Hi SEers! Denise here to talk about the last step before releasing a book—editing.

Authors put a lot of time, work, and love into their words. They go over their manuscripts several times, have beta readers, and critique groups to offer suggestions. Then, there’s another read-through catching those tiny mistakes. Is it ready to release? No!

Of all the steps to complete a book, editing is one you do not want to skip. This is where a final set of eyes makes sure it’s ready to be published. Use the wrong name, need a comma, or a sentence doesn’t make sense? Editors fix that. Use the word was instead of were, or misspelled or misused a word? They catch it! If published with these mistakes, it can pull a reader out of a story.

I’ve read books that were “edited” by the author, a family member, or a bad editor…