Month: September 2020

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Reasons Why You Need A Professional Beta Reader For Your Manuscript.

September 16 , 2020 Samarpita Mukherjee Sharma
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When I’d first heard of beta reading, I was still journalist. Beta reading seemed to be a phase of writing where friends (who read) read the manuscript for an author friend and gave feedback which was then implemented in the draft. Not much has changed ever since, I still see this practice being common even today. What more, this is not restricted only to India, but I have heard of authors on global platforms talk of this too. First of all, just reading books is not qualification enough to be a beta reader. Are you really okay with handing your manuscript to someone who is not trained for the job? Or at least, has no knowledge of the prerequisites of a draft? Please tell me the answer to this is *no*! If not, here is why you shouldn’t trust your close friends or family with beta reading. Sit back, I have more than one reason to tell!

Related: Promote Your Book Without Leaving Your Home!
    1. Your friends and family are biased readers. Take their reviews only if you are looking for an echo chamber, but let me break the news that an echo chamber will not give you an honest review.
    2. Let’s assume you have someone in your life who is a voracious reader, has read various genres and understands literature. Do they know exactly what all need to be included in the feedback for beta reading? Find that out, chances are that they don’t.
    3. Do you want brickbats and severe criticism now, or do you want them coming from the readers after the book has been released? Now, I am sure. Also, unless the plot is flawless, the climax is exciting and the timelines is error free, how would your manuscript grab the publisher’s or the literary agent’s eye? Wouldn’t you want only professional touch in making your manuscript an unputdownable read?
Related: Five Reasons Why Your Brand Needs Content Marketing

Having said that, I would also want to delve into why your beta reader needs to be a professional with ample experience. I am an editor, with years of experience in journalism only after which I have started working with manuscripts. The attention to detail, the keen eye and the need for perfection of words comes from years of experience and on-the-job learning. A seasoned editor will always be the best choice to be your beta reader though not every editor might work as a beta reader. So here are the reasons why professional beta readers are the best for your manuscript before you start pitching to agents and publishers –

  1. You pay for the service. This way even if the beta reader is someone known to you, there is a guarantee that you will get your money’s worth in terms of criticism and feedback. Professionalism is important and should not be replaced by relationships. I’ll be honest here – if you are not keen on getting beta reading done by a professional, might as well skip it. Author friends might have some valuable inputs, other friends and family might have few more. But without a trained eye, your manuscript will be losing on a lot of crucial points.
  2. We have no personal equation with you and will not be worried about hurting your sentiments. I can speak for myself and many others, that the motive behind beta reading is to find glaring gaps, errors and everything wrong now, even before your editor gets the manuscript. We have no conflict of interest or emotional attachment to your manuscript.
  3. A regular, untrained beta reader might be able to tell you what is wrong with your plot but when an editor is reading your manuscript, we can assist you with exactly what is wrong and how can it be corrected. Believe me, one gets much more out of this than they pay for.
Related: Four Things Everyone Who Wants To Be An Author Must Do
If you are looking for an excellent manuscript editor or a beta reader who'll help you take our manuscript to another level, look no further and connect with me at editor@samarpita.in

 

 

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A 5-Step Basic Guide To Editing Your Own Manuscript

September 15 , 2020 Samarpita Mukherjee Sharma
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The first draft of your manuscript it ready, and you are wondering what you must do next, am I right? Edit. Rather, self-edit. If you are already a pro, you don’t need me to tell you what to do. But for those you need a little handholding, here is a five-step basic guide to editing your own draft:

First, take a break from your manuscript.

Take a break for at least a day, at the most two days. Take your mind off the story and let the plot settle in your mind. Now get back to it with a fresh mind and read it, not as its writer but as a reader. Do you like it as a reader? Great! Keep the parts you do and mark the ones you don’t. These can be deleted, re-constructed or re-written; we will get to that later.

Snip-snip your manuscript!

Yes, I know you love every word in there with all your soul but darling, readers can be critical. A reader would want the plot to be crisp and precise. If you are still not convinced, think of your draft as someone else’s book. The plot’s got to be lean and mean. Yes, you get my point now? Start snipping. Identify the long sentences and either cut them short or make multiple sentences out of them. Look out for repetitions, in words and in content. The moment you locate them, either chop them off or re-construct.

How good is your grammar?

Let’s understand that whichever language you write in, you cannot take the it lightly. Only when you respect the language will you be able to create something phenomenal out of it. If you are good at it, check for errors in the draft of your manuscript. I’ll be writing posts in the coming months about how you can do basic grammar checks on your drafts. If you think you cannot do this, ask for help. You might have to invest a bit on it, but it will be worth it. Before you release your baby out in the world for readers and critiques to assess it, give it as much perfection as possible.

Use simple language.

Using a group of complicated words does not showcase your expertise over the language. Your skill shows in how you use simple words and put the sentiments across with minimum effort. Running your manuscript through the thesaurus is a good idea here.

Check for spellings.

MS Word comes at help here. Check every single green, red and blue squiggly. Not all need to be corrected – keep the differences in American English and global English in mind. Confirm the spellings of the homonyms; spell check doesn’t always detect them. Avoid too much of passive voice in your manuscript. If you’ve used names of real people and places, double check the spellings.

Once all this is done, take a print of the draft and read. Read out loud, it helps. If you are unable to do the above mentioned steps, or don’t feel confident even after editing, hire professional help. That’s what editors like me are for – to polish your book and make it error free.

 

If you are looking for an excellent manuscript editor, lookno further and connect with me at editor@samarpita.in
You can also hop over to author.to/Samarpita and check out my ebooks on how to write better and make a social media presence before your book hits the market. The books are FREEon Kindle Unlimited.
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These Are Just Two Of My Favourite Books!

September 7 , 2020 Samarpita Mukherjee Sharma
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Growing up, books were a major constant in my life. My mother had grown up as a voracious reader, and the habit got passed on to me genetically and by example. I was introduced to all my favourite authors by my mother, and I had even learnt to read Bengali so that I could read more stories. So, yes, the love affair with stories and the art of story telling goes way back to the time when I couldn’t read and was read to. Most authors still remain in my life though a few have made a mark in my life, and not just because they were great stories.
Two such books are Chief Vasily and Little Women.

Also Read: Favourite Literary Couples – Sherlock & Irene #TBRChallenge

Chief Vasily

Chief Vasily was a limited edition 1986 book translated from Russian by Raduga Publishers. It was about Peter, a Muscovite who went to the village for his vacations where he met Vasily, a local boy. Peter and Vasily started off as rivals, as Peter was being a typical city snob. Soon his edges get rubbed by the village kids and he found great friends in them. I keep this book as a  priced possession and keep going back to it from time to time – for various reasons.

Also Read: A Ready-Reckoner To Write Authentic and Relatable Personalities

 

Little Women

On the other hand, Louisa May Alcott’s Little Women holds a special place in my heart for its timeless themes of family, friendship, and the journey to self-discovery. The story follows the lives of the March sisters – Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy – as they navigate the trials and tribulations of adolescence and young adulthood. What draws me to this book is its richly drawn characters and their relatable struggles and triumphs. Each sister possesses a distinct personality and dreams of her own, yet they are bound together by their unbreakable bond of sisterhood. As I follow their journey from childhood to maturity, I am reminded of the importance of love, loyalty, and the enduring strength of family ties. Little Women is a timeless classic that continues to resonate with readers of all ages, its timeless message of hope and resilience transcending the boundaries of time and space.

Also Read: Crafting Well-Rounded and Relatable Characters with Depth

Little Women is a much-loved story about four sisters – Meg, Jo, Beth and Amy March. All four March sisters had very strong characters but ever since I’d read the story the first time – I’ve identified with Jo the most. Since then, I’ve read it at least 30 times and every time I find myself relating to her even more. I’ve fancied meeting her, talking to her, accompanying Laurie and her to skate on the ice, reading her scripts and secret notes, travelling with her, falling in love at the same time as her, and being fiercely protective of family, just like her. Everything Jo has done, I have done. Never copied her, but growing up I realised life was moving ahead as if parallel to Jo’s.

 

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In conclusion, Chief Vasily and Little Women are two books that hold a special place in my heart for their timeless themes, richly drawn characters, and profound impact on my life. While Chief Vasily reminds me of the power of courage and resilience in the face of adversity, Little Women celebrates the enduring strength of family, friendship, and the journey to self-discovery. Both books have left an indelible mark on me, their stories and characters continuing to inspire and resonate with me long after I turn the final page.

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If you are looking for an excellent manuscript editor, someone to create content for your business, or an expert to help build your personal or professional brand on social media, then look no further and connect with me at editor@samarpita.in I can be followed on instagram at @samarpita and on twitter at @samarpitadotin.

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Read my ebook WRITE. EDIT. PROMOTE. to learn the basics about becoming an author – from writing your own book, to editing your first draft, and to promoting your book yourself! You can also read my ebook How To Write A Story Effectively and learn some valuable lessons about how a story can go from average to extraordinary. This book is part 1 of the series.

In fiction, I have two short stories for children in an ebook called Bedtime Stories.

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Four Things Everyone Who Wants To Be An Author Must Do

September 7 , 2020 Samarpita Mukherjee Sharma
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More than a decade ago, when author Chetan Bhagat had written Five Point Someone, it’d brought about a change in the reading habit of the country. Whether one reads his books or not, one cannot deny that Bhagat has single-handedly driven the youth of the country to read more. And if you ask me, the main reason behind this is that he had brought in to the market, stories which Indian readers identify with.

Another thing that has changed in the Indian literary scene recently is that the number of people who want to write has increased manifold. Between 2011-2013, I had spent a lot of time reading fiction written by Indian authors, most of who are still unknown. What was both fascinating as well as disappointing, is that there are so many good stories out there, but not everyone can tell the story very well.

As a manuscript editor and book publicist, I have interacted with a lot of story tellers who are trying to write a book and/or get published. However, I’ve noticed that they are not doing the basics. A doctor has to first take the required course(s), intern and only then can he practice, right? Every procedure has steps and if you are taking writing seriously, I’d strongly suggest that you include these four steps into the process:

Read a lot

Read what you like, but also try to read authors who are better than whom you already read. A lot can be learnt from reading the masters of the trade.

Write a lot

Before you get down to the main story, practice a lot. I’d suggest that you write every single day, even if it is flash fiction or an entry in your diary.

Know your grammar

I’m not asking you to perfect your grammar, but make sure that you are comfortable with the language you are writing in. You can express freely and your words will have the correct intent only when you know your grammar and its usage.

Write honestly

I agree, we all want our works to be famous. But if your work has heavy influences of another author, would the readers rather not buy books of that author? Learn from your idols, but write in your own style. Write an honest story, and not what is selling in the market. Who knows, you could be that bestselling author who brings a new revolution in how Indians read!

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10 Reasons Why Your Manuscript Might Be Getting Rejected By Publishers

September 7 , 2020 Samarpita Mukherjee Sharma
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It’s been a while that I’ve been editing manuscripts and a lot of debutant authors have come to me with one common woe. Their (unedited) manuscripts are getting rejected. While I am not a literary agent, I do have the experience of handling manuscripts and making them what publishers desire. While talking to some friends who are voracious readers, we came to the topic – how do publishers decide which manuscripts have potential and which ones don’t. To be honest, only a publisher can tell you what will work but I have come up with a list of ten things which just won’t work, after a lot of research. There might be more reasons and the reason your manuscript was rejected might not be one of these, nevertheless, this post is an attempt to throw some light on what might be the reasons.

Your manuscript was unedited

Imagine this. The first draft of your manuscript is complete and you shoot mails to publishers with a cover letter and the first three chapters. And then, you wait. Chances are, you either don’t hear back from anyone, or if you do, it is a rejection. Does this mean you are a bad writer? While there is a tiny probablity of that being true, I’ll take a random guess and say – no. What went wrong was that you sent a rough draft, without waiting to first polish it. How can you avoid this? Firstly, by being patient. Walk away from the first draft. After a couple of days, come back to it. Read it and make changes as you progress. Do the first round of edit yourself. Hiring an editor is a good idea.

Your manuscript doesn’t seem honest.

Go back to your manuscript and ask yourself honestly – was this a sincere effort to pen down a story you had, or did you write something because it is in trend? Did you ape someone – in style of writing or in the plot of the story? Remember, publishers will invest in you only if they are convinced your book will bring them revenue. Is your manuscript original and honest enough to deliver that?

Your cover letter spoke more about you than about your story.

Well! Unless who you are and what you do can send the book on re-print just during pre-orders, your credentials are not important. Of course, you have to write about yourself, like about your previous books (if any) and other accomplishments solely related to previously published books. Apart from that, let your story do the talking. Talk about the product you want the publisher to sell, let that be the only focus in your cover letter.

Your cover letter had errors.

Like your manuscript, your cover letter should be error free too! Take help if needed, but do ensure that the language in your query or cover letter is impeccable.

Your manuscript had unprofessional typesetting.

Do not send your proposal/query letter/manuscript in fancy fonts. These are professional documents and need to look like it. To stay safe use one of these permissible fonts – Times New Roman, Tahoma, Verdana, Georgia, Palatino, Franklin Gothic, Book Antiqua, Bookman Old Style, keep the size to 12, double space the lines and use black letters on white background.

You’ve praised your manuscript too much.

While you do need to present your manuscript as a sellable proposition, it is not a good idea to boast about it. Do not include in your query letter how everyone who has read it so far has loved it and how you are sure the book will be the biggest hit of the decade. Don’t sound over-confident and/or cocky.

Your manuscript reads like documentary.

Fiction or non-fiction, your manuscript has to have a structure. If the actual story/point of focus comes after hundred pages, the book becomes automatically unsellable. Your reader will not keep patience till the tenth chapter or till after a hundred pages. Make sure you have spun the plot well and carefully.

Your manuscript is not suitable for the publisher’s reader base.

If you have sent a chiclit to a publisher who deals mainly with mystery/thriller genre, the manuscript is bound to be rejected. Do know that this need not be counted as a rejection, your manuscript and the context of the story was sent to the wrong address! Do your research well and shortlist publishers who publish books similar to the kind of story you have written. It is advisable to send the manuscript to those who would be at least remotely interested in the topic of the manuscript.

Your manuscript has too many characters.

In short, one glance at the manuscript and the publisher is confused about the story and how it will progress. And that means, the reader would be confused too. At times, authors, specially debutant authors are so absorbed in the ambition to write a best-seller, that they stretch the plot too much. Avoid doing this.

The language in your manuscript is pretentious.

I have said this to almost all my clients – the key to writing a good story is to write in the words most people would understand. Whichever the language you are writing in, use simple and clear language. Do not sit with the dictionary if your aim is to find the toughest synonym. Remember, that even if there are ten synonyms to a word, all their usage would not be the same.

For assitance with manuscript editing or promoting your book online, get in touch at editor@samarpita.in

You might want to read my ebook for writing newbies where I have helped with the basics of writing, editing, and promoting on Write. Edit. Promote. by clicking on the links below:

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