Reboot

After a productive consultation with The Book Doctors, we were able to perfect my query letter and agree that my diagnosis regarding the lack of traction on the agency front was probably correct. In other words, it's time for  another edit.

Some tightening of the book's opening chapters is called for, which can usually be accomplished with a line edit. It has already been through a developmental edit, but I'm still not sure that all the elements that go into a great novel are embodied in my masterpiece. So I'm going back to the drawing board. I have engaged a highly experienced editor in my genre (young adult dystopian fiction) to do an in-depth developmental and line edit of the entire thing.

As you can guess, this is not an exactly an inexpensive proposition. But if you've ever tried to get a first novel traditionally published, you have to produce an impeccable manuscript and then hope to get lucky. I can do my best to achieve the former, but there's not much I can do about the latter. In the past I have actually written a highly praised manuscript, only to be told by several agents that, as much as they liked the book, there was simply no market for that kind of story! So luck does matter.

Fortunately, I'm in a position in which I can invest in my publishing endeavor. It's my hobby and my passion, and it's still cheaper than golf!

Incidentally, Part 1: The cost of securing a professional editor varies depending on their experience, track record, and breadth of services offered. I've seen prices ranging from $600 to over $4,500 for a 90,000-word manuscript. My first developmental edit ran closer to the lower figure. My second, more comprehensive edit, is a bit closer to the second figure. GULP!

Incidentally, Part 2: If you're looking for editorial services, proofreading, preparing a manuscript for self-publishing, I highly recommend Reedsy.