As I have already mentioned in the post, “My Promises,” the first novel I co-wrote with my wife Gio, entitled Tell Me Your Sweet Lies, we had initially enjoyed devising the plot and creating characters. I then rushed to get the book published so I could honour Gio’s memory. The problem was, however, we were obviously amateur authors and although we may have been avid readers, we couldn’t see the many issues in the manuscript that we had completed.
Even experienced authors need the services of an editor to correct theses issues. I was too close to our work to spot issues that may have been obvious to someone else. A professional editor offers a fresh perspective and can identify plot holes, inconsistencies, or confusing sections. So, the manuscript for “Tell Me” is now with an editor having had an initial Editorial Assessment and is currently undergoing Developmental Editing to sharpen the ideas and substance of our story. Naturally, the book is now unavailable for purchase until that process is complete and the second edition becomes available to buy.
I am hoping that this next phase can help me improve the pacing of the story and suggest changes that will keep readers hooked from beginning to end. In my mind, I though we had already done that but I think we were too close to the story, and excited to be writing our first book, to spot any issues. Whether it’s tightening up dialogue or restructuring scenes, I know my editor can help elevate and improve the story’s rhythm.
My editor, Elizabeth, is very experienced in the genre of our novel and has already provided valuable feedback on how engaging and believable the plot and characters are. She is very familiar with industry standards and can help me polish the novel to a level that will meet the expectations of publishers, and readers.
With the increase in new authors who are self-publishing their work on platforms such as Amazon’s KDP, in fact Tell Me Your Sweet Lies was published via Amazon, creators of fiction and non-fiction could be forgiven for not employing an editor to minimise their costs. Gio and I attempted to self-edit our book and others might use friends or family to offer a critique prior to publishing. But I think that the cost of employing an independent professional improves an authors craft and far outweighs the risk of making a financial loss on that first book. With a professional editor, hopefully, I can focus on writing the next project and improving all aspects of my new venture, while ensuring the current novel is the best it can be.
This brings me on to my next project, the next novel I am planning which you may have read about in the “My Promises” blog post.
I am currently working on the story-line for a follow-on novel to Tell Me, which has the working title of “The Other Woman.” This novel will be a murder mystery featuring a character that was introduced to the reader in our first novel. In this new book a fiery red-haired woman becomes amateur detective, seeking to solve a mysterious crime in the Tuscan city of Lucca.
Lucca is a city which I know well, Gio and I visited there every year for 10 years or so whilst we holidayed in the nearby coastal resort of Forte dei Marmi. Lucca is a delightful place and at the time of writing this piece, I will be visiting the city in a few days to carry out research for the story.
Don’t worry, Lucca isn’t a place with a bad reputation… far from it. I love this city and I hope that future readers of The Other Woman will be enthralled by this enchanting and unique Italian gem and maybe visit themselves. I will be writing more about Lucca as the work continues and I keep you updated on both of my promises.
