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Editing

Editing

Editing is divided into three subgroups in order of increasing budget and difficulty:

  • Proofreading: Proofreading renders a combination of grammatical assistance, sentence structure, and vocabulary and typo eradication. It is typically the final stage of editing performed before a book is scheduled for production. This is the most common form of editing and also the cheapest.
  • Copyediting: Copyediting is performed after the story or the content has been written. There is no major rewriting but the editor will make the content seamless and flow like the wind. Copyediting helps identify irregular or awkward sentences or phrases, and suggestions will be provided pertaining to the choice of words or phrasing required. Some copyeditors will also do fact-checking. In a nutshell, copyediting is about consistency in style and flow.
  • Developmental editing: Developmental editors are concerned with the structure and content of your book. If your manuscript lacks focus, the editor will help you find the right direction or angle—the “right” direction generally being the most marketable. Unlike copyediting and proofreading, developmental editing is a collaborative process. A developmental editor may guide an author in conceiving the topic, planning the overall structure, and developing an outline. In some instances, he may coach authors in their writing, chapter by chapter. More commonly, a developmental editor has engaged only after the authors’ draft requires substantial revision and restructuring. In these cases, developmental editing is a radical form of substantive editing.
  • Ghostwriting: Ghostwriting involves writing your book from scratch or writing new sections or chapters for a current manuscript. A ghostwriter will write based on phone or in-person interviews with you as well as any additional resources and materials you provide.

Once you have learned how to create content that end-users want, with this content and your Table of Contents (TOC), you can either write your own content or outsource it to ghostwriters.

The job of a ghostwriter is to take your ideas and, keeping your voice in the work you are writing, create a GREAT book that will represent you and your ideas in the best way possible.

Note that a ghostwriting agreement is a “work-for-hire” contract. As such, you pay your ghostwriter to write your book. In exchange, you have all the rights to your content for your book. The ghostwriter you have hired has no ownership.

Some ghostwriters are expensive but they are worth the investment if they have experience writing books in your genre and they have had success creating those books. A few guidelines about what to look for when hiring ghostwriters:

  1. They should be highly skilled in writing.
  2. They should have a clear plan they give you for writing your book.
  3. Great ghostwriters are proficient at research as well as writing.
  4. They should be responsive, listen well, and implements your suggestions.

If the person is responsive and replies within twenty-four hours, this is a positive sign. Also, make sure that the freelancer will allow for at least one if not two revisions. This is very important because some freelancers do not allow revision. If they want to have a long-term working relationship with me, they will take the time to build trust and partner with me to create a book we both will be proud to say we had authored. I will ask for quality work and will reimburse them accordingly if the work is well done.

Finding a good ghostwriter takes time and I often call it a long-term strategic collaboration or partnership. It is an evergreen process. I’ve discovered that every ghostwriter has their own unique writing style and you need to deploy them as they fit best to your various books.

If you find someone who fits your needs and requirements, give him or her extra perks. The most common one is to gradually increase their remunerations. Be appreciative and grateful to them to sustain the partnership for a longer time.

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