Professional edit first or Agent

[bblack4jc]

Hello! My name is Brenda. I have completed my first book which is nonfiction.

My question is: should I get my book professionally edited before I look for an agent? If so, where can I go to find a professional editor on the subject of Christ’s blood-death and resurrection?

If I should get an agent first, where can I go to find one that is knowledgeable on the aforementioned subject?

 

[lynnmosher]

should I get my book professionally edited before I look for an agent? If so, where can I go to find a professional editor

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Yes! Have your book edited before anything. You are welcome to look in Plugs & Promos for the members offering their services.

And welcome to the site. We're glad you've joined us. Hope you enjoyed a special Christmas day.

 

[Accord64]

My question is: should I get my book professionally edited before I look for an agent?

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As a rule of thumb, you should always put your best (edited and copyrighted) version in front of agents, etc.

If so, where can I go to find a professional editor on the subject of Christ’s blood-death and resurrection?

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I'll let others on this forum chime in. I'm just a fiction writer. But the "always put your best version forward" principle applies across all genres.

 

[Leithia Juarch]

Hi and welcome, @bblack4jc. I do fiction, so it might be different, but there's mixed ideas about it being professionally edited. It should be edited, be it self-edited or edited with others as in critiques and such, but most queried manuscripts are not professionally edited, and some agents advise against spending on professional editing; that said, professional edits can certainly help your manuscript become better. For non-fiction, i was of the impression it sold on based on proposal with sample chapters rather than based on a complete manuscript and query, which is what fiction does.

 

[carolinamtne]

First, generally nonfiction submissions include sample chapters and summaries. Those sample chapters should be as well edited as possible, which for most people is not self-edited unless you are/were an English teacher. That also applies to the summary because the publisher will be evaluating that writing too. So technically, you could get away with only having a professional edit on the sample chapters and summary. However, sooner or later, you will want the whole book edited by someone who understands, not necessarily your topic, but the rules of publishing.

As for your topic, it is not a common one. That doesn't mean you have to find an editor in that specific area. You need someone who will look for understandability and discrepancies in your logic, not necessarily who agrees with your premises.

And to conclude, you may prefer to make your own, but I can't send you the physical cookies, only the thought. So welcome aboard.

 

[bblack4jc]

Thank you to @carolinamtne, @Leithia Juarch, @Accord64, @lynnmosher! Thank you for the great information.

I will start looking for a professional editor. I have one but her prices went up too high for a short book and being my first one.

Thank you for the information on having sample chapters along with a query letter.

**How do you recommend that I go about putting a query letter together?**
I have several writings but nothing published professionally. I don’t have a website or any of the marketing or platforms that publishers look for.

 

[bblack4jc]

Hi and welcome, @bblack4jc. I do fiction, so it might be different, but there's mixed ideas about it being professionally edited. It should be edited, be it self-edited or edited with others as in critiques and such, but most queried manuscripts are not professionally edited, and some agents advise against spending on professional editing; that said, professional edits can certainly help your manuscript become better. For non-fiction, i was of the impression it sold on based on proposal with sample chapters rather than based on a complete manuscript and query, which is what fiction does.

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I see that you do editing. Are you interested in editing my book which is about the blood of Jesus-death and resurrection?

 

[Leithia Juarch]

**How do you recommend that I go about putting a query letter together?**

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Research successful book proposals and look at what the literary agents wrote about them or the commentary given, that could be helpful. For a start, here is an article by Jane Friedman; she has links you can follow and she also has example book proposals, just scroll down to that section.

I see that you do editing. Are you interested in editing my book which is about the blood of Jesus-death and resurrection?

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I've edited, but i've mostly done fiction. I am not familiar with non-fiction publishing. If you want, though, i don't mind taking a look. Or, you could try the critique and feedback section; it's less for edits, more for comments, usually, but it would let you get a feel of some things.