Navigating the world of book production can often feel like stepping into a complex labyrinth where every twist and turn could lead to either glorious triumph or spectacular disaster. Picture this: you’ve just completed your manuscript, bursting with excitement and donning the hat of a first-time author. You feel confident—after all, what could possibly go wrong? But the reality is, multiple pitfalls lurk just beyond the horizon. If you’re tempted to cut corners by doing your own editing or enlisting family members who may not quite be the best fit for such a critical task, think again! The stakes are high, and missteps can lead to disastrous reviews that chip away at your credibility as a writer. Imagine your book shipping out to fans, only for them to be bombarded with typos that could have easily been fixed. It’s like serving a gourmet meal with crumbs of dirt sprinkled on top—certainly not the impression you want to leave. So, buckle up and join me as we unravel the common red flags to watch for in this challenging but rewarding journey. Your readers—and your reputation—will thank you for it! LEARN MORE.
BETWEEN THE LINES
Pay attention to these big red flags
Book production may seem like a simple task at first. You wrote your first book, and you are excited to make it happen. You read about publishing and book production. You understand you need to work with editors and designers, and you know you will have to learn to navigate Amazon’s KDP platform.
So far, so good. What could possibly go wrong?
Well, book production can also go horribly wrong. If you foolishly decide to be your own editor or hire the English teacher next door or your mother-in-law who said she’d find all the typos, and you think your manuscript is ready for a cover design and then interior, you may be quite wrong. Fatally wrong.
If you don’t have a professional edit, you may be putting a poorly written and badly edited manuscript into production way too soon. Right now I am editing a book that was published and received several poor Amazon reviews saying, “Not worth the read, too many typos,” and “I’m shocked at the number of typos, takes away from the credibility of the author.” The publisher pulled the book, hired me to edit, and will upload a cleaner PDF on the Amazon KDP platform shortly.
