There are many reasons why a book won’t sell. Primary among them is editing – that is hastily done, or worse, altogether avoided.

If first impressions do make a difference, it is a well edited book, not an exquisitely designed cover, that will sell your book. It therefore makes terrible business sense to skip on editing . A good edit might not ensure large sales for your book but it can certainly eliminate a major reason for it being ignored.

The reasons for choosing to skip on editing are the obvious ones – it is expensive, the process is time-consuming and who could possibly do a better job than I, the author? Editing your own book is like reprimanding yourself. Very hard to do. It is therefore wise to consider having another pair of eyes read through your book. Please remember that any changes that might be suggested will help you produce a better book and increase its chances of selling. Hence take all the help you can get.

At CinnamonTeal, we insist on at least one round of editing. If you have the resources to do so, you should get your book copy edited and, later, proof read. Copy editing will “make the copy clear, correct, concise, comprehensible, and consistent”. Proof reading will correct minor issues overseen during copy editing and will refine grammar, punctuation and other stylistic aspects. It is important to communicate to the editor what is expected of the process. This is because the editor should only correct the anomalies, not interfere with the style of writing. Some authors also expect the editor to change the flow of the text, if considered necessary, while some don’t.

Given that much of the success of your book depends on how it is perceived, a well-edited book goes a long way to ensure that your book creates a favourable impression in the mind of your reader.

At CinnamonTeal Print and Publishing, we offer copy editing, substantive editing and proof-reading services. Visit our website for more details.