Everything I’ve Learned So Far About Independent Publishing by Todd Burleson

Coming Soon!

I should begin with a confession: I am no expert on independent publishing. I’m very much a beginner. My earlier publishing experience was with a major publisher, and that book was nonfiction. It wasn’t the book I most wanted to write—in fact, I would have loved for it to have been the story I’m working on now. But when a publisher approaches you and asks you to write a book, and you are a struggling teacher, you say yes. It turned out to be a tremendous experience. I earned a little income from it—not much—but what I gained was an inside look at the publishing process. It was an opportunity I’ll always be grateful for.

This time is different. When I chose to publish independently, the reasons went deeper. I wanted control. I didn’t want someone I would never meet deciding on my cover. I didn’t want someone else to have the final say over my story. And after working on this book for more than thirteen years, I wanted it to move into the world at a pace that felt right to me.

“Independent publishing feels like managing a project as much as writing a book.”

What I didn’t fully anticipate was how much independent publishing feels like managing a project as much as writing a book. I knew it would be hard work—anything worth doing usually is—but I wasn’t prepared for the cost.

I learned quickly that in publishing, you get what you pay for. Early on, I decided my priority was to work with a professional editor. Through Reedsy, a platform that connects writers with editors, designers, and illustrators, I found someone with national recognition and a strong track record. She was expensive, but I knew this was where I wanted to invest.

To help cover the cost, I launched a Kickstarter campaign. Asking for help does not come easily to me. But Kickstarter is an all-or-nothing platform—if you don’t meet your goal, you don’t receive a dime. That reality pushed me to research every aspect of how to run a successful campaign. I studied other authors’ projects, learned how to structure levels and rewards, and spent hours figuring out shipping, pricing, and what kinds of extras would make sense. At times it felt overwhelming, like nonsense piled on top of the actual work of writing a book.

There were moments I doubted myself, moments I wondered if anyone would care enough to pledge. It was stressful to put my vision out in public and risk failure. But slowly, support came in.

“In the end, more than $4,000 was pledged by people who believed in the story. That support feels like success already, even before a single reader has turned a page.”

Now I am anxiously waiting for the return of my developmental edit—the kind that digs into the big picture, the characters, and the heart of the story. I feel nervous, excited, and overwhelmed all at once. And part of me wonders how I will balance this next stage with my life as a school librarian heading into a new year. Independent publishing doesn’t happen in isolation—it presses into every part of your time and energy.

If another writer asked me what I’ve learned so far, I would say this: independent publishing is not for the faint of heart. Writers want to write, but this path asks for much more—fundraising, websites, community-building, marketing, design, layout, typesetting, printing, platforms, and even decisions about audiobooks. The list feels endless. But none of it is wasted.

Reedsy has hundreds of free resources. They are also an incredible place where you can be connected with some of the leading editors, designers, and artists to help make your book come to fruition.

My best advice is to find a community. For me, Reedsy has been a lifeline. I stumbled onto it by accident—a friend who isn’t even a writer mentioned it to me. That makes me think there may be many other writers out there who simply don’t know it exists.

Reedsy isn’t just a place to connect with professional editors, designers, and illustrators. They also offer a wide array of free resources for writers, self-publishers, and independent authors. A few highlights I’ve found especially helpful:

• Reedsy Studio Book Editor – a free online tool where you can write, organize, format, and export your manuscript for print or ebook platforms. It even lets you collaborate with others in real time.

• Free Learning Courses – over fifty 10-day email courses on everything from plotting a novel to marketing, distribution, editing, and design. These bite-sized lessons are practical and easy to fit into daily life.

• Articles, Guides, and Webinars – their blog is constantly updated with industry trends and advice, and there’s also a library of webinars with expert talks on publishing and craft.

• Weekly Writing Prompts & Contests – if you’re looking for accountability or a spark of inspiration, they provide prompts and even cash-prize contests with the chance of publication.

• Community Support – forums, newsletters, and ways to connect with other writers who are also figuring out the indie path.

All of this is free once you create an account. It’s one of those rare places online where the depth and quality of resources genuinely surprised me.

“Independent publishing has democratized the industry. It’s simply another way to get your story into the hands of readers.”

I also believe the old stigma around independent publishing has faded. Many indie authors have found great success, some even moving into traditional publishing. More importantly, independent publishing has democratized the industry. It’s simply another way to get your story into the hands of readers. And isn’t that what all of us are really after?

My main characters: Jamie and Ken.

This book is written for readers ages ten to fourteen, but I hope it speaks to anyone. With only three more years left to work with students in that age group, I want them to have this story in their hands. It’s not just a story I believe in, it’s an invitation to see our nation’s history and reflect on it in light of today.

That’s why I chose this path. And while I am still learning, I can already say: it has been worth it.

And this is only the beginning. As I move through the next stages—final edits, layout, printing, and beyond—I’ll continue to share what I learn. I hope that by documenting the process, I can encourage and equip other writers who may be considering the same path.

If you would like to take a look behind the scenes of my book, I've built a comprehensive website that will delight anyone who is interested in history, storytelling, photography, and aviation. I still love exploring it! HERE is the link.

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If you’ve walked the independent publishing path yourself, what’s one lesson you wish you had known at the beginning?

What to Know About Editing, Editing Services & Accountability Partners with Beth Stilborn by Kathy Halsey

Today we're chatting with my accountability partner, Beth Stilborn, about editing, accountability and more!

Accountability and How We Met

Late December 2017/early January 2018, Kathy and I both participated in Julie Hedlund's amazing Twelve Days of Christmas for Writers, a 12 day experience designed to evaluate the past year and prepare for the new one. During a  discussion in the dedicated Facebook group, we were tossing around ideas about accountability, and Kathy and I decided to try being each other's weekly accountability buddy.

 

Three years later, we're still going strong. We email weekly to share what we’ve done in the past week, what we plan to do in the coming week, and to cheer each other on. We've supported each other through ups and downs, encouraging each other when the writing mojo isn't there, celebrating when things are going well, and making sure we keep on track. Just knowing I'm going to be listing my accomplishments and non-accomplishments for Kathy each week keeps me going, working to achieve my goals both small and large. In the process, we've become good friends, and buoy each other up in all sorts of ways. Thanks, Kathy!

Craft Chat with Beth

 

1. How did you get involved in the editing business?

When I was in university, I had a summer job helping to proofread the proceedings of the Legislature. After university, before I started working full time, I had a summer job as interim editor of the Saskatchewan Gazette, a weekly publication of the government here. Much later, in 2013, when I was thinking about writing-related income streams to pursue, I had a consultation with an insightful kidlit editor friend who nudged me in the direction of copy editing, particularly for the kidlit community. A dear friend came up with the name Flubs2Fixes for my new editing business, I registered the business name, got a business license, and worked with my first client in early 2014. I have been working with clients, honing my skills, learning and developing since then.

 

2. Across genres and manuscripts, what are the top mistakes you see in writers’ work? Any recommendations for books or remedies for these issues?

One of the most common problems is comma use. Commas are such sneaky little things. They like to wriggle in where they don't belong and wriggle away from the places where they do belong. Verb tense and dangling modifiers are a couple of other bugaboos. I often see questions about manuscript formatting, as well.

 

In the past, I've written blog posts addressing many of these issues, and I'm working on a way to make these posts more easily accessible to people who are looking for guidance on grammar, writing, or formatting problems. I plan to roll this out in November. Stay tuned to my editing blog for details!

 

I often recommend Grammar Girl for grammar questions. Her website is excellent, and she writes in a fun, approachable, and understandable manner to answer practically any grammar question you might have.

 

Something else that often trips new writers up is rhyme. New picture book writers often think they have to write in rhyme, and the truth is that isn't the case. Try writing the story without rhyme – it can often be told more easily as prose. If a writer finds that the story needs rhyme to make it work, make sure the rhyme and rhythm are perfect, or as close to perfect as they can be. Renee LaTulippe's fabulous videos on her Lyrical Language Lab YouTube channel are a great way to start learning about rhyme and rhythm. I also recommend her Lyrical Language Lab course, even if a person doesn't intend to write in rhyme.

3. Please explain the different types of edits: grammatical vs. copy edits, developmental editing, edits for continuity, and other types.

There are many ways of looking at the different types of edits. Some people divide the overarching heading of editing into three basic types, others suggest as many as six or more divisions. Here, I'll talk about the basic types of edits the average writer is likely to come in contact with.

 

Paid critiques and developmental editing are closely related. Often, paid critiques are offered by people whose primary focus is writing, but who want to share their experience and knowledge with other writers. They're similar to the feedback you might get from a critique group, but they're solely focused on your manuscript, and go into more depth in their suggestions.

 

Developmental editing digs deep into the building blocks of an effective manuscript, including narrative voice, story arc, character development, plot and theme development, story structure, and more. You will often receive an editorial letter, along with at least some line edits (comments directly on the manuscript). A full line edit takes this one step further, with comments on nearly every line in the manuscript.

 

Copy editing is basically editing for grammar, spelling and typographical errors, incorrect word use, capitalization, punctuation, clarity, sentence structure, redundancies and/or inconsistencies, consistent point of view and consistent verb tense. The copy editor also looks for issues in continuity. It should come near the end of the process for the manuscript, after developmental editing (if the author chooses to go that route), after all revisions have been made, just before it is ready for submission.

 

Proofreading is the final step, either before starting the submission process (for someone seeking traditional publication) or before creating the book (for someone self-publishing.) In traditional publishing, a proofreader goes over the final proof copy of the manuscript just before printing. The proofreading I offer includes checking for typographical errors, formatting errors and irregularities, awkward end-of-line word divisions, alignment, line length, spacing, consistent font size and style, and checking against the original manuscript to ensure there have been no omissions.

  

4. Do you edit your own work, or do you also use an editor? How can writers be their own editors?

I copy edit my own work. I have used a developmental editor in the past, and have found it a valuable tool in seeing all the issues with plot, characterization, voice, structure, and so on. I have often been amazed at how much better my manuscript becomes after I work through revisions based on a developmental edit.

 

I am well aware that writers may see editing as an expense that is simply out of reach. I understand that completely. At the same time, I want to emphasize that the writer gets great value from hiring an editor, whether a developmental editor or a copy editor, or a paid critique. I think it is vital for those who are self-publishing to work with editors to bring their manuscripts up to the highest level that they can. In either case, it is truly an investment in the writer's future and in the future of the manuscript.

 

That said, there are tools available to help those seeking traditional publication who can't afford to hire an editor or editors. The plans I have in place for sharing basic information on grammatical issues will help. For broader self-editing, one option is a tool Emma Walton Hamilton has available for purchase, either for self-editing picture books or for novels, called Editor-in-a-Box. (The picture book version is at this link. The novel version is at this link

 

Self-editing is by no means a complete substitute for the fresh eyes and in-depth experience and knowledge you get if you hire a developmental editor or copy editor, but for those who are seeking traditional publication and are on limited budgets, it is an option.

 

Above all, at least make sure you have a critique partner or critique group giving you feedback.

 

A great place to find the right editor or critiquer for your manuscript is the listing on the KidLit411 website.

 

5. What do you enjoy about editing?

Since I am a writer as well as an editor, I understand how it feels to entrust your manuscript to someone else for feedback of any sort, and so I am sensitive and encouraging while also being as helpful as possible. The joy of editing is not pointing out errors, but rather is helping another writer to learn and grow and make their manuscript shine. I find that all I learn with the goal of honing my own writing makes me a better editor. I continue to learn, and to teach — we all are teachers — and I love to help my editing clients learn more about the craft of writing through the comments and suggestions I make on their manuscripts.

 

I currently offer copy editing and proofreading, and plan to add picture book developmental editing/critiques early in the new year. You can learn more about my editorial services and how to work with me at my editing website, Flubs2Fixes.

 

 

BIO:

Beth Stilborn is a writer and copy editor located in Canada, but available to editing clients all over the world thanks to the magic of the internet. She has been writing and learning about writing for a number of years, and started her freelance editing business, Flubs2Fixes, eight years ago. She is a member of the Editorial Freelancers Association and the American Copy Editors Society (ACES). You can read more about her editing qualifications and services at her website. There, she also shares resources for writers, and blogs about grammar and editing-related subjects. At her more general website and blog, By Word of Beth, she shares more writer's resources, interviews authors, and blogs to share books, encouragement, teaching, and hope. She is active on social media and is co-admin of the Children's Book Hub Facebook Group with author, editor, and educator, Emma Walton Hamilton.

 

Find Beth on social media here.

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/flubs2fixes

https://www.facebook.com/bethstilbornwrites

Twitter:

@BethStilborn

LinkedIn: 

https://www.linkedin.com/in/beth-stilborn/

Revision: Time to Make Your Writing Better ~Suzy Leopold

The American Heritage dic . tion. ary defines revision [ri-vizh-uh n] as:

1. The act or work of revising. 
2. To prepare a newly edited version of a text.

3. To reconsider and change or modify.

4. A revised or new version, as of a book or other written material. 

Simply stated, the word revision means to see again. 

You’ve written your story and are excited to share it with a critique partner, or better yet send it off for submission to an agent or publisher. You feel your story is wonderful and unique and word perfect. Completing your story is a great feeling. You have worked hard and it is a time to celebrate. 

Stop. 

Your manuscript is not ready yet. There is no manuscript or work that is perfectly written and polished the very first time. A manuscript is not ready for submission until revisions are made. 

As a writer, revision is a critical part of the writing process. Many writers seem to dread this step and sometimes skip it. Revision is like practicing the piano or participating in baseball practice. It is a necessary step that must not be over looked. It is a part of the writing process that begins with a draft, followed by many revisions, to a manuscript that is polished and ready for submission.

Time to see a new vision for your manuscript. Time to see your story in a new light. Time to make the necessary changes for improvement. Time to reimagine what you story can be.

Revision is not the same as editing. Good writers separate composing from transcription.

Revision	Editing
Redo/resequence/rewrite	Grammar
Prune/cut a section	Paragraphing
Focus on a particular part	Capital Letters
Adjust and change	Spelling
Add a section	Punctuation

1. Distance yourself 

The completion of your manuscript is hard work. You wrote and wrote and typed and typed, expressing your ideas and thoughts that became a story. 

Excellent! Reward yourself. 

Chocolate Chip Cookies & Milk

Now step back after reading your manuscript aloud one last time before setting your story aside for the time being. Let your manuscript rest. Let it simmer. Fresh eyes will allow you to see the manuscript more objectively.

You may feel the need to revise right away. Do not do so. Do not revise yet. Walk away from your story. Better yet, go for a walk.

Take a few days away from the manuscript and allow the story to mull around in your brain for awhile. As thoughts cross your mind, jot down the ideas that you may want to consider for revision.

2. Look at your manuscript with a critical eye by reading aloud

After distancing yourself from your manuscript, it is time to look back at your manuscript with fresh eyes. This can be difficult. Pretend that you are reading someone else’s work. Read your story as if you are critiquing a manuscript for a writerly friend. 

• Concentrate on different areas of revision.
  

For the first read-through look closely at the content of the story.

Does it sound right?

• Rearrange sentences so they are logical and effective.

Do you have a mental image of what is being described?

Are the sentences well developed and well elaborated?

Did you include sensory details? 

Think about what it looks like? What does it sound like? 
What does it feel like? What does it taste like? What does it smell like? 

• Think about your character.

Has your main character developed and solved his/her problem?

• Think about the pacing.

The story should be natural and not choppy.

Is your writing fresh and original?

Does the story flow with a story arc?

Do you need every scene?

Does the beginning hook the reader and set the stage?

• The ending should be satisfying and unpredictable.

3. Time for a second read aloud

• Read one sentence at a time.
• Read your own work backwards. 

Does each sentence make sense?

• Consider the word count and delete any unnecessary words. 
• Circle all of the verbs. 

Are the verbs strong?

Choose strong verbs

• Use clearer, stronger details.
• Cut anything that is not making your story shine.

Remove unnecessary information or extra details. 

Weed through unnecessary words:

and, but, just, now, really, so, that, then, very, well.

• Are you showing and not telling?

4. Time for a third read aloud 

Yes, a third read-aloud. If you are tired of reading your story aloud, how do you think the audience may feel? Children’s books are meant to be read aloud. A picture book needs to have re-readability.

• Look carefully at the dialogue. 
• Listen to the rhythm.  
• Highlight all of the dialogue.

Does the dialogue between the characters move the story forward?

Is the character coming to life in the story?

The dialogue should not exceed thirty percent of the word count.

Think about dialogue

As you work to make your writing better, keep in mind that revisions should be exciting. The many revisions can turn ordinary writing into extraordinary writing. True authors go through many revisions before actually publishing.

Go. 

Time to change your manuscript. Your manuscript needs revisions so it can be the best it can be. Revising is reimagining. Time to revise your manuscript.

Asiatic Lilies from my Prarie Garden