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Books, Bookstores, Editing, Giving up, Letters, Literary Agents, Perfection, Published Authors, Publishers, Rejection, Writers
Is Editing Ever Complete?
I currently have one of my manuscripts out to an agent, but received an e-mail from another agent that I had submitted to earlier in the month. She had the typical rejection response, “Thank you for your submission, but we are going to pass on your project. It doesn’t fit into our list of projects, but please continue to contact other agents.” However, this particular rejection letter was a little different. It stated, “please continue to edit and submit to other agents.”
This made me laugh out loud. “Please continue to edit.” I guess that was a nice way of stating that my first fifty pages of my manuscript needed continued editing. When is the editing complete? I had read through my manuscript at least three times already. I have to admit that I find an editing error here and there each time I read it, but when will the editing be perfect?
I think this an impossible task. Writing styles change. It’s just like when I use to model. I was never perfect for ever agent. One agent said my eyes were too big and another agent said my eyes were perfect, but my height was too short. Nothing I ever did made me perfect under ever circumstance.
All I can say is to edit your manuscript several times and then put it away. Take it back out and edit it one more time…now submit it to agents. When an agent likes it, they will pick it up…even with a few grammatical or spelling errors.
Good luck!
Written By: Ask Ms Mandi
Ask Ms Mandi 
I think we writers tend to over edit at times. Then the story never gets sent out…I think it’s better to do the best you can..let others read it to pick up on some things you might have missed and then shove it out the door. But, that’s just me!
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Dear M.E. McMahon,
I completely agree. Besides, sometimes when I edit too much I started making even more mistakes:)
Ask Ms Mandi
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Is it necessary to have an Agent? I wouldn’t know where to start looking for one in Worcestershire. Any advice welcomed
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Dear Worcestershire,
I’m my opinion it is important to have an agent. An agent will negotiate the best deal for your project. A lot of publishing houses won’t even touch you without an agent. However said, finding the right agent isn’t really all that easy. The Writer’s Market is a great source for finding reputable agent. It even has writing a query and publishing houses. You can purchase at Barnes and Noble or go to your local library.
Good luck and I hope this information has helped.
Ask Ms Mandi
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Thank you Ms Mandi I will take a look in the library.
I have 4 books already published by a local printers , will that make any difference to looking into agents?
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Hello,
You are welcome. Some agents are subjective and don’t like to take on clients that have self-published, but then there are others that will sign you anyway. Just be patient and keep trying; it might not happen over night, but one agent told me that those who keep trying will succeed as a published writer and those who fail are the one’s who gave up trying.
Good luck with your success.
Ask Ms Mandi
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