Editing for Indies & Review & Short Audio Fiction
Lessons Learned from Other Indie Authors
Headline: Editing for Indies
While some indie writers work with a small traditional press that provides good professional editing, many do not. My first time out, I signed up for the “professional-level” with a predatory “self-publishing” company. Their “professional” editor’s notes made it clear he had not really read the book. Then they didn’t use the final edited file for publication!
Lesson: Anyone can claim to be a professional editor. There is no licensing procedure. Reedsy has set requirements to be on their list of editors. Professional organizations that have searchable databases of editors include The Editorial Freelancers Association and Authors Guild.
In the past several weeks, I’ve read three indie books with very different experiences.
One had been through various publishers and editors and the version I got was still loaded with issues such as floating between tenses and conversations without sufficient attribution to keep track of who was saying what.
Lesson: Multiple editors do not guarantee a readable story. There are different levels of editing. You need to have the right kinds of editing done, follow through on revisions, and make sure the final file has all the corrections.
The second book was well edited. The author said “Early on, I hired three developmental editors through Fiverr. This was expensive, but two of the three were helpful in pointing out some blind spots.” Fiverr does not have strict requirements for their editors. She also said “The copy editing I did myself using Prowriting, Grammarly and Word Editor. As I worked, I ran my writing through all of these three editing programs and found it very helpful.”
Lesson: Her strength was in checking multiple sources for her editing and using her own judgement to decide which edits to implement.
The third book is being reviewed here today. The company she used to publish only offer proofing, the final level of edit that looks for simple errors. At the level she purchased, even that was not offered. But with her own journalism degree and experience plus a former NY Times editor as her husband, she didn’t really need another proofreader. Where she did need help was transitioning from nonfiction to fiction. She found that help in a critique group.
Lesson: You don’t always need to pay for editing if you have or find resources that can do the job. A good critique group helps with development of your story, even if you go on to hire an editor. Here’s a link to a blog on choosing a critique group.
One final note: To use critique or editing notes effectively, it's important to listen for the reasons suggestions are being given, to know your genre and audience, and to be ready to use the comments to improve your writing accordingly. Writers revise.
Heads Up
Writing Opportunities
Spotify is looking for commercial fiction, specifically romances this round, written for audio, 10,000-40,000 words. Authors retain print and ebook rights and can distribute and sell those formats on any platform. (Check the contract, of course.) Deadline is April 30.
Contests
On the first weekend of each month, the Australian Writers’ Centre offers the Furious Fiction Challenge. They post specific criteria and give you 55 hours to write 500 words or less. It’s free. Later in the month, they post the best stories online and a longlist of others they liked. I’ve made it to the longlist once so far. The next one will start about midnight Thursday March 5 in the States (depending on time zone)
The Gutsy Great Novelist Chapter One Prize is awarded for an outstanding opening chapter of an unpublished novel. First prize is $1,000; 2nd is $500; 3rd is $250. The prize is open internationally to anyone over 18 writing a novel in English in any genre for adult or YA readers. $20 ENTRY FEE. Deadline: March 3, 2026 (5PM ET).
Kindle Book Awards: 2026 Registration deadline is May 15, books published 5/1/2023-5/1/2026. Cost $35
Free Advertising
Each month, BookLife runs the Indie Spotlight feature, a thematic roundup of self-published books both online and in print in Publishers Weekly magazine. Industry professionals, media professionals, and librarians read this magazine. There is no charge, but the competition is enormous. Fiction or nonfiction, adult or children’s, secular or religious, written or graphic - all types of books will be considered IF the subject matter matches the month’s topic.
In February, they are accepting submissions for March - books related to travel, global culture, and food.
In March, they’ll accept submissions for April - works of humor and satire.
Email your submission info to booklifeeditor@booklife.com with the subject line “Indie Spotlight - Humor/Satire.”Follow these directions and email your submission info to booklifeeditor@booklife.com with the subject line “Indie Spotlight - Food/Travel/World Culture.”
Conferences & Organizations for Writers
Pre-Pitch Coaching Session Thursday, April 2 at 12 – 1pm PDT Registration is free for anyone already signed up for Pitch-O-Rama 2026. If you haven’t, prices are $10 for WNBA-SF members and $25 for non-members. WNBA-SF stalwarts who have run Pitch-O-Rama for many years will tell you what to expect, tips and strategies for inspired pitching, and how to get the most from this mini-writers conference.
Book Festivals list by Prolific Writers.
Other Resources
For statistics on books, publishing, etc.: https://wordsrated.com/
Beware: I’ve decided to keep these posted each week, as the need keeps arising. If you know another good site, let me know and I’ll add it.
https://writerbeware.blog (search on right)
https://authorsguild.org/resource/publishing-scam-alerts/ (most recent first)
https://www.allianceindependentauthors.org/watchdog/ (scroll down to view ratings links)
https://reedsy.com/creative-writing-prompts/terms/ Read #4 – they claim EXTENSIVE FOREVER rights to EVERY ENTRY! Thanks to Hope Clark for pointing this out in her newsletter. She also writes some mystery series you might enjoy.
Call to Action - Get your indie book reviewed!
Sometimes I’ll review books that help writers with their craft or self-publishers with their business, but I’ve been judging books for Independent Publishers of New England the last few years and I’d like to help readers and indie authors connect. I’ve had a great response since mentioning this on an Authors Guild discussion. I have, however, learned to “read sample” or “look inside” before saying send me the book - if the opening doesn’t grab me, I probably won’t finish or review it.
Details are explained in this website blog.
Free Books
Writers: Let me know when you’re doing a free or reduced price promotion and I’ll post it here! Readers: Enjoy and post reviews!
Those with Kindle Unlimited may read Robert McCammon’s Boy’s Life for free. This is definitely not an indie, but the writing makes pictures with words. Tom Huggler’s The Woman She Left Behind and Geri Krotow’s A Midsummer Murder for also still free on KU. I reviewed Tom’s book January 13 and Geri’s January 27.
If you sign up for an Audible Standard trial, you can also get my favorite Stephen King book for free: 11/22/63: A Novel. The main character travels back in time and has to figure out whether or not to stop the assassination of JFK. If you’ve never read King’s work because you’re not into horror, this is the one to read. He’s an amazing writer.
Book Review:
Everything We Thought We Knew by Carolyn Niethammer
Carolyn Niethammer’s novel Everything We Thought We Knew was an absolute delight to read. While I anticipated the central plot’s reveal, there were enough secondary plot lines to maintain suspense, and the descriptions of the time were wonderful. I never made it to a commune back in the day, but now I feel I’ve visited one. I recommend this book without reservation.
Aside from thoroughly enjoying the story as a reader, as an editor I was amazed to not find any editorial issues. (I usually stumble over typos, even in best-selling books from the Big Five traditional publishers.) I was not surprised to discover Carolyn has a Master’s in journalism and experience writing non-fiction. However, she depended on a critique group to help her make the transition to fiction. As for grammar, her husband is a PhD journalist who has been an editor for the NY Times.
She got the lowest level of BookLocker during their regular Christmas sale and has been happy with their services, but she’s going to try going true indie on her next book. (See other notes in the Headline article.)
Fiction:
The book reviewed this week made me want to post this opening to my novel Alice. This bit stands alone, but if you like the characters, please do buy the book.
Alice - The Arrival
You can read this on my website blog or listen to it here:
Other ways to support my work:
Buy my books.
Ask your bookstore and library to order them.
Talk about them.
Post reviews.
You can read a sample of each at these links:
Thanks.
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©Sheri McGuinn
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