E is for Editing

E is for Editing.

There are different types of editing and it goes way beyond correct capital letters and punctuation marks. Some additional types of editing include:
* developmental editing
*line editing
*proofreading
*copy editing
*content editing

In 2020, my covid silver lining was walking away from the classroom and it allowed me to focus on writing my first picture book, reading as many picture books as I could, researching publishers and working on query letters and the submission process. In 2021, with a pounding heart, extremely shaky and sweaty hands, I hit the submit button to three hopeful publishers. My manuscript was out of my hands and traveling into inboxes.

Two days later, I was listening to a podcast about writing. I heard, “Whatever you do, DO NOT submit anything to a publisher without getting it professionally edited first.”

My reaction:

After a brief freak out and a massive amount of pacing around the house, I researched editors. I was lucky enough to find an amazing editor in town who really helped clean up the manuscript. It was amazing reading through her suggestions and going back and forth in the document to clarify specific areas. Even though I had several wonderful beta readers, a professional editor has the training to really help polish it.

To ensure that you do not look like Anger, from Disney’s Inside Out, get your manuscript professionally edited before sending it out to publishers.

Luckily after the edits, I submitted to a new publisher who picked it up, ran it through other in house editors and helped get The Kindness Machine in classrooms, homes and libraries all over.