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Writing Lead

by laurencewins
3 replies
I am not sure where this should actually go.
I am a writer myself but I only do non-fiction.
I have been approached by a guy wanting somebody to look at an ebook he has written. It's a fantasy fiction book with 230,000 words.
He wants somebody who can:
Go through and rewrite parts that need it.
Improve the flow.
Ensure it makes sense.
Cut out some of the "fat" so it's more streamlined.

***No, I am not getting anything out of it. I just said I would ask in here to see if anybody was interested.

If anybody is interested AND has experience, please pm me with your contact details and experience.
#lead #writing
  • Profile picture of the author Alexa Smith
    Banned
    Originally Posted by laurencewins View Post

    I have been approached by a guy wanting somebody to look at an ebook he has written. It's a fantasy fiction book with 230,000 words.
    Does he realise that that can only ever be self-published?

    I think no traditional publisher in the world - for valid and understandable reasons - will even be willing to read a fantasy fiction work of 230,000 words from a new author. (He might have some possibilities of having the first part of it read if he can divide it into a trilogy of 80,000-word books. Even a two-parter of 115,000 words each - though that would still be far from easy - will have far better chances of being looked at. I promise I'm not trying to be rude, but a 230,000 word book probably won't be taken seriously at all.)

    The place for him to look, Laurence, if you're stuck, is probably the Absolute Write forum: it won't take long at all, there, to find someone both qualified and competent to do this. I think he'd be very well advised only to employ the services of someone who knows the genre and its market and can offer him some advice as well.

    He's really going to need all the help he can get.
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  • Profile picture of the author travlinguy
    The best thing you can do for him is to read 10 or so pages from various parts of the manuscript to see if there's anything there worth editing.

    A few years back when I was freelancing I offered editing services. I was amazed and how terrible most of the fiction I saw was. Most of the stuff I looked at required a complete rewrite, not editing.

    If this guy actually has something it would be a massive undertaking to go through it. Does he have a comprehensive outline and character list? That's important just for continuity issues in such a long story.

    I just took the scalpel to one of mine. It was 142,000 words. I chopped out 7000+ and it it could stand another go through. I found several continuity issues that needed repair. This was my first novel.

    If this guy has something that's actually worth fixing he would be looking at a bare minimum of $1500, and that's if the writing and story line is decent.
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  • Profile picture of the author laurencewins
    Hi Alexa and travlinguy,

    Thanks for the advice. I knew that I would get some tips in here.
    I don't really touch fiction at all and certainly not something like this but I thought I would help at least give him a guide on where to start.
    I will tell him what you both have said as well and see how he goes.

    Thanks.
    Signature

    Cheers, Laurence.
    Writer/Editor/Proofreader.

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