It's been a long time coming, but the proverbial blood and the literal sweat and tears paid off, and you finally got to type: The End. Congratulations! Now comes the part most writers dread: editing. Self-editing can feel overwhelming, but it doesn’t have to. Think of it as sculpting: you’ve carved the shape of a lion out of a raw block of marble, and now you’re detailing the eyes, mouth, mane, etc. (i.e., the unique characteristics of this sculpture that will set it apart from all the rest).
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Here’s a step-by-step guide to help you shape your draft into something you can confidently share with beta readers, professional editors, agents, and publishers.

Admittedly, I’ve grappled with this one. The value of a book should never be determined by a single judge or a small panel of judges. Authors have no idea what life experiences have influenced the opinions of the judge(s), or how many manuscripts the judge(s) had to read in a pressured timeframe.

Did they read your submission on a day that everything else was going wrong in their life, so nothing they read that day landed quite right in their psyche? Did your protagonist have the same name as their awful ex? Do YOU have the same name as their ex—or the kid who bullied them in grade school? There are just too many subtleties influencing the spectrum of emotions in the human mind to define one’s worth as an author by a single contest.

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.