What are the mistakes you see in beginner writers?
by Elizabeth Nelson
Well…it’s not fair of me to be the judge of beginner writers as I am one myself. So I’ll discuss some of the mistakes I’ve made.
The first mistake I made was about 3-4 years ago. I went with a small-house publisher instead of self-publishing. Self-publishing wasn’t what it is today. Back then many companies would publish your book for a “small” investment of something around USD$1,000. I didn’t have that kind of money then. I just returned back to the States from living abroad and all my savings went towards surviving – finding a place to live, a car, and food. At that time I could have lived nearly two months off of what some self-publishing companies would have charged me to publish my book. And that didn’t even include marketing! So I was approached by a small publishing house who said they would take care of the costs in return for sharing the royalties. I agreed. I learned a lot about publishing and what it takes to make it in this industry. For the knowledge I received and what I know now, it was a humbling experience.
Now I’m completely self-publishing. Everything I write that is publish worthy, goes through no one! I am it. I handle the marketing, the writing, and establish my team of mentors around me to get my books to take off. I’m not quite to the point where I can solely live off of my book royalties, but it helps pay the bills. For any writers out there exploring options for their books, I would encourage you to really consider holding on to the rights of your work and self-publish. It may take a bit of time to learn the ropes but in due time and with dedicated persistence you’ll get it and the taste will be sweet.
The second biggest learning experience came when I paid more than I could afford on a mediocre editor. Its difficult hiring someone you don’t know. Let me share the story. So I had a lengthy manuscript, over 400 pages, and needed it edited. So I received referrals from friends and colleagues and found a woman I wanted to work with. I contacted her, we talked. Everything was perfect except the price. She agreed to edit my manuscript for FOUR THOUSAND dollars. I couldn’t do that so I sought others. Long story short, I went with a complete stranger for much less. I still find mistakes that should have been picked up. In the end was it worth it? No way! I wasted my money and my time.
I could go on with more examples but it’s really not worth. The lesson here is simple, you have to try things out before you know whether or not it’s worth it or not. It might cost you some money but the way I look at it is two ways. It could also make you lots of money and if it doesn’t you can always find a way to make more money for the lost investment. Just get it done.
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Genre – Romantic Suspense
Rating – R
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