Great storytelling is a labor-saving device

"Escape with us" is the tagline printed on my banner stands and on my business cards, because the hallmark of great fiction is escape.

Great fiction draws the reader into an imaginary world build by the author. The reader develops emotional attachments to the protagonist(s) and maybe even the secondary characters. While the reader is engaged with the story, all else fades away.

"Go away, kid. You bother me." -W. C. Fields

Great fiction may be the best and cheapest vacation one can take, but it doesn't happen all that often and it never happens by chance.

The production of great fiction begins with an idea. That idea may initially seem absurd, weak, or any other pejorative designating it unworthy of development. However, it intrigues the writer enough to stick with it, to develop it, to flesh it out with characters, dialogue, action, description, prose, and narrative. This is generally the only part of the story development process during which the author will or should work alone.

After the author has completed the draft, it's time for the self-editing phase. During this phase the writer reviews what he or she has written and notes the gaps in continuity, the plot holes, the awkard phrasing, and other flaws that make the story disjointed, illogical, or difficult to follow. This phase also benefits from the author checking facts, correcting grammar errors, and focusing a critical eye on every aspect of the story. This phase may take several passes through the manuscript and involve the attention volunteer readers (alpha and beta readers) and/or grammar editing software. It always involves rewriting and revision, because no one's first draft is worthy of public consumption.

“The secret to?editing?your work is simple: you need to become its reader instead of its writer.” - Zadie Smith

When your story is as good as you can possibly get it and if you intend to self-publish, then it's time to hire a professional editor. Save your money, because professional editing isn't cheap. You'll find a bewildering array of professional editors, some specializing only on specific aspects of the manuscript. A developmental editor won't scrutinze your manuscript for spelling, punctuation, and grammar errors, because that falls under the purview of copy editors. Some editors combine combine different levels of editing. For instance, substantive editing entails content (line) editing and copy editing with a dash of developmental editing. You must decide which editors will best suit your project. Your manuscript may benefit from more the one type of editor. If your budget doesn't stretch to hiring three or four editors (including a proofreader), then you may have to decide which types of editing your story truly needs. An outside perspective (i.e., a volunteer reader) may help you make the decision.

"To write is human, to edit is divine." - Stephen King

If you want your story to be traditionally published, then hiring a professional editor usually isn't necessary. The publishing company employs various kinds of editors who will whip a manuscript into marketable shape. Be aware of two things here:

1. A publisher wants to do as little as necessary to make the book ready for publishing, so the cleanest manuscript and best-written story has the best chances of acceptance.
2. No publisher is obligated to publish your story because you submit it to them. Publishers typically accept fewer than 2 percent of unsolicited manuscripts.

The same advice to hire a professional for editing also goes for book formatting and cover design. These days, most people think of e-books when they consider book formatting; however, formatting the printed page requires a different skill set than e-book formatting. Effective cover design also benefits from a graphic artist's knowledge of the genre as well as his or her skills in designing visual elements that convey the story's originating premise and its genre while appealing to potential readers. The cover, after all, is what first grabs a customer's attention and persuade him or her to pick up that book. A cover that doesn't inspire such a reaction from the target audience doesn't do its job well at all.

Great literature involves a lot of effort from a team of people so that readers can enjoy an easy escape from everyday toil and worry. Greater effort on the author's end means less effort for the reader. Consider great literature a labor-saving device for the mind.

Every word counts.

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