away or be afraid to ask for help.
2017 AprilCraig AllenLearn as much about the craft as you can. In my opinion, there’s no such thing as too much knowledge when it comes to writing. I don’t think there is a point where a writer decides he or she has learned all they need to know. There’s always room for improvement. On the other hand, there’s a point where you have to set aside learning and researching in order write your story. It may not be perfect, but no book is. I look at it this way: I may not be the best writer in the world, but no one else can tell my stories. If I don’t do it, no one will. In terms of style, I think simpler is better. George Orwell said, “Good prose should be transparent, like a windowpane.” When you look through the window, you don’t look at the glass unless there’s something wrong with it. You want to see the view outside. I try to do the same with my writing.
2017 MayWilliam StaceyRead and write every day. Hack out the time necessary to do so and jealously protect that time. I spent years getting up at 2:30 a.m. to write for a few hours before putting my uniform on and going in to work. You need discipline and good habits to build a book, not inspiration or the muse. You have to do the work.
2017 MarchBurke FitzpatrickAlways be learning. I’m constantly reading craft books and genre books, seeking out new sentence structures, new story-telling techniques, and ways to make my process for efficient. The indie scene works best if you can produce multiple books a year, which has been my biggest struggle. So I’m constantly researching ways to increase my word counts and produce clean copy.
2017 FebruaryGregory MattixDon’t get discouraged! It’s tough out there, and when you hit a rough patch, whether it be a sales slump or a flurry of bad reviews, you just have to pick yourself back up, adjust fire if necessary, and keep going.
2017 JanuaryJ.L. JarvisRead and write. A lot. Although I wouldn’t wish it on anyone, law school was a fantastic training ground for me. In fact, it’s where I discovered my love of writing. I’d been so heavily involved in music as a professional musical theater and opera singer and actress that I’d never thought about writing as a career. When I decided (God knows why) to go to law school, I entered a foreign land that completely rewired my thinking. It was intense, forcing me to work faster and produce stronger work than I’d thought myself capable of. (Which is not to say it was staggeringly profound, or anything. We’re just talking personal growth here.) My takeaway: There’s something to be said for sitting down and writing, again and again, whether you feel particularly inspired or not.
2017 JuneKarissa LaurelHave patience, persistence, and a small stubborn streak. Seek mentorship and relationships with other writers and authors and find opportunities to grow and learn. Never stop challenging yourself to get better. Do whatever it takes to keep your fire going, but let it burn on low so you don’t burn out too fast. For most of us, the road to publishing is long and steep. Pace yourself and find friends who’ll climb that hill with you.
2016 DecemberStephanie LaurensFirst, write the book. All the way to “The End.” Do not talk endlessly about writing Just write. You must finish the first draft before doing anything else. When you do reach the end, put it aside for a few days or more, then read it like a reader. Forget that it’s your work. See how it strikes you, and whatever “errors” you pick up, correct them. If you find your inner reader is seriously dissatisfied, but you can’t identify what is wrong, that’s the time to engage a content editor. Once you have the story down so that you as a reader are satisfied, work on it to ensure it is as tightly written and effectively written as possible – that every word in it is the best word you can think of for the task – then read it aloud (or use a program to read it to you) and listen. Force yourself to listen to your story, not read with your eyes. You will pick up all sorts of errors by listening that you will never see by reading. Once you’ve done all that, then it’s time for a copyeditor. To me, a copyeditor is indispensable. No author can correct his or her own work to the extent that a copyeditor will not make it better. And you want your books to be the best you can make them, so hire a copyeditor. And after you’ve dealt with the copyeditor’s suggestions, it’s on to proofreading. The current gold standard is four different proofreaders (not successively; I use one RA-proofreader, then send the corrected manuscript back to RA for a second round as well as sending the post-first proofread manuscript to two other proofreaders. At least.). And even then, tiny errors will slip through that some reader will pick up, but at least with four proofreaders, I know I’ve done the best I can. The only way an author can build, hold, and extend a readership is to deliver good stories well told time after time, so make every single book you put out there the very best you can.
2016 NovemberPippa DaCostaEasily, the first is this: the writing “rules” are like the pirate code—they’re guidelines. In the early days. I worried about all the advice out there, telling me I shouldn’t do this, shouldn’t do that. I eventually edited out a lot of what made my voice unique. I only found my voice again as I released more books and understood that the rules aren’t rules at all. They’re tiny titbits of advice that, as you gain experience, you can manipulate, use, or toss aside. You make the rules.
2016 JulyB.B. GriffithPatience. This is a long game. I know that sometimes it may seem like you’ll never make it unless you sweat out ten novels a year and always try to play the sales algorithms, but if you just keep writing and if your stories are compelling enough, you’ll find your audience eventually. Self-publishing rewards the persistent. The only way you lose is if you quit.
2016 AugustKara Ashley DeyGo at your own pace. Some people scratch away in a frenzy, while others ruminate, and still others make a sport of crumpling paper. But pretty much all of us go through these artistic phases at one time or another. But you are you. I used to shrug and say, “Hey, I’m a slow writer.” But that is not true. I can write a first draft in a fairly short time. I’m not even a slow reviser. I just revise a lot, over long stretches. So, I must make sure I do something new every day, or I’ll sink beneath the hill of eraser residue and pulpy manuscript muck. Remember that all your effort adds up. Doesn’t matter if you are a slow writer or a persistent reviser. You be you. You’ll find your place.
June 2016Bria MarcheRead, read, and read some more, especially in the genre you want to write in. Study and learn your craft. Do plenty of research. Get professionals to do your editing, formatting, and covers. Focus on the story you want to tell and let the professionals do the rest.
May 2016Craig AndrewsTwo things: have fun, but do your research. Writing for me is something I want to do—I genuinely get up in the morning excited to write. If I weren’t or if writing wasn’t fun, I probably wouldn’t do it. So having fun is always important. But you have to keep the larger picture in mind too. As I said before, publishing this way means you’re more than a writer—you’re a small business owner, and any mistake you make will cost you hundreds or thousands of dollars. The year I spent researching this world was invaluable, and in addition to saving me from making any critical mistakes, it also helped me discover Red Adept Editing, Damonza, Streetlight Graphics (who does my interior design and book formatting), and the dozens of promotional sites I have used to get my books into the hands of readers. If I wouldn’t have done the research, I would have had to learn the hard way, and that’s never fun!
April 2016Marie LongIf you have a story to tell, then tell it. There’s nothing more satisfying than seeing that story in your mind come to life in a book. Don’t be afraid to tell YOUR story, because everyone’s story is different. Don’t worry about trying to please everyone, because everyone is different—it’s impossible. Join a writer’s group or even try National Novel Writing Month (www.NaNoWriMo.org), which is a great website for new writers to start.
January 2016Leigh JamesThere is so much to learn, but the most important thing is to write your book. Focus on writing the best book you can. That is your first job. Everything else will be there to learn (and probably will have changed five times, given the nature of today’s publishing environment) when you’re done.
2015 DecemberS.M. McEachernIt’s one thing to write a story, and quite another to share it with the public. Editing is never a step you want to skip, whether you’re trying to find an agent to represent your work or publishing independently. Invest time and money in doing it right—you and your book are worth it.
2015 SeptemberLana VoynichDevelop a thick skin. Not everyone is going to like what you write. You’ll get bad reviews, and editors won’t be saying, “This manuscript is so perfect. I don’t know what you could possibly change to make it better.”
2015 AugustTamara Rose BlodgettMy best advice: get your work professionally edited. I heard that a lot when I first began writing in 2007, but like so many, I didn’t feel like I could afford it. Wish I’d done it anyway. Later, RA edited all my first works for me, and I don’t regret one penny spent. It’s an investment in my work—my art. It’s a way to respect my readers. It’s everything, actually. Save for it if you must. Second: buy great cover art. A (very) few authors can manage the graphics quite nicely, but they’re the exception and not the rule. Third: never stop writing. It’s the one constant. Nothing gets published until it’s written. It’s an absolute truth.
2015 JulyCassia LeoRead a lot. Write more. Get a good editor and proofreader. Learn the market and get good at social media. Be good to your readers. They are the ones who will help spread your words like literary wildfire.
2015 JuneS.B. AlexanderI believe the key to success is to be consistent with every aspect of writing and marketing. Don’t be afraid to try new things, and keep in mind what works for one author may not work for another. Most of all, if you want to be successful as an author, you have to operate as a business—write that story, develop a marketing plan, develop a time management plan, and surround yourself with a team that can help you every step of the way.
2015 OctoberE.H. ReinhardHead over to the Kboards Writer’s Cafe and read, read, read. There is a ton of priceless advice, given for free, from great authors. For me personally, I approached writing from the get go as a business, and I honestly can’t think of any better advice than a post written by Russell Blake called “How to Sell Loads of Books”. When I was dipping my toes into the self-publishing waters, he was very active on Kboards, and I pretty much followed that post to the letter. Well, the short story is: it worked.
2015 MayIan MaloneYou’ve probably heard this before, but I’ll say it anyway: Read, read, read, and write, write, write. Take all the training courses and continuing education you like, but at the end of the day, reading how others pen the genre and practicing it yourself are the only true ways to get better. Period.
2014 NovemberCristin HarberWrite. Write. Write. It’s so hard to do, especially when there are business things to take care of, but the more I write, the better I get, and the better my stories, plots, and characters become. Also, get honest crit partners. Find someone who will tell you when it’s bad or, at the very least, when it could be better.
2015 AprilM.K. CokerKeep writing. Keep reading. Keep learning. And, most especially, keep your chin up. (Or keep it protected, depending on the editing and the reviews!) There’s room for all kinds of writers in the brave new world of self-publishing, from side gigs with day jobs like mine to full-fledged careers. Finishing a book is a major accomplishment, but beginning the next one is what makes you a writer. As someone who literally had started tens if not hundreds of books when a new idea was shinier than the old, I can only say: finish what you start. If I’d done so earlier, I’d have a much bigger backlist than I do now.
2015 MarchCD ReissMaking a living at this job is half writing and half marketing, and some days it’s more one than the other. If you’re in it just to write, don’t expect to make any money. Period. And don’t spend any time complaining about marketing.
2015 NovemberEmma RiderI can probably say a lot of things, but new authors probably have already heard them. So I’m going to say something that any author can take. I’ve seen authors obsess over their bad reviews. At one time, I was even guilty of that. If you find yourself with a bad review—don’t let it get you down. Not everyone will like your story. Here’s an exercise: Go to your favorite book in the world and start reading the reviews. How can people rate it one star? The author is a genius; her/his book was amazing! While you love it, it might not be someone else’s flavor. Same goes for your story. Also, don’t write for money. Write because you love it.
2015 FebruaryJasmine GiacomoWriting is a long, long process. Practicing what it’s like to finish a book, and what you do after that, is just as important as practicing your writing skills. Always have more books to write, more to offer your readership. And yes, it’s a lot like juggling.
2015 JanuaryZ.L. ArkadieLearn how to tell story above all. Plot is important. Read Aristotle’s “Theory of Tragedy” in the Poetics, over and over until it seeps in, and then find a creative way to break the rules! I’ve recently started reading this book that contains Native American stories handed down in the oral tradition. I’m learning how to be in the moment. The story may or may not be a string of action and reaction, building major and minor plot points. And what will be the impact of veering away from classic plot structure? The point is to realize that this trade of ours is more than the final product. We are craftsman and we must know how to use the tools of our trade.
2014 DecemberWilliam EsmontWe’re all making this up as we go along. Write what interests you and don’t try to be someone else.