I recently had the opportunity to talk directly with an author who has experienced some success. I asked them about their editing/publishing process (a topic near and dear to my heart as an indie author). What they said surprised me.
They went with a hybrid vanity publisher so they could maintain total creative control and copyrights. Understandable. Then they went on to say that, because this project was very personal, they wanted a publisher who would give them no notes. (When. you give notes to someone on their creative work, this is feedback and suggestions for improvement).
That floored me. Especially because I had read the book and I felt that some thoughtful editing could have improved it very much. It was a compelling story, but the writing could have been better, the characters could have been more developed and the plot less trope-y.
I crave this type of feedback. I want to improve as an author. (And as a I person.) That is nearly impossible without feedback from others, those that know you and those that don’t. For my books, this is everything from grammar and punctuation to character development to plot. (For me as a person, the list is LONG.)
As hard as it is to receive constructive criticism about something you have labored over (a creative work or your own self), it is much harder to find people willing to take the time to give it! Friends and acquaintances adhere to social norms to not hurt your feelings, so they gush over how great your work is, while professionals (editors and therapists) are costly.
So, if you know me or not, please share your honest thoughts on my books. It’s the only way I can improve. You can leave comments on my website or reviews on Amazon, Kindle or Goodreads.
I want the notes!
Thanks in advance!