Writer Photos Darrell J Banks

THE SECOND EDITION

Part 2 Editing the Second Edition
THE WHY has been my theme on character development since, 2010, when I wrote the first edition of Character Within the Screenplay. That book is at a reduced e-book and print book price on Amazon.com
https://www.amazon.com/Darrell-J-Banks/e/B00I33S10C%3Fref=dbs_a_mng_rwt_scns_share
But back to the WHY of the second edition we left off on this point a while ago. I wrote three sci-fi screenplays, and found myself fascinated with science fiction again and decided to make the second edition focus on that genre. I mean I have researched a sci- fi horror novella, and began writing several chapters of this 120 to 200 page novella.
If you have read the Expanse books and watched the TV series, been amazed by Westworld and or Star Trek Discovery. You understand why writers love science fiction. You can intertwine a western them with robots. Expand upon old characters like Captain Pike and Spock and throw them into a past future event that it is just amazing. Science fiction is fun stuff and the genre itself was motivation to write the second edition of my 2010 book.
But as every writer knows once you re read a completed project, things become. well weird. You envision your fiction or non fiction project as something you never wrote, or perhaps should not have written. You question your choice of words and the general direction of the project.
Even more so with a second edition, where you attempt to retain most of the first edition and expand upon it.
The manuscript tripled in size and scope as I performed more research.
I wrote new chapters, took a few things out and then said well this is done.
NOT!
As a self published author/publisher you have to decide what makes or breaks book.
You can hire a copy editor, editor, reader etc. At a cost. A cost that has to be recouped in two ways. The first approach is volume sales. If you look on amazon and search any non fiction topic you will see books for . 99 cents. The volume approach might work if you sale a million books. Fiction books might sale one book or the targeted 500 to 50,000 average margin. ( See, https://electricliterature.com/everything-you-wanted-to-know-about-book-sales-but-were-afraid-to-ask/
If a book sales the larger targeted amount at normal book sales you might enjoy your million and say to yourself you invested your writing time, and the costs of a copy editor etc. well.
But if you sold just 500 you may have enjoyed the writing effort but the economics of the situation may not be viable.
Non- fiction book sales might be less. So remember, you are aiming for a targeted market.
A slice of the pie, which is why I chose the science fiction genre.
Except for a friend of mine everyone loves science fiction films.
Alien, Interstellar, and the marvel franchises. I mean it’s a natural fit. So as I prepare the SIXTH spell check after editing the book several times. I know my work is just beginning.
Editing
There are so many editing styles. Some manuals will say edit each sentence upon completion.
Some writers’ say edit after you have completed the manuscript.
One thing is clear, you will always want to edit your completed work.
A. The read through for consistency.
B. The read through for repetition
C. The read through for style.
D. The read through for clarity.
E. The read through for grammar, syntax. Etc. Structure, the copy edit, spelling,
F. The backwards read through, yes because the spell check doesn’t work and words are so similar.
G. Until the final read through when you submit your manuscript to the copyright office.

Because some how some way after your co-worker or paid reader their will be a hidden error or mistake. Something that will need correction.
Which means that after you submit your manuscript to a publisher ( amazon etc.) well you will have to fix what you started despite the delays of a pandemic or anything else that prevents your writing editing etc.

Ciao