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Multiple Award-Winning Client's Advice to New Writers ...

and why Charol Messenger is his book editor

 

From Ocean Palmer (multiple award-winning author, aka Ted Simendinger, for whom Charol Messenger has edited numerous novels, nonfiction and business books).
 
“All stories have some blend of these things. They have a beginning, a middle, an end, conflict, story arcs, and resolution(s). How well you blend these things together will determine how good your story is.

“Writing is easy. Writing well is hard. Everyone has an editor or editors. Hemingway had two. Michener three. You will never—and I mean NEVER—sell a book that hasn’t been professionally edited. No one will even look at it. Nor should they.

“The editor is a … necessary investment. Editing is not an expense. Paper is an expense. Ink is an expense. Postage is an expense. Editors are MANDATORY. Charol is a good one. She will, in all probability, dissect your work to the point it hurts your feelings. That’s good. That’s what you pay for…. Remember: You are competing against professionals. People who write every day and have for years; people with agents, editors, and a command of the language and mastery of the art and craft of storytelling. No one will give you a dime for anything less than that level of work. I have seen a lot of people thinking they are good enough to compete on their own…. No one is that good. JK Rowling has a team of editors.

“I work with Charol because I trust her and we work well together. My work is better because she insists on my very best and settles for nothing less. I don’t hire an editor to like me; I hire one to rip my work to smithereens. I hire one to help me make my writing stronger.

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“In the end, there’s no guarantee anyone but you will ever care about your book. But if you believe in it and care enough to pay the price—emotionally and financially—don’t cheat yourself or your readers. Use every possible resource to tell that story the best it can possibly be told; pursue the project with dogged conviction. Remember: All great stories start with a blank screen and an idea. What it becomes is up to you.”

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