Bobbi Temple

To Critique or Not to Critique Your Christian Manuscript

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To Critique or Not to Critique Your Christian Manuscript

by Bobbi Temple

If you have written a Christian book manuscript, you may have heard about getting it critiqued. Writing conferences tend to offer these opportunities. However, you certainly do not need to attend a conference to get professional feedback for that godly piece of passion you wrote.

The Quick Critique
Many Christian editors and agents offer manuscript critiques in the form of quick, one-on-one coaching sessions, charging one low rate usually, under $400. A manuscript critique is designed to identify broad weaknesses in your Christian book manuscript without fixing them.

“You need to work on your characters.”
“You tell more than you show.”

This “crit” conversation, lasting 15–30 minutes, points you in the right direction to correct errors and deficiencies in your work.

The Critique Report
Some Christian editing professionals offer a deeper manuscript critique delivering a printable report. This service may imitate aspects of information a Christian writer would receive through a substantive edit, but it is not nearly as detailed.

A substantive edit catches all the little foxes in the field, whereas a critique report informs you about the foxes in the field through one example.

Although less invasive compared to an edit, I’ve seen editors charge fees similar to substantive editing rates. Therefore, if you find it difficult to hand your Christian book manuscript over for a professional edit because you feel the need to self-edit and self-publish, hire the right Christian editor for a critique report.

Other types of Christian book critiques that might interest you:

Picture Book Critiques
Buy this critique if you would like honest feedback and helpful tips about your Christian picture book dummy.

Illustration Critiques
Buy an illustration critique if you want detailed feedback to help you improve your Christian children’s book illustrations.

Portfolio Critiques
You might wonder if your illustration portfolio website delivers the best message. Buy this to improve your professional online presence.

A Christian editor improves your work. Don’t hesitate to schedule a quick critique for your Christian book manuscript.

Bobbie Temple can improve your Christian KidLit storyline. Hire her for critiques, illustrations, or a content edit for picture books to YA and graphic novels at iedit.ink.

 

Five Smart Moves to Help You Pitch an Editor for Your Christian Book

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Five Smart Moves to Help You Pitch an Editor for Your Christian Book

by Bobbi Temple

If you have sought a Christian editor by posting jobs and making offers but haven’t received a response, try these five smart moves to help you pitch an editor for your Christian book.

Smart Move #1: Ditch the Unreasonable Fears

Maybe your job pitch reveals your fears. Do you believe these things?

Editors will demolish your voice!

Editors will steal your story!

Editors are getting paid too much if you give them more than $1000!

Professional Christian editors have no interest in harming you or your work. We want your hard work to benefit from our corrections.

Smart Move #2: Know Different Editors Exist

Maybe you don’t see the value of what different types of edits can do for your Christian book.

For example, don’t ask for a proofreader and expect improved readability. Don’t ask for a copy editor and expect him or her to spot plot holes.

When a writer asks for an edit like this, we know the writer doesn’t understand the editing process.

Smart Move #3: Prepare Your Best Offer

Perhaps you expect heaps of work for little pay. For instance, don’t offer $200 to edit a 40,000-word manuscript. If you’ve gotten away with this, you’ve taken advantage of someone’s naïveté. For 40,000 words, prepare your offer at or above these 2020 rates instead:

Developmental: $1600 (e.g., You need help with the best order and progression of your non-fiction content.)

Line Edit: $1600 (e.g., Your non-fiction sentences need punch, organization, and clarity.)

Substantive: $2000 (e.g., You suspect your fiction story could be better through development and lines; Your manuscript was rejected.)

Copyedit: $1500 (e.g., Your manuscript contains several errors and needs fact-checking.)

Proofreading: $800 (e.g., Your manuscript needs a final edit.)

Comprehensive Edit: $3000 (A compilation of 2-3 of these services.)

Also, think about the editor’s livelihood. What editor could pay his or her bills with $200 after working for two weeks on your book?

Even Better…

Choose an editor from the Christian PEN and pay the rates on that editor’s website. Did you write a Christian kidlit novel? Contact me at https://iedit.ink. I negotiate payment plans.

You might have no idea what you need, which means you should purchase a manuscript critique. Read more about critiques and coaching in my upcoming article, entitled “To Critique or Not to Critique Your Christian Manuscript.”

Smart Move #4: Stop Worrying

Remember the list of unreasonable fears above? Indie book sales fail because writers fear and ignore the preparation process. But maybe you don’t want to self-publish. In that case, hiring a Christian substantive editor will help your book to get accepted.

Consider these long-term benefits. Hiring the right editor prepares your book to sell because Christian readers like good Christian books. Thorough, professional editing helps your book to contend in Christian award competitions and last through the years as a classic pick. A proper edit will increase your chances of getting offers from Christian publishing houses.

Smart Move #5: Facts You Don’t Need to Add

  • I want an editor to track changes.
  • I want an editor to know my book is my baby.
  • I want an editor to finish in 48 hours.

Essentially this means don’t micromanage the editor. We know how to do our job, plan the scope of the project, and want the best for your precious work of art. In fact, working on your manuscript excites us because you have finished a Christian book and invested in a Christian editor. Smart move.

 

Bobbie Temple can improve your Christian KidLit storyline. Hire her for critiques, illustrations, or a content edit for picture books to YA and graphic novels at iedit.ink.

 

 

Struggling Christian Freelancer Creed

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Struggling Christian Freelancer Creed

by Bobbie Temple

If I could do one thing,

I would find consistent work

And I wouldn’t need to beg while I lurk.

 

If I could do one thing,

I would see jobs in the job search

And put Christian in front of the listing.

 

If I could do one thing,

I would book my calendar ’til Fall

And take the winters off to spend time with y’all.

 

But most of all, when God flips the script,

I would do one thing to help newbies—and feed them;

So they wouldn’t need to struggle for someone to believe them.

***

Dear New Christian Editors,

If this speaks to you, remember we exist to help one another in the presence of Christ in God. Forget not, as you enlarge, how rewarding it is to assist the supplications of the deprived leaving an imprint in heaven and the world.

Be of the same mind one toward another. Mind not high things, but condescend [i.e., Gk. yield; submit] to men of low estate. Be not wise in your own conceits. (Romans 12:16 KJV additions mine)

 

 

Bobbie Temple can improve your Christian KidLit storyline. Hire her for critiques, illustrations, or a content edit for picture books to YA and graphic novels at iedit.ink.

 

Hire the Right Editor for Your Christian Fiction Book

PEN Tips , , ,

Hire the Right Editor for Your Christian Fiction Book

by Bobbie Temple

Defaulting to Copyediting

Are you a Christian fiction writer who has decided to self-publish your book? Getting your Christian fiction book traditionally published usually means the house hires an editing team—such as a substantive editor, a copy editor, and a proofreader—before it publishes. However, if you self-publish, you might give yourself a high five for self-editing and think you have done a great job. Alternatively, you might choose to hire a Christian copy editor if you need grammar and punctuation details fixed. Most writers do. Likewise, you might hire a proofreader. Unfortunately, copy editors and proofreaders do not remove the boring out of boring books. Your book will still fail. Thus, you must know what type of editor you need for your Christian fiction book.

Story First

Frustrated Christian writers may choose self-publishing because of the low acceptance rates of traditional publishing houses. Yet, rejection by a publishing house often indicates a failing storyline. Publishing houses and agencies request manuscript pitches because the pitch reveals the story. The story must grab the reader’s interest. Therefore, Christian fiction writers should always consider hiring a substantive editor first. Substantive editors can help Christian fiction writers self-publish a better book. Even if you write a short children’s book, you should hire a Christian picture book editor and an illustrator who can give you professional illustration critiques. In fact, most self-published picture books need content and layout editing.

Investing for Long-term Success

Many Christian fiction writers do not realize the process of publishing great books. Traditional publishing houses invest a lot of money on the front end to publish a book successfully. Self-published writers fail to make these investments due to cost fears or lack of a business plan. Yes, Christian writers jumping into self-publishing need a business plan. You can hire Christian editors for that service too. While a small portion of Christian writers experience self-publishing success, the majority do not.

Lifting You Up

Christian editors want your book to succeed. You can increase your audience acceptance rate and your success rate by hiring the right editor for your Christian fiction book.

Bobbie Temple can improve your Christian KidLit storyline. Hire her for critiques, illustrations, or a content edit for picture books to YA and graphic novels at iedit.ink.

 

 

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