Rattledash Media, LLC is indie author Patrick Tremblay and his little sister Amanda Tremblay (that's me) and we are getting ready to publish our second co-authored book, Horrific Tales of Woodland Manor. (Our first co-authored book was Haiku Black Belt written under the pseudonym Mori and Otsu).
Horrific Tales of Woodland Manor, which I will now refer to as HTWM, is a Middle Grade novel that we are VERY excited about. HTWM is a cute story about three adopted kids who move into a haunted mansion. Does it sound a tad Scooby D to you? Maybe a little bit? Great! I happen to love that cartoon. But there aren't any "meddling kids" in this book. It does however have plenty of meddling ghosts, some pretty cool witches, hideous ghouls, and other creepy creatures. HTWM has some really fun plot twists and we think our MG readers will enjoy this adventure. Another reason we are so excited about HTWM is because it will be the first novel released under Rattledash Media's publishing umbrella.
The real reason I'm writing this blog is to ask my fellow indie authors to consider taking the time to have your manuscript edited. I know there are several reasons why indie authors would skip this VERY important step. It takes time and money and everyone wants to hurry up and publish their work!!! Hurry, hurry, hurry! But believe me. That's not the way to go. There are countless authors and I mean QUALITY writers who really know their stuff, and even they know they have to edit their pages. Nobody is perfect.
Recently, I read an article that one of the main reasons indie authors are looked down on is because of errors on the page that could have easily been avoided. It doesn't matter if the plot is fast-paced and unique if the reader is constantly pulled out of the story because of issues like misspelled words, run-on sentences or using there, their, and they're in the wrong context. I'm sure you get the idea and you probably feel the same way when you see similar mistakes in books and articles. So it only makes sense to take the time to have someone check your work, right?
It doesn't cost thousands of dollars to have your book edited. It might cost five hundred if you find a professional who charges $2 a page, or it might cost just a few hundred if you know where to look and who to ask. There are countless librarians, retired English teachers, and college students who would love to help make your book the best it can be for a little extra cash. But I think it is your responsibility to do the research and find the best person you can, at the price you can afford. Do an online search for editors in your area, or join a writer's group at the very least to get people's input. All it takes is a fresh set of eyes to notice something you may have overlooked. Invest in your book. Take the time to edit. It can only help you write the best story you possibly can.
The pay off is that your readers enjoy your work and want to read more of your offerings. The difference is a 5 star review, rather than a 1, or a 2 star review that could have been avoided. And as more indie authors publish quality work, the naysayers will have no other choice but to shut up and read.
Happy writing (and editing)!
BTW, if you are interested in reviewing HTWM, shoot us an email at rattledashmedia@yahoo.com with "HTWM REVIEW" in the subject line. We will be releasing it for review in just a couple of months after the final edits and the book cover is finished. Wait. Should I have said "...after the final edits and the book cover are released." ??? I better go ask my editor...
~AT
Twitter: @Rattledash
http://www.rattledashmedia.com/
