You’ve finally finished your book and are ready to get it into the hands of the reader. You’ve crafted each sentence with great intention, choosing each word to communicate your meaning. This manuscript has spent countless hours with your eyes on it and multiple people have read it for you. You’ve rewritten and revised, incorporated their suggestions and there couldn’t possibly be anything else that needs changing or correcting.
Is it still necessary to hire a professional editor or proofreader?
What if the editor has a different vision from you and suggests sweeping changes to your work? What if the editor doesn’t like, or even worse, doesn’t understand your book?
Writing a book is an amazing accomplishment, one that less than 1% of the world’s population will ever manage to do. Given the amount of time, energy, and creativity you’ve invested to bring your ideas to life, your finished manuscript is of high personal value. Your work could even be life changing for some readers, if it can reach them. Capturing an audience is no picnic and whether you are publishing traditionally or self-publishing, the competition is fierce.
At this point, your manuscript is like a raw diamond. A diamond in its natural, raw state is full of potential, both in beauty and in value. Yet without taking it to a gem expert, it can be difficult to know how much more value could be added with precise cutting and polishing. Professional gemcutters spend years honing their craft and know exactly what to do to bring forth the maximum beauty of the diamond and increase its market value.
Like gemcutters, editors and proofreaders are experts with a refined skill set. They can evaluate your book and make recommendations about which editing processes the manuscript should undergo. Their extensive training allows them to view your book differently than a casual reader and identify errors or issues with the flow, organization, or plot of the story.
“All manuscripts need something,” says author Edward Renehan. As a book publicist, I’ve seen time and again where the attention of a professional editor has changed a good book into a brilliant one. Hiring an editor is like hiring a personal trainer; it’s still you, just faster, tighter, and more trim. Whether you’re getting a developmental edit, copyedit, or proofread, a professional editor knows how to identify your vision for your work and suggest changes to accomplish that vision.
Most importantly, they are on your team. The editor’s goal is to increase the value and marketability of your work—to cut, and polish in ways that make it shine even more brightly. In an article for Publisher’s Weekly, editor Leila Sales says, “We are as invested in the success of your book as you are. Furthermore, remember this: if we sign up books that don’t perform well, that reflects poorly on us as editors. The future of our careers depends on the success of the books we edit. We are never trying to sabotage your book, because we are emotionally and financially invested in how well it does.”
Regardless of your publishing path, one of the best ways to promote your book is to get reviews. In my experience, if your book has a number of noticeable errors many reviewers will find it difficult to look past them and give a fair review of the entire work. It makes the reading more difficult and creates a poor impression. Even if the reviewer knows that it’s a galley copy or ARC and hasn’t been final proofed, a manuscript in need of editing or proofreading simply will not get as strong or positive reviews.
As a third-party endorsement of your work, reviews are critical for promotion and marketing efforts. They give the potential buyer assurance the book they may buy is worthwhile. Professional editing of your work will take your work to the next level, enabling you to get the best reviews possible from your reviewers. Better reviews increase the likelihood of getting your book the attention and audience it deserves.
The Bottom Line: Let your finished work shine! Hire a professional editor or proofreader to polish your book, bring forth its maximum beauty, and increase its market value.
Book publicist Scott Lorenz is President of Westwind Communications, a public relations and marketing firm that has a special knack for working with authors to help them get all the publicity they deserve and more. Lorenz works with bestselling authors and self-published authors promoting all types of books, whether it’s their first book or their 15th book. He’s handled publicity for books by CEOs, CIA Officers, Navy SEALS, Homemakers, Fitness Gurus, Doctors, Lawyers and Adventurers. His clients have been featured by Good Morning America, FOX & Friends, CNN, ABC News, New York Times, Nightline, TIME, PBS, LA Times, USA Today, Washington Post, Woman’s World, & Howard Stern to name a few.
If so, tell us a little about your book. What is the title? Do you have a publisher? What is the publish date? How many pages is your book? What is the cost? Do you have web site? What is your specific goal I.E., to make money, raise awareness, get the attention of an agent or publisher, sell the story to a movie or TV studio or something else?
Submit the form below with this information and we’ll get back to you as soon as possible. Thank you!
Writers Love to Help Fellow Writers – What Better Way to Meet Them Than Writers’ Conferences?
There are several good reasons why writers should invest the time and effort required to attend writers’ conferences.
Attending a writers’ conference only takes a few hours or days at the most, a few bucks, and a little effort to register and arrange travel and lodging, but the payoff can be big.
If the book you are working on is almost finished, attending a writers’ conference gives you a great chance to network with other authors, pitch your book, learn about the major publishing houses, meet book editors and book marketing specialists. If your book is six months or a year from being finished, you can meet people who will give you ideas on shaping your book and give other advice to help you wrap up when you return home.
Or maybe you have been working on your book for a few months and are feeling unsure about whether you really can be a published author. Attending a conference is a good way to get a reality check from book editors or literary agents who can give you a professional opinion on your plot and characters and help you determine whether you are on the right track.
Most important, attending a writers’ conference provides you with a great opportunity to learn about the publishing business by purposeful interaction with insiders. Some conferences offer an opportunity to get honest and helpful professional assessments from book editors that will be more than worth the cost and effort of attending the conference.
Of course, you will want to prepare for any writers’ conference you attend by having a plan of what you want to find out and what you will do while there. You will want to develop an elevator speech pitch of your book that you can deliver in one minute. Have handouts available such as promotional bookmarks or book covers, or a one-page written pitch with website URL, email, and one paragraph book summary.
Now that you are ready, here are some writers’ conferences in the coming weeks and months you should consider attending:
Here are some upcoming writers’ conferences in 2025 for your consideration:
February 6–9, 2025: San Francisco Writers Conference. (Hyatt Regency San Francisco, Embarcadero Waterfront – Immerse yourself in over 20 years of rich literary culture. We’re dedicated to empowering writers by creating opportunities for meaningful connections with publishers, editors, agents, and more.) https://www.sfwriters.org/
February 7–8, 2025: The 2025 Online San Diego Writing Workshop. (Online. A two-day online “How to Get Published” writing event. Writers are welcome to attend virtually from everywhere and anywhere.) https://sandiegowritingworkshop.com/
February 22, 2025: The 2025 Las Vegas Writing Workshop. (9:30 a.m. – 5 p.m., Saturday, February 22, 2025: Hampton Inn Tropicana and Event Center, 4975 Dean Martin Drive | Las Vegas, NV 89118.) https://lasvegaswritingworkshop.com/
March 1, 2025: The 2025 South Carolina Writing Workshop. (9:30 a.m. – 5 p.m., Saturday, March 1, 2025: DoubleTree by Hilton Charleston Mount Pleasant, 1330 Stuart Engals Blvd, Mt Pleasant, SC 29464.) https://southcarolinawritingworkshop.wordpress.com/
March 7–8, 2025: The Online 2025 Texas Writing Workshop. (This is a special two-day “How to Get Published” writing workshop on March 7-8, 2025. In other words, it’s two days full of classes and advice designed to give you the best instruction concerning how to get your writing & books published.) https://texaswritingworkshop.com/
March 7–8, 2025: North Carolina Writers Workshop. (FRIDAY, MARCH 7, 2025: Charlotte Marriott SouthPark, 2200 Rexford Road, Charlotte, NC, 28211 & SATURDAY, MARCH 8, 2025: The McKimmon Conference and Training Center at NC State, 1101 Gorman St, Raleigh, NC 27606.) https://carolinawritingworkshops.com/
March 14, 2025: The Alabama Writers Conference (9:30 a.m. – 5 p.m., Friday, March 14, 2025: Embassy Suites Birmingham, 2300 Woodcrest Place, Birmingham, AL 35206.) https://alabamawritingworkshop.com/
March 15, 2025: The 2025 Writing Workshop of South Florida. (9:30 a.m. – 5 p.m., Saturday, March 15, 2025: Courtyard Fort Lauderdale Airport & Cruise Port, 400 Gulf Stream Way, Dania Beach, FL 33004.) https://writingworkshopsouthflorida.com/
March 15, 2025: Atlanta Writing Workshop (9:30 a.m. – 5 p.m., Saturday, March 15, 2025 — at the Le Meridien Atlanta Perimeter by Marriott (north central suburbs), 111 Perimeter Center W, Atlanta, GA 30346.) https://atlantawritingworkshop.com/
March 22, 2025: The 2025 Oklahoma Writing Workshop. (9:30 a.m. – 5 p.m., Saturday, March 22, 2025: Residence Inn Oklahoma City Airport, 804 S Meridian Ave, Oklahoma City, OK 73108.) https://oklahomawritingworkshop.com/
March 22, 2025: The 2025 Chesapeake Writing Workshop. (9:30 a.m. – 5 p.m., Saturday, March 22, 2025 — at the Hilton Arlington, 950 North Stafford Street, Arlington, VA 22203.) https://chesapeakewritingworkshops.com/
March 26–29, 2025: The AWP Conference & Bookfair. (Los Angeles Convention Center – The AWP Conference & Bookfair is the essential gathering for writers, teachers, students, editors, and publishers. Join thousands of attendees, explore hundreds of events and exhibitors, and immerse in four days of vital literary community and celebration in Los Angeles!) https://s2.goeshow.com/awp/annual/2025/index.cfm
March 28, 2025: The 2025 Connecticut Writing Workshop. (9:30 a.m. – 5 p.m., Friday, March 28, 2025: Omni New Haven Hotel at Yale, 155 Temple St, New Haven, CT 06510.) https://connecticutwritingworkshop.com/
March 29, 2025: The 2025 Boston Writing Workshop. (9:30 a.m. – 5 p.m., Saturday, March 29, 2025 — at the Hilton Boston Logan Airport, One Hotel Dr, Boston, MA 02128.) https://thebostonwritingworkshop.wordpress.com/
April 4-5, 2025: The 2025 Ohio Writing Workshop. (ONLINE: Writing Day Workshops plans both in-person and virtual/online conferences. The 2025 OWW is an Online Conference, on April 4-5.) https://ohiowritingworkshop.com/
April 5, 2025: Writers Conference of Minnesota (9:30 a.m. – 5 p.m., Saturday, April 5, 2025 — at the InterContinental Saint Paul Riverfront, an IHG Hotel, 11 E Kellogg Blvd, St Paul, MN 55101. (651)292-1900.) https://minnesotawritingworkshop.com/
April 11, 2025: The 2025 Sacramento Writing Workshop. (9:30 a.m. – 5 p.m., Friday, April 11, 2025: Sacramento Convention Center (SAFE Credit Union Convention Center), 1401 K St, Sacramento, CA 95814.) https://sacramentowritingworkshop.com/
April 11 (Orlando) and April 12 (Tampa): 2025 Florida Writing Workshops. (FRIDAY. APRIL 11, 2025: Crowne Plaza Orlando-Downtown, an IHG Hotel, 304 W Colonial Dr, Orlando, FL 32801. SATURDAY, APRIL 12, 2025: Hyatt House Tampa Airport / Westshore. 5308 Avion Park Dr, Tampa, FL 33607. (813) 207-9500.) https://floridawritingworkshops.com/
April 25, 2025: Get Published in Kentucky Conference (9:30 a.m. – 5 p.m., Friday, April 25, 2025 — at the Kentucky International Convention Center, 221 S 4th St, Louisville, KY 40202.) https://kentuckywritingworkshop.com/
April 26, 2025: Tennessee Writers Workshop (9:30 a.m. – 5 p.m., Saturday, April 26, 2025 — at Music City Center, 201 Rep. John Lewis Way South, Nashville, TN 37203.) https://tennesseewritingworkshop.com/
April 26, 2025: Philadelphia Writing Workshop (9:30 a.m. – 5 p.m., Saturday, April 26, 2025 — at Drexel University (inside the LeBow College of Business), 3220 Market St, Philadelphia, PA 19104.) https://philadelphiawritingworkshop.com/
April 26, 2025: Bluegrass Writers Coalition – Conference of Writers (April 26, 2025, 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. – Kentucky State University’s Harold R. Benson Research and Demonstration Farm in Frankfort KY.) https://bluegrasswriterscoalition.com/conference/
May 2, 2025: The 2025 Arizona Writing Workshop. (9:30 a.m. – 5 p.m., Friday, May 2, 2025: Hilton Garden Inn Phoenix Airport North, 3838 E Van Buren St, Phoenix, AZ 85008.) https://arizonawritingworkshop.com/
May 3, 2025: Michigan Writing Workshop (9:30 a.m. – 5 p.m., Saturday, May 3, 2025 — at the Embassy Suites Detroit – Livonia/Novi, 19525 Victor Parkway, Livonia, MI 48152.) https://michiganwritingworkshop.com/
May 3, 2025: The 2025 Writing Conference of Los Angeles. (9:30 a.m. – 5 p.m., Saturday, May 3, 2025 — at the Hilton Los Angeles Airport, 5711 W. Century Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90045.) https://writingconferenceoflosangeles.com/
May 9–10, 2025: The 2025 Pittsburgh Writing Workshop. (ONLINE: Writing Day Workshops plans both in-person and virtual/online conferences. The 2025 PWW is an Online Conference, May 9-10, 2025.) https://pittsburghwritingworkshop.com/
May 10, 2025: Seattle Writers Conference (9:30 a.m. – 5 p.m., Saturday, May 10, 2025 — at the Seattle Marriott Bellevue, 200 110th Ave NE, Bellevue, WA 98004.) https://theseattlewritingworkshop.com/
May 17, 2025: The 2025 Cincinnati Writing Workshop. (9:30 a.m. – 5 p.m., Saturday, May 17, 2025: DoubleTree by Hilton Cincinnati-Blue Ash, 6300 E Kemper Rd, Cincinnati, OH 45241.) https://cincinnatiwritingworkshop.com/
May 9, 2025: The 2025 Portland Writing Workshop. (9:30 a.m. – 5 p.m., Friday, May 9, 2025: Sheraton Portland Airport Hotel, 8235 NE Airport Way, Portland, OR 97220.) https://portlandwritingworkshop.com/
June 13-14, 2025: The 2025 California Writing Workshop. (ONLINE: Writing Day Workshops plans both in-person and virtual/online conferences. The 2025 CWW is an Online Conference, on June 13-14.) https://californiawritingworkshop.com/
June 21, 2025: The Writing Workshop of Chicago (9:30 a.m. – 5 p.m., Saturday, June 21, 2025 — at the Congress Plaza Hotel.) https://chicagowritingworkshop.com/
July 20–25, 2025: Napa Valley Writers Conference (Sunday, July 20 to Friday, July 25, 2025, Napa Valley College, Napa, CA) http://www.napawritersconference.org/
July 25–26, 2025: The 2025 New England Writing Workshop. (ONLINE: Writing Day Workshops plans both in-person and virtual/online conferences. The 2025 NEWW is an Online Conference, on July 25-26.) https://thenewenglandwritingworkshop.com/
July 31 – August 2, 2025: Mendocino Coast Writers Conference (Daytime events will take place at the K8 School – 44261 Little Lake Road. Evening events will take place at Crown Hall – 45285 Ukiah Street, Mendocino, CA) https://mcwc.org/
August 21–24, 2025: Killer Nashville Writers Conference (c/o American Blackguard, Inc., 314 Watercress Drive, Franklin, TN 37064-3234). https://www.killernashville.com/
Select a writers’ conference of interest to you and be prepared to enjoy the benefits of meeting other writers, acquiring knowledge you can use immediately, learn about different genres, find a new market for your book, elevate your professional effectiveness, meet editors, agents and publishers, become inspired and return home energized.
The Bottom Line: Make a commitment to attend at least one writers’ conference this year. You’ll be glad you did!
Book publicist Scott Lorenz is President of Westwind Communications, a public relations and marketing firm that has a special knack for working with authors to help them get all the publicity they deserve and more. Lorenz works with bestselling authors and self-published authors promoting all types of books, whether it’s their first book or their 15th book. He’s handled publicity for books by CEOs, CIA Officers, Navy SEALS, Homemakers, Fitness Gurus, Doctors, Lawyers and Adventurers. His clients have been featured by Good Morning America, FOX & Friends, CNN, ABC News, New York Times, Nightline, TIME, PBS, LA Times, USA Today, Washington Post, Woman’s World, & Howard Stern to name a few.
If so, tell us a little about your book. What is the title? Do you have a publisher? What is the publish date? How many pages is your book? What is the cost? Do you have web site? What is your specific goal I.E., to make money, raise awareness, get the attention of an agent or publisher, sell the story to a movie or TV studio or something else?
Submit the form below with this information and we’ll get back to you as soon as possible. Thank you!