Bob Spear

Should you have your manuscript professionally edited?

It's been said that a man who represents himself in court has a fool for a lawyer. That applies doubly to the self-publisher who thinks he should edit his own book.Even if your mother loves it - it's not a good idea.

Assuming you intend to sell your book: to a reviewer, a bookstore, a customer orrneven your mother, your words and how they appear on the page make a first impression only once. And while you may be the greatest writer ofrnthe 21st Century, you're probably not its greatest editor, an art that requires an entirely different set of skills than writing. Worse: all of us get too close to our work emotionally, where it becomes far too easy to develop blind spots to our errors and mistakes. It's been our experience as reviewers that many small presses and self-publishers fall into this trap, and when they do, we're forced to reject them.

The most common errors we see are:

• Subject and verb do not agree.
  

• Mixed tenses.
  

• Convoluted or run-on sentences.
  

• Telling rather tha Showing (with action and dialog).
  

• Erroneously placed quotation marks in dialog.
  

• Incorrect use of italics.
  

• Illogical structure and/or incorrect facts.
  

And so it goes. These are among the many things we look for when we conduct our pre-critique assessment prior to accepting a book for review. Those with too many problems are rejected -- as they will be elsewhere.Wernpride ourselves in looking at the books sent to us as if we were intelligent bookstore customers. As we read along, we fold down the corner of every page on which we find a problem. And not just for small presses, big publishing houses get the same scrutiny. One recent galley from a highly respected major publisher had over 100 mechanical errors and errors of fact. It didn't get reviewed either.

Badly edited books don't get bought by bookstores. Period. So skipping this process is simply not an option. Nothing says Amateur more loudly than a poor job of editing. Furthermore, "production values" play as much a part in a distributor's decision to take you onrn-- or not -- as the book's content. Large publishers have been cutting this corner lately and it shows, but they know they'll still continue to sell their books. You may not have that luxury!

Bob Spear, Publisher, Sharp Spear Enterprises

Owner, The Book Barn (retail bookstore),

Spear's Mint Editions, & Heartland Reviews

16313 Springdale Rd

Leavenworth, KS 66048

Creating A Book About Your Company or Its Founder

Can Result in Instant Credibility and Popularity!

There’srnsomething magical about a book. If it’s a well-done, professional-looking publication, it adds amazing credibility to a company, a concept, or a person.

Did you know there are over 75,000 books published a year? How come you don’t remember seeing all of them? Only a few rise above the grass tornbe seen by the general book buying public. Your book, however, only needs to be seen by your clients or your potential clients. Think about it—having over 100, 200, or even 300 pages dedicated to your purposes, putting you in the best possible light. Did you ever read the biographies of famous businessmen, such as Mariott for example? What an incredible story he had to tell about how he

built a food and hotel empire from scratch—a poor, young shepherd boy from Utah.

Remember The Birth of a Machine, a story about a project management team’s development of a new computer from start to ?nish? Perhaps you’ve read Barbarians at the Gates, the story of a hostile takeover attempt at Nabisco? Do you see what Irnmean? Books create interest and can carry powerful messages. If someone reads it in a book, it must be true, right?

At Sharp Spear Enterprises, we know books and we know business. We know how to put them together. If your company has a story to tell or needs a book to sell off the back table at seminars or tradeshows, we can help make it happen. Our services include:

? Ghost Writing—if you or your PR department don’t have the time or desire to write it, we know someone who does and who will keep it con?dential.

? Professional editing, so you come across as erudite and professional.

? Good-looking interior designs of the book’s pages, which show it off in a way you can be proud.

? Professional looking, original artwork, book covers, which help it stand out in a positive manner to all who see it—a real class act.

? Project management to see the book through the printing and publishing process. You don’t have to do something you’re not accustomed to doing, while we can do it for you.

Think of your book as being a vehicle to tell your story, to sell your image, to give all who do business

with you a sense of understanding and admiration. Books are POWERFUL!

Contact us today to begin planning your book project!

Bob Spear, CEO

Sharp Spear Enterprises, The Book Barn (retail bookstore),

Spear's Mint Editions, & Heartland Reviews

16313 Springdale Rd

Leavenworth, KS 66048

sharpspear@kc.rr.com