Publishing Series: #10 Are We There Yet?

So the beta readers have given your manuscript a look-see. You've taken their comments and questions under consideration and made the necessary changes and improvements. Now you're done, right?

Well, not quite.

The next suggestion is going to sound a bit odd.

Close yourself up in a room with your manuscript and a pencil. Make sure there will be no interruptions. Your job now is to read the entire story to yourself out loud.

Yes. Out loud. 

By reading out loud, you hear how the sentences sound in another person's head. You are reading what is there on the page, not what you think is on the page. You may catch awkward wordings that other read-throughs haven't caught, or even noticed words you intended to include, but have left out. 

If you are good at punctuation and grammar -- and really make sure that you are before attempting this part by yourself -- you can also catch these types of errors. If you are not good at editing -- and by that I mean punctuation, capitalization, and usage -- than I recommend finding a good editor. But this can cost money. Either spend the bucks or educate yourself by using resources like Strunk and White's Elements of Style, the Associated Press Stylebook, or Warriner's Grammar book.

This is one of the last read-throughs your manuscript will have, and when it goes out into the world, you want it to be as pretty and shiny as it can be!

Next Up: Indie or Traditional Publishing?