Every holiday season reminds me that family gatherings exist for two reasons: food, and unintentionally gifting writers enough story material to last until next December (ha). But seriously, if you’re a writer attending a holiday gathering and you aren’t mentally filing material away for your next book, are you even doing the holidays right?  

​The holiday season has a way of heightening everything—joy, nostalgia, tension, longing, unresolved conflict, even the quiet griefs that typically stay tucked beneath the routines of daily life. Whether you’re writing fiction or memoir, December’s sparkle-and-shadow combination offers an irresistible creative entry point into family drama. People are gathering. Traditions return. Old wounds test their bandages. And amid the glow of twinkle lights, characters (including ourselves) often reveal who they are with startling clarity.

Back in grad school—many moons ago (ha), one of my creative writing professors regularly shared his unpublished work with our class. When a student once asked if he worried about someone stealing his writing, he laughed and said, “Steal it, please. And if you can get anyone to pay for it, tell me how you did it.”

At the time, I didn’t fully understand what he meant. Years later, after my own work was published, I realized the truth behind his words: writing a book is only half the climb. Getting readers to actually buy it is like scaling Everest after you’ve already conquered K2. And if you want to build a loyal readership, you need your own authentic voice—something no one can fake or sustain if it’s stolen.

You did it—you finished your manuscript! That’s a huge milestone, and you deserve to pause and celebrate. Writing a book that shares your knowledge, story, or perspective is no small task. After you've taken a moment to celebrate, comes the stage that may feel less glamorous but just as important: self-editing. This is where you refine your ideas, shape your message, and give your book its final shine—the polish that helps your words land clearly and confidently with readers. It can feel daunting, but with a little strategy (and a lot of patience), self-editing doesn’t have to drain your energy or blur your focus. In fact, it can bring you even closer to the heart of what you want your book to say.

I blog about various ways to save money while indie publishing, including tips for self-editing your work, but in this article, I offer suggestions for submitting a manuscript to potential editors (including myself) that will help ensure a lower rate for services... 

First impressions have more impact on pricing than many realize. Be sure to send a clear, concise inquiry, and format your sample following academic standards:

Finding a good book editor can be difficult. And finding a good book editor with availability is even harder. Be sure to begin your search a few months in advance of when you anticipate having your manuscript ready for editing. 

Try to review the editor’s website before contacting them. If the site is comprehensive, you’ll find the answers to most of your questions before needing to contact them. When you have a good idea of whether you’d like to work with that person, it’s a great time to inquire about their interest in working with you, their prices, and availability. Most editors schedule projects weeks (or months) in advance and will require a deposit ranging from a few hundred dollars to 50% of the project total upfront to schedule their time.