How to hide a body...

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benluby

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Not really, in spite of the desire to do so.
So, here's the story in a nutshell. Finished the book, finally. Beta's all loved it, and are eagerly awaiting me to pub it.
I am going self pub because I am writing for my personal pleasure and fun, and not really wanting to deal with queries and the almost timeless waiting period.
Well, editors aren't cheap. We have a friend who has a degree in editing, does it quite well in fact, and is a grammar nazi.
Now the problem: I sent him my sixty k word story, (book one) and he said 'no prob. I'll be done in a week.'
I automatically doubled that figure just to be safe, and adjusted my launch date accordingly to the latter part of June.
I knew I still had to order the cover (done and in), do the back blurb (done) and get the bar code. (Doing that tomorrow.)
And... he calls me yesterday to ask me a question about an Italian phrase I used in the prologue.
I blinked as I answered the question.
He's had the manuscript for over three weeks now. And...he just started.
Now, during this time I've seen him posting about his fishing trip with his wife, numerous trips to restaurants, trips to visit family...and he tells me he's just been busy doing household functions and working his day job.
I'm not the brightest bulb in the chandelier, and I admit that, but at the same time, I'm not sitting on the back of the bus eating boogers stupid either.
My grammar is fairly good, this was more a double check.
So, I was talking to a friend I've had for an extended period of time yesterday and ranting, and he said "I'll start tonight."
He isn't a grammar nazi, but he is stunningly good at flow analysis and continuity issues.
The idea of paying a small fortune to an editor is beyond my financial means at this time, but I just wanted to rant.
It royally irked me to have him just blow me off. (No, he wasn't doing this 'out of the goodness of his heart'. My offer was ten percent of the net.
And I set realistic expectations. He could make enough to buy a cup of coffee or a really nice dinner, as I have no idea how well the story will sell.
He was also promised that, if he completed this, the other twelve books in this series he could edit as well, under the same premise.
Instead I am livid. My sons are staying out of it, as they know this man, but I told them it isn't personal, this is business. He cannot honor a commitment and constantly makes excuses, so I have to move now.
Thanks for letting me rant.
 

Calla Lily

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Did you set a schedule before you sent the ms?

Granted, he should've let you know that other commitments came up--paying commitments, perhaps?--and your project would have to be delayed.

I'm sorry to be cynical about this, but yes, he really is doing this FTL. There's no guarantee that your book will sell.

Again, sorry.

My advice is to send your friend an email letting him know that you realize he has many time commitments etc. etc. and that you're taking care of editing yourself. Hopefully that'll mend the fences.
 

benluby

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Did you set a schedule before you sent the ms?

Granted, he should've let you know that other commitments came up--paying commitments, perhaps?--and your project would have to be delayed.

I'm sorry to be cynical about this, but yes, he really is doing this FTL. There's no guarantee that your book will sell.

Again, sorry.

My advice is to send your friend an email letting him know that you realize he has many time commitments etc. etc. and that you're taking care of editing yourself. Hopefully that'll mend the fences.

We did set a schedule. He stated one week. I doubled that time frame because I didn't think a week was sufficient if he had something come up.

He had no other work commitments. I hate to admit, but I found out after the fact that he's lost a few other editing jobs (paying gigs upon completion) because of missed deadlines. He doesn't, apparently, have the focus and drive it takes to work unsupervised. (My sons words, not mine.)

He is actually the one that approached me about this editing. He asked that I put a credit in the book about him as the editor, which I said if he did it on time and was done properly, I had no problem doing so.
I have no false illusions that I am going to sell a bajillion copies of my story. I realize I may sell thirty copies to family and friends and never see another sale.
He was also advised of this.
 

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To be blunt:

He's a friend.

This is a book.

Which do you value more? If it is the friend, please, take Miss Lily's advice. Send him a note, let him off the hook.

Then maybe hire a professional editor and do a schedule and contract.

If you aren't worried about the professional quality of the editing, (you did say you were doing this for personal pleasure) edit it yourself. That way all the blame, and the credit, is all you. Any flaws are just part of the overall character.

If, however, you want this to be a part of a larger, more professional mission...

Good luck.
 

benluby

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To be blunt:

He's a friend.

This is a book.

Which do you value more? If it is the friend, please, take Miss Lily's advice. Send him a note, let him off the hook.

Then maybe hire a professional editor and do a schedule and contract.

If you aren't worried about the professional quality of the editing, (you did say you were doing this for personal pleasure) edit it yourself. That way all the blame, and the credit, is all you. Any flaws are just part of the overall character.

If, however, you want this to be a part of a larger, more professional mission...

Good luck.

He's already been emailed. I did that. He still hasn't responded, which he doesn't let emails sit.
I am usually pretty good at editing. Only reason I agreed with him was a fresh pair of eyes on it.
As for the larger, more professional mission, I have no issues with my books quality.
My usual concerns are simply I have this thing for too many comma's and I like fresh eyes.
The beta's all stated they had no issues with any of it, and so I am rather content with the quality, but a final go over isn't a problem.
 

shadowwalker

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If nothing else, email him and tell him you have a set date for publication and will he have it back by [some date before that]. That way you have set a deadline for him, and your publication deadline saves face for all concerned. And then do what you need to to meet your deadline.
 

benluby

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If nothing else, email him and tell him you have a set date for publication and will he have it back by [some date before that]. That way you have set a deadline for him, and your publication deadline saves face for all concerned. And then do what you need to to meet your deadline.


Done and he said he's working on it right now. I have taken a step back and a deep breath, and ignored his 'I'll make the deadline' comment, although I did utter some choice words, and advised him the deadline has passed, please refer to our initial email conversations.
He states he is working on it now, so I am going to shut my piehole about it and give him the week he asked for again.
He now knows it is crunch time and the only thing I'm waiting on happens to be him.
I'd really rather delay a week on my end and get it back edited than get annoyed and throw it out there without every possible thing I can do to make it good.
 

MynaOphelia

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Maybe you should put your novel up in the beta subforum if you want a fresh pair of eyes.
 

chompers

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I just now ventured into this thread because I always thought it was research on how to hide a body... haha (Never paid attention which forum it was in.)

My two cents:
I don't know if this will be of any use (or if my opinion even matters), as it seems that you've given the slacker friend a second chance. But if he fails you again, I would have that second friend look over your work. Heck, maybe he should still look it over, since he's good at the structural stuff. That seems like the harder stuff to catch, in my opinion. And then get someone else to check over the grammar stuff. Not to be mean (or a grammar Nazi), but I do think it is definitely in your best interest to find someone who can catch the grammatical stuff, because you had a lot of repeated errors in your posts in this thread, so I'm going to assume they weren't typos. If an editor is too costly, do you know anyone else you can enlist instead, or perhaps have a beta with this skill?

Good luck both in this and in future sales. :)
 
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benluby

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I just now ventured into this thread because I always thought it was research on how to hide a body... haha (Never paid attention which forum it was in.)

My two cents:
I don't know if this will be of any use (or if my opinion even matters), as it seems that you've given the slacker friend a second chance. But if he fails you again, I would have that second friend look over your work. Heck, maybe he should still look it over, since he's good at the structural stuff. That seems like the harder stuff to catch, in my opinion. And then get someone else to check over the grammar stuff. Not to be mean (or a grammar Nazi), but I do think it is definitely in your best interest to find someone who can catch the grammatical stuff, because you had a lot of repeated errors in your posts in this thread, so I'm going to assume they weren't typos. If an editor is too costly, do you know anyone else you can enlist instead, or perhaps have a beta with this skill?

Good luck both in this and in future sales. :)

Thank you Chompers. I actually have Stan going through and doing a read for continuity and any questions he finds. He's brutal, but that is what I want.
My editor friend is going through it now, correcting my grammatical mistakes (and no, those aren't typos, I realize my grammar, while not the worst in the world, is hardly flawless. I can spell, but I have a fondness for comma's for some unknown reason.)
I have another man I work with who worked through college as a text editor for some publishing house, and he has offered to help if needed.

And...if you really want to know how to hide a body, I can provide information pertaining to that as well. :)
 
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