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How to Self-Edit Your Book
Avoid Common Writing Mistakes and Fix Your Book Before You Publish
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Through my free resources and articles, I've helped thousands of authors publish and market their books: but most of what I do is cosmetic. No amount of design and marketing will "fix" an unsatisfying book that just doesn't quite work. And unfortunately, most editors won't either (I know, because I was a book editor for many years and now manage a book editing company).
Great editors will do their best, notice the bits that could be better, and improve suggestions for improvement - but they can't rewrite the book for you. Whether or not you understand and accept the editor's notes really comes down to whether or not you understand what make a good story.
Many authors are sensitive and defensive about their work, so even when they're paying thousands of dollars for an editor, they still resist the crucial and necessary help and advice that would take their book from good to great. So in this free course, I'm going to talk about the main things YOU need to do, as an author, before even thinking about hiring an editor. And I'm also going to interview a handful of industry leaders and writing coaches to get their experienced wisdom.
Also, here's a free PDF of common writing mistakes you can fix.
Recommended Reads
Here are some of my favorite books on writing: most of these are actually about story and plotting, because if authors spent ONE DAY on plotting out their story using universal story structure they'd save themselves a year of frustration. I also recommend going through this list of common writing mistakes, and spending some time on The Write Practice, and this article on Wise Ink.
Your Instructor
Derek Murphy has a PhD in Literature and has been featured in CNN for hosting writing retreats in medieval castles. After working with thousands of authors as a writing coach and developmental author, he began developing plotting cheatsheets and advanced writing tips for authors that now have nearly 3 million views on YouTube.
Course Curriculum
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StartSTART HERE (new resources!)
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StartSelf-editing your book
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StartDo you really need an editor? (6:57)
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StartGood writing vs Good story (8:43)
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StartYou are responsible for reader satisfaction (13:49)
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StartThe book you care about may not be your best (11:12)
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StartWorking with a professional editor (13:25)
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StartLearn your craft. Map it out. (16:22)
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StartMy editing process (24:24)
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StartSPECIAL OFFER: Bestseller Blueprint (91% off)
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StartBest AI tools for editing