​Publishing your first book is exciting! But it also puts you in a precarious position. If this is your first time self-publishing, you may be vulnerable to scammers and predatory companies.

One of the reasons I expanded Blue Pen to offer self-pub services (cover design, interior layout, etc.) is because of these companies I saw taking advantage of first-time authors.

There is a legitimate need for companies that offer editing, book design, and marketing services. It's much easier for indie authors to get all of these services from one place and to have a dedicated project manager.

But that need created an opening for money-making schemes—self-pub companies that don't actually care about authors, readers, or the writing community.
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Read time: 4 minutes

After deciding to pursue professional editing and choosing the perfect editor, you have a big decision to make. Which type or types of editing does your manuscript need?

It can be difficult to be objective about your own work's needs, so don't hesitate to reach out to your editor and ask for their opinion.

To help give you a starting place, I've broken down some common types of editing and the order you should pursue them. Note that terminology is not completely standardized across the industry, so always confirm the scope of work with your editor. The definitions below reflect those of the services available from Blue Pen.

Professional editing is crucial for self-publishing authors. But what type of editing do you need? How do you choose the perfect editor for your work? Let’s discuss the ins and outs of hiring a professional editor as an independent author.

Each year, the editors at Revise & Resub host a #10Queries event. Writers enter to win feedback on their query and first five pages.

On the day of the event, the editors post feedback on Twitter, using the hashtags #RevPit and #10Queries.

This is of course useful for the winners, but it's also beneficial for the entire writing community. Since many writers make similar mistakes when writing query letters, writers can typically find some useful feedback in the #10Queries tweets, even if their particular work was not analyzed.

In that vein, I've compiled my feedback from the 2020 event. I hope you find some words of wisdom to guide you through the query trenches.

Read Time: 10 minutes

Anyone who has been involved in publishing during the last decade is aware that self-publishing has entirely changed the landscape of the industry. But for writers who are learning how to publish a book for the first time, the self-publishing process can be more than a little overwhelming. In this guide, we're going to break down the benefits of self-publishing and the simple steps you can take to achieve your publishing goals.

Whether you've completed your first novel-length draft or your twentieth, penning those final words is a rush. You've dedicated an incredible amount of time and energy to your manuscript, and finally reaching the end of the story can be emotional and amazing. But it can leave you asking a simple question:

What now?

Let's review a few simple steps every writer should take after completing a draft.

Read Time: 7.5 minutes

Most of my editing clients aspire to publication. They often ask me about their options for publishing their work. In the modern publishing industry, authors have more choices than ever before. That can be amazing, as it allows authors to choose the option that best suits their goals for each specific project and for their career as a whole. But it can also make it difficult to determine the best route.

Let's break down how to publish a book using the major types of publication, with the pros and cons of each option.
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​This is that post. The how I got my agent post.

This is exciting to write, but also a little daunting—which I suppose is why I'm writing it about a year after I signed with my agent.

During the years I spent querying, these types of posts were so helpful and encouraging. She got an agent! I will too.

So here we go. I'm going to lay out the whole sordid tale, from start to finish. And it starts in a very scary place, my friends . . . high school.​
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​Read Time: 6 minutes

​Choosing an editor is a big deal. Whether you're hiring an editor for a developmental pass or simple proofreading, you need someone who is professional, qualified, and a good fit for you and your manuscript.

Finding the perfect editor can be a daunting task. With the technology available today, distance is not a concern, so the pool of prospective editors is massive. You can hire any editor in the world, and a quick search will bring up an insane number of professionals. How do you choose?

Here are a few methods you can use to narrow down your options and make sure that each editor you consider is qualified and is a good fit for your work.
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Some of the #RevPit editors recently hosted a #10Queries event, during which writers received feedback on their query letters and first five pages. The event was a lot of fun, and to keep it going, I've compiled my #10Queries tweets into this hand-dandy blog post!
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