Non native English, writing English

999ghosts

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Been working on my book for a while, writing it in Dutch, I decided translating it and go for an English speaking market. While me English good speak (just goofing around), I will need the help of a good editor.

I seen on the site that editors come in during the publishing process. But as I am non native, would it be adviced to get an editor earlier into the process or look for other ways to make sure the English version is up to par and can be offered to agents/publishers?

Thanks in advance for your help.
 

waylander

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It will be cheaper if you can find a volunteer native-English speaker to beta read for you before you pay for any editing.
 

Wilde_at_heart

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What might help as well is to get a good style guide, and when you reach your 50 posts, put up a segment in Share Your Work.

Sometimes, whatever grammar issues you have can be found in a much smaller portion, which once you're aware of it, can then be applied to the rest of your manuscript.

For example, you might have verb tense issues, or maybe it's trouble with the use of certain idioms, or for all you know you might not have any major problems at all relative to many native speakers.
 

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You could see if you can interest a good trade publisher in your home territory, as they might be able to sell translation rights--which would mean it would be professionally translated at no cost to you. It's worth considering.
 

999ghosts

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You could see if you can interest a good trade publisher in your home territory, as they might be able to sell translation rights--which would mean it would be professionally translated at no cost to you. It's worth considering.

Thank you for the tip but, together with the translation, to much of the story has already changed too. I would have to write the changes into the Dutch version.

My wife is English, so for sure she can help. I also have some other native English speakers (writers) who would proof read.

More tips always welcome!
 

slashedkaze

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I used native speaking beta readers. The publisher's editor fixed everything they didn't catch (mostly small things that weren't wrong, but stuck out).
 

999ghosts

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I used native speaking beta readers. The publisher's editor fixed everything they didn't catch (mostly small things that weren't wrong, but stuck out).

Thank you for the extra tip. Just hope beta readers will not scare away from 100k words!

Do you ask family and friends, or try to find beta readers in other places.
 

Debbie V

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Family and friends are a good place to start, especially if they write the same kind of things you do - contemporary novel, sf, whatever.

From there, post in SYW and/or seek a beta reader who isn't familiar with you and your work. Friends will want to be nice when what you need is mercenary.
 

999ghosts

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Family and friends are a good place to start, especially if they write the same kind of things you do - contemporary novel, sf, whatever.

From there, post in SYW and/or seek a beta reader who isn't familiar with you and your work. Friends will want to be nice when what you need is mercenary.

Hello Debbie,
Hello all

I was told not to ask family or friend for that reason (Being nice, or loving your work because it's you). It looks though that it might not be that bad to start with them after all. No writers in the family though, and no writers I know who write the same stuff as I do.

Thanks again
 

Debbie V

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If they don't write, make sure they read the kind of thing you are writing with some regularity. They may not know enough to give a valuable comment at all.
 

Komic Brew

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Same situation here. One thing I found out, is if you start writing in English, instead of translating it, there's going to be a lot less errors.
At least that's how it works for me...
 

WeaselFire

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Been working on my book for a while, writing it in Dutch, I decided translating it and go for an English speaking market. While me English good speak (just goofing around), I will need the help of a good editor.
I've been brought in as a tech editor to both edit the technical wording as well as correct the English by non-native speakers/writers. This has almost always been at the request of the publisher and not the writer. Sometimes I genuinely have no idea what the writer is trying to communicate and there is a fair amount of dialog between them and me.

I have never had an issue when working with foreign writers this way. I was approached once to tech edit a book by the author and it was (for me at least) disastrous and I refunded the advance he gave me. Working with a publisher on a book that's accepted is far better for me.

My suggestion is to write it and find an agent or publisher before you go through a full English edit. Every publisher I've dealt with understands this problem and has a way to deal with it.

If you're self publishing, that's a different issue.

Jeff
 

Pisco Sour

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I am a non-native English speaker. What I do is write my books and then get my husband to read through for any oddities/grammar errors (prepositions, I hate you). He doesn't read in my genre, which is great help as he notes grammar mistakes more easily than my beta readers, who love romance. My betas read for flow and pacing and other issues, and I have one or two who are fab at spotting errors. Once I'm happy with it the ms goes to my editor and we go through it during the copy and line-editing stages, before publication.
HTH
 

Siri Kirpal

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Sat Nam! (literally "Truth Name"--a Sikh greeting)

As Pisco Sour mentioned, in some ways it's better to have the spouse be the last reader. Your spouse won't be reading for the flow of the story, but your betas will. Your spouse can then catch any language misuses that your betas didn't catch...or that crept into your revisions.

(I'm a native English speaker, but I let my husband read last as he always catches the little errors that creep in during revisions.)

Blessings,

Siri Kirpal
 

jae_s1978

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I'm a non-native speaker writing in English too. My advice would be to try to find multiple beta readers who are good with grammar and spelling and who will make suggestions on how to rewrite and not just say "this is awkwardly phrased."

Also, if you have any problems with specific things such as prepositions or dialogue that is too formal, let your beta readers know to keep an eye on these things.

If your book is set in a country other than your own, e.g., the US, try to find beta readers who lives in that region. There could be cultural differences as well.
 

999ghosts

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Just a quick update. I got an editor. I know this will cost me, but I want to make sure my manuscrip is top notch (English, spelling, etc.) before trying to find an agent.
 

Sloane

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I am a native Amer. English speaker, and a professional editor. I think you were really wise to get an editor to work with from the beginning. The more professional your final manuscript looks, the more likely you are to attract the attention of an agent/publisher with it. I have actually worked with a few non-native speakers on books. What we did is write together (I was working as a ghost-writer/editor in this case). The author would write a chapter, then we would look at it together using Google docs and audio in Skype or GooglePlus. This way, we could work on it together to clean up any errors, before the author moved on to the next chapter. It was a great process. Good luck!
 

Scriptissima

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I am also in the "non-native English speaker writing in English" boat, and I have found several highly valuable native English speakers as beta readers through (free) writing classes I took. I also happen to know a couple of wonderfully supportive retired (former) editors who have generously offered their help. These retired editors I met through volunteer work at arts organizations, and I am beyond grateful for their support. So if this is a route you could and would consider, and I can highly recommend volunteering (or taking classes) at arts-related (ideally literary arts-related) venues and organizations, as you will likely be able to build relationships with literary-minded people there.

My overall feeling is that with my betas as well as the retired editors, I will be able to get the manuscripts and proposals I am currently working on to the high level that will be appropriate for submission to agents and publishers.