Why New Authors?

If you look through the books I’ve edited, you’ll see plenty of best-selling and award-winning authors like Zackary Richards, Meg Xuemei X, and David Antocci, so why do I choose to work with so many new authors?

Simple. It’s thrilling.

I know – hard to believe, right? New authors often require the most work, from content editing to proofreading, so why invest so much time in them?

Why I Like Working with New Authors

1. Authors are excited about their first book. Ask any editor what the best part of his or her job is and they’ll most likely say, “Seeing an author’s excitement when their first book is published.” They are palpably excited. By working with new authors, I get to feel that excitement all the time.
2. New authors need the most help. This might seem like a drawback, but it’s not. I love what I do, whether finding plot holes or minor mistakes in grammar. New authors give me the chance to do what I love and do best – playing with the language.
3. Discovering new styles. Veteran authors almost always have a developed voice; first-time authors are finding theirs. Some new writers may be copying their favorite author or writing the way a 10^th-grade English teacher would like, but most are experimenting, looking for new ways to say something. They’re looking for new ways to tell a story that’s dear to them. As an editor, I love to see new approaches to stories, and usually that only comes from new authors.
4. I wanted to be a teacher. Growing up, I considered becoming a teacher. Well, I haven’t gone down that road, but editing is a form of teaching. I love seeing revised drafts (or a second book) where the author clearly learned from past mistakes and my suggestions!
5. New authors never know how many books they’re going to sell. Heck, editors and publishers have a hard time figuring it out. Some books are surprising best-sellers, while others, despite commercial panache, fail to click. In a future post, I’ll explain how I can keep my editing prices so low, but for now, know that as a new author, you won’t pay a fortune to get a thorough line edit. You should be investing your time – not all your money – in your book.

New authors are a blast to work with. They’re excited to have a finished book, and I’m excited to work with them. Who wouldn’t want a job like that?

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