The 80/20 Rule: How to Promote Your Books Properly on Social Networking Sites

Social networking sites like Facebook, Twitter, Google+, Goodreads, etc., have become an integral part of promoting books and building an author platform. However, authors must realize that there are right – and annoyingly wrong – ways to use these sites. Used correctly, sites like Facebook and Twitter can help authors position themselves as valuable sources of information and entertainment. Use these sites incorrectly, and authors risk coming across as self-absorbed and inexperienced.

When posting on social networking sites, authors should remember the 80/20 rule. This rule dictates that you spend 80% of your time posting about things other than your book, and 20% selling. That’s right – 80% of what you post should not be a sales pitch. Why is this true? Remember that readers are human beings, who long to make connections with others. They join social networking sites not to receive non-stop reminders to buy, but to develop relationships and learn about topics that matter to them.

So, what should you post 80% of the time? Well, the most important reasons to network are to build relationships with your readers and position yourself as an expert. Therefore, 40% of your posts should be personal: readers want to know about you, your personal life, your thoughts about writing, etc.

The other 40% should be about your subject area, so provide information that your target audience will find interesting and useful. If you’re not an expert in your field or are uncertain about writing on a specific subject area, write about things you do know, such as the steps you took to become a writer, what you’ve learned about your subject area while writing, etc. Share whatever expertise you have that your followers might find useful themselves.

The other 20% of the time, you can remind readers that you have a book they might be interested in purchasing. But be judicious with these posts; remember, some of your followers and friends will have already seen posts about buying your book before. Do your best to make your sales posts relevant and interesting; i.e., only issue these kinds of posts when there is something new to announce, such as a price increase, a revised edition, or an interesting review of the book.

What happens when you ignore the 80/20 rule? Do so at your peril; authors who post nothing on their social networking sites but constant reminders to buy their books will usually be ignored, or worse, deleted by their followers.

For those who wish to make the most of social networking and sell books (rather than offend visitors), here is a list of important do’s and don’ts:

DO

…set up profile and fan pages on Facebook, Twitter, Goodreads, Google+, etc.

…post often about what’s happening in your life, your thoughts about your writing and your book’s subject area, and about topics relevant to your audience.

…if you use Twitter, retweet relevant posts by your followers. And thank them when they retweet yours.

…if you share information on Facebook, be sure to acknowledge the original source.

…if friends sign up for your Facebook fan pages, be gracious and follow theirs. Likewise, if someone follows you on Twitter, be generous and follow him/her back.

…share news about interviews, awards, sales, plans for sequels, etc.

…be inquisitive. Ask friends and followers for information and advice, and end your posts with invitations for others to weigh in.

…be social. Respond to your friends and followers when they post, and they will respond to you.

DON’T

…constantly post announcements reminding people to buy your book. One announcement every few weeks is okay, but daily reminders will only serve to alienate your followers.

…constantly announce pricing changes and giveaways. Once in a while is okay, but do this too often and your audience will begin to tune you out.

…hog up the airwaves by posting too often. Be judicious and thoughtful about what you’re putting out there for others to read.

…post inane or useless information; especially avoid constant updates about mundane chores, errands, and household tasks,

…incite others with inflammatory political and/or religious statements. Unless your book is about one of these topics, you stand to alienate 50% of your audience with political and religious posts. Keep your posts professional and relevant, and leave the controversial topics for private conversation at home.

…send out automatic responses to new followers urging them to “take a look” at your website, Amazon account, or segment of a book. Develop a relationship with your followers first, before you clobber them with a back-handed sales pitch.

…send automatic responses at all (they come across as perfunctory and meaningless).

…blow your own horn. Listing yourself as an amazing, bestselling, renowned, etc., author, especially if the book is your first, can be off-putting and make readers see you as pathetic and insecure.

…trash agents, editors, reviewers, or other writers (and if you’re a publishing professional, don’t bash or belittle potential or actual clients). Nothing alienates writers and readers more than someone who appears unkind or has a personal axe to grind.

Finally, as with all other areas in your life, do your best to do unto others as you would have them do unto you. Follow the 80/20 rule, be a gracious, supportive, and conscientious social networker, and readers will look forward to reading your posts and buying your books.

The Top Four Methods for Increasing Brand Recognition and Sales in Book Marketing

I recently asked some of my clients to let me know how their sales went this past year and what methods they thought worked best in their book publicity campaigns. A number of methods stood out, but here were their top four picks:

1. Targeted Speaking Engagements

The number one method for building brand recognition and sales, according to almost all of my clients, is targeted speaking engagements. Those who appeared before niche groups to give presentations, and then sold their books afterward, said that this method was by far the best way to reach audiences and sell books.

Here’s a comment from Ona Russell, author of the legal mysteries The Natural Selection and O'Brien's Desk (www.onarussell.com) about the power of targeted speaking engagements:

“Book signings rank pretty low on the effectiveness scale, while speaking engagements are, for me, the best way to increase exposure and sales. That gig you got me at the Writer's Guild far exceeded expectations – I sold a ton of books there. Same goes for the law lectures you arranged. When you get a chance to showcase your skills and tell your personal story, audiences are more receptive to hearing about (and purchasing!) your book(s).”

2. Media Interviews

Many of my clients also mentioned media interviews, including print, radio, and television, as being effective marketing tools for selling books. Here’s what Greg Fournier, author of Zug Island: A Detroit Riot Novel (www.fournology.com), had to say about his radio interviews:

“The WDET - PBS interview was the high point of my experiences and the timing worked out great for me. My webmaster added it to my novel's website, and it is getting hit regularly. I hooked up with a free online radio booking outfit and have two web-radio interviews lined up - one at the end of the month and one in March. The subject is "Racism in America and the Obama Era" or some variation of that. The PBS interview online helped me score these new bookings.”

3. Giveaways and Promo Items

Other clients found that using giveaways and promotional imprinted items helped increase sales. Carol Cronin, U.S. Olympic sailor and author of Oliver's Surprise, Cape Cod Surprise, and A Game of Sails (www.livewirepress.com), explains how this method worked for her:

“My most successful selling tool is business cards I made up with the book's cover and a brief synopsis plus blurbs. I hand them out everywhere, on airplanes (see my blog post called "Airplane Sales"), in restaurants, at parties. Those that are already reading ebooks are psyched to be given a recommendation; those who are not yet reading ebooks are intrigued (especially by the QR codes).”

4. Social Media/Blogging

Finally, almost all of my clients mentioned using social media, especially blogging, as a powerful way to engage with readers and build brand identity and sales. Greg Fournier said, “The surprise of all that has happened is that my blog seems to be a qualified success. I have had over 2,700 hits in seven months, starting at ground zero. I have written fifty-six posts, and I enjoy the result of writing them more than the agony of deciding what to write about.” Carol Cronin added: “Social media has been a good tool, especially blogging. People like getting to know the "behind the scenes" stuff, as long as it's not too technical. And passion and personality continue to be the best sales tools.”

What methods have you found to be the most successful for creating brand recognition and sales for your books?

10 Tips for Writers on Where to Find Ideas for Blog Posts

A friend of mine posted on his Facebook author page that he was looking for ideas for posts on novel writing. Running out of ideas is a common problem for people who post a lot (or those of us who are just plain stumped when it comes time to write a post). Since blogging is an important component of an author’s promotional mix, it’s crucial to keep the topics flowing. So, what can authors do when the well runs dry? Here are my suggestions:

1. Write about what's happening with you and your writing – your writing process, your writing group, conferences you're going to (or would like to attend), your thoughts on writing, your status with your latest book, what you’re reading, what you’d like to be reading, writers who inspire you, etc.

2. If you’re comfortable with sharing your personal life, intermix your writing posts with a few personal anecdotes about what’s happening in your life. Sometimes an event in your day-to-day life will trigger thoughts or ideas that work their way into your written work; share those.

3. Discuss your writing hopes and dreams, how you plan for the future, your vision for yourself as a writer. Other writers are always interested in future trends

4. If you’re an expert in a field, share tips on that subject area.

5. Post a photo or a quote and describe why it pleases or inspires you.

6. Write responses to articles on writing. You can post them and then comment on them, or just share your thoughts about them (reference them with a link).

7. Use Twitter and LinkedIn to get ideas for posts. You can build up your Twitter lists by following other writers (there are thousands of them out there!). If you're not sure who to follow, go to the pages of people you follow who have a lot of followers and choose from their lists. Or check the Twitter hashtags for writing ideas.

8. Google any topic on writing and you're bound to find lots of links on subjects that will strike a chord with you. Give your followers your take on those topics, or start a thread about a subject you find in your searches.

9. Check out other writers’ web and blogsites and see what topics are trending there. Likewise, look at social media, networking, and publishing sites that focus on reading and writing (Goodreads, AbsoluteWrite, Publetariat, BookTrib, The Passive Voice, etc.)

10. Finally, you don't always have to reinvent the wheel. If you’ve been blogging for a while and have posts that are popular or followed a lot, post them again, with updates and comments on what others have said.

Watch Your Backside: A Publicist’s Advice on Back Covers

I was dismayed recently to receive a number of books from prospective clients (including three from a small press) that had nothing on the back covers other than the Bookland EAN barcode and a brief paragraph about the book.

That’s it? A bar code and a paragraph?

Some of these back cover paragraphs were poorly written and riddled with typos. One included a glib attempt by the author to downplay his writing skills with self-effacing humor. One had no description of the book, but instead listed a 16-line quote by a reviewer. Another filled the entire space of the back cover in an illegible, shadowed font.

It’s hard to believe that in today’s crowded market, authors willingly choose to ignore the valuable marketing space on their books' back covers. Because that’s what a back cover is – an opportunity to sell your book to a potential reader. But in order to sell, the back cover must be professional in design and compelling in its content.

Here’s what I like to see on a back cover (in addition to the Bookland barcode), preferably in this order:

1. An intriguing, well-written one or two-paragraph summary about the book.

If the book is fiction, think of the summary paragraph as your chance to hook your prospective reader. Focus on the meat of the story: WHO has to do WHAT to cause WHAT to happen/not happen? Then add details that will appeal to your target audience.

If you’re writing non-fiction, describe your book’s contents in a way that sets you apart from any other books on the topic. What makes your book different? What special expertise do you bring to the subject matter that will entice readers? And what will readers learn after reading your book?

When you write your back cover copy, think about what your reader is looking for. Describe the story – or in the case of non-fiction, the book’s content – in such a way that the person reading it feels compelled to open the book.

2. At least 3 one or two-sentence blurbs from reviewers your target readers recognize and respect.

The more well-known your reviewers, the more likely readers are going to want to take a look at what’s inside your book. Network with your friends and fellow authors to locate reviewers who will appeal to your target audience. Send the reviewers copies of your manuscript and ask them to write a blurb for you. When you receive the blurbs, parse them down to one or two sentences that do the best job of relaying what’s good about your book. Remember that endorsements are especially important to media folks, so it’s worth the time and effort to try to obtain blurbs from readers who are well-known.

What if you don’t know any big names who can endorse your book? Ask your writing group members, fellow authors, friends, and even family members if they’ll read your work and give you an endorsement. Choose people who are good representative readers, and/or those who will give you a well-written, pithy quote. A good review from a reader who represents your book’s target audience may be the deciding factor in motivating an interested reader to open and/or buy the book.

3. A headshot and bio.

Readers like to know something about the authors of the books they might buy. By providing a small photo of yourself, and a brief, one-paragraph bio, you are using yourself as a selling point. Be sure your headshot is professional-looking and include the most important facts about yourself and your platform in the bio. Also, list your website and other social media sites where readers can find more information about you.

Your headshot should appear next to the biographical paragraph and should be small enough to fit the space next to the bio, but large enough that your features are recognizable.

In addition to the bar code and pricing information, you may want to include listing the book’s subject category (usually this appears in the upper left-hand corner of the back cover). Doing so helps staff members at bookstores and libraries know where to shelve your book.

Finally, think of your back cover as prime advertising space and use as much of it as you can, with proper attention to design and legibility. If you have won awards, be sure to list those on the back cover, as well. But most important, design your back cover so it inspires your readers to buy. Give them a glimpse of your voice and style with an intriguing, well-written synopsis. Let them know that your work is important and endorsed by others with a few positive blurbs. And introduce yourself and your platform by including an author photo and a brief bio.

The Introverted Author & the Art of Co-Promotion

Some authors are natural show persons; they love working a crowd, and have no problem speaking in front of groups, walking up to strangers to offer a pitch, or singing their own praises on the Internet.

You know the type – these are the authors who give multiple presentations at writing conferences, blatantly self-promote at family gatherings and business meetings, post daily blog articles about any topic related to their writing, and forgo the 80-20 rule on multiple social media sites in favor of 100% “me” talk. They’re the ones who have no problem, no matter what the venue, proudly exclaiming, “Hey, I’m an author and you must buy my book!”

We have to give these authors their due, not only because they often lead the way in demonstrating how to self-promote, but because many of them have become really successful as a result of their outgoing personalities. They manage to sell, in many cases, not because of their books deserve to be read, but through the sheer force and dynamism of their promotional efforts.

But many authors are not built that way. A good number of them tend to be shy and fairly humble about their achievements. Even if they have no problem being friendly and outgoing in their personal and business lives, when it comes to their books, they hold back. This is a common tendency of authors who are new to the game; oftentimes they’re unsure of themselves and/or their work, are not certain about how to promote, or just don’t enjoy being in the spotlight. In my publicity business, these are the clients who hire me to set up an aggressive speaking and media tour and then, once the scheduled dates get close, cancel their appearances one-by-one. I can’t fault them; they know they need to do publicity in order to sell their work, but when it comes time to take the stage, they just can’t do it. In truth, they prefer to work quietly on their books and, when finished, are hard-pressed to venture out to promote them.

Some would say that if these shy authors want to sell books, they need to get with the program and learn to be show persons. And speaking from a publicist’s perspective, I have to agree that it’s fairly difficult to obtain exposure for authors (many who don’t have much of a platform to begin with) who prefer not to do book signings or speaking engagements, who refuse to travel, who have no interest in setting up websites and blogs, and who are uncomfortable with promotional efforts that involve pubic exposure of any kind.

But I understand where these authors are coming from – they are first and foremost writers, not public speakers or social media experts. They prefer to complete a book and get on with the business of writing the next one. And they don’t want to change who they are in order to sell their work

So, what can these shy authors, especially those who are new to the game, do if they’re not natural show persons? If you’re the retiring and humble type, how do you get around your natural inclinations when it’s time to sell your work?

My answer for shy writers is to consider co-promotion. If you’re the type who really, truly hates being in the limelight, then promoting jointly, with the help of someone else, might be the solution. That someone else can be a friend or family member who is more outgoing, another author (or authors) with similar book(s), or hired professionals who can help handle day-to-day promotions.

Co-promotions can include joint or group book signings, promotional events, and tours. If you are shy about appearing on your own at a signing or speaking opportunity, teaming up with another author or a group of authors for an event might be a good way to go. Your coauthors will bring people to the event, and if you share a common topic or genre, you might feel more comfortable about selling your books to the event’s attendees. Another option is to ask friends to host events for you; a private gathering in someone’s home may feel less threatening if you’re the kind of author who is naturally shy.

Likewise, if you’re uncomfortable speaking in front of groups alone, consider being part of panel presentations, where you can hang back or stand out as much as you like, and punt any question you don’t care to answer to the rest of the panel sharing the stage with you.

Don’t like working the crowd at an event? Ask others who are more outgoing to come with you to work the room or help out with the speaking/demonstration portions of your talk.

If you’re uncomfortable appearing before live audiences, consider taping interviews or presentations and posting them on YouTube and on your web, blog, and social media sites. One of the nice features of video clips is that they can be edited to make you look better, to erase mistakes or speaking glitches, and to add in information that you might have overlooked.

If you’re shy about your personal appearance, consider creating podcasts of your work, and share those on the Internet on your own website and at other places where readers can listen in. Don’t forget to mention your book, and describe where readers can go to hear more or purchase the book. Seek out radio interviews and ask if you can give them by phone, rather than appearing in-studio, or pursue online interviews, where you can send information via email.

Those who are okay with being seen and heard, but who prefer not to travel for public appearances might consider speaking to book clubs and other organizations via Skype. You can give presentations, take questions, and have pretty much the same interactions with readers that you would at an in-person event or signing without having to leave the comfort of your home office.

Teaming up with other authors or using videos and other electronic means of communication are not the only way to co-promote. You can gain incredible traction for yourself and your work on the Internet by participating in group blogsites or guest blogging on other people’s sites. The same is true for social media sites; if you’re not comfortable with creating your own, consider teaming up with someone else to share a Facebook, Twitter, or Goodreads account,

If you’re uncomfortable making personal announcements about yourself on Facebook, Twitter, and other social media sites, a good option might be to use dashboards like HootSuite, where you can upload announcements and schedule them at a pace that feels right to you, interspersing them with other information so that they appear on your social media sites at strategic times. You can even hire professional social media experts to help create content for your sites and post that content for you.

Those who aren’t good at speaking in public, but would like to become so, might consider working with a professional coach to learn good speaking and interview techniques. There are also organizations like Toastmasters, local business networks, and other professional groups and clubs that provide opportunities for free networking and feedback to help you hone your speaking skills.

Finally, if you’re not comfortable doing your own publicity, you might consider hiring a publicist and working with her to create a promotional plan that fits your personality and budget. If you prefer not to tour or do any public speaking, be sure to indicate that up front. Discuss the options for other ways of gaining publicity. A good public relations professional should be able to help you identify unique ways to promote your work that fit your personal style.

There are a number of successful authors (many who have a long list of publications under their belts) who have become literary media darlings and are so comfortable being on the public stage that they spend the majority of their time there. Their success can be intimidating, especially to new authors, who haven’t yet developed extensive platforms or significant numbers of readers, or who struggle with being public about their work.

But authors who aren’t comfortable in the spotlight can still be successful at promoting; they just need to identify creative ways to get their message out. Ultimately, we all want authors to do more of what they’re good at, which is writing. No shame, then, for those authors who know their limits as show persons, and who find creative ways to promote their work so they can spend their time on what really matters: writing good books.

Authors: Be Prepared to Speak!

Photo credit: Author Amy Snyder gives a presentation on her nonfiction book, Hell on Two Wheels, about the Race Across America.





Speaking engagements are great ways for authors to get the word out about their books. Nonfiction authors, especially, can develop a number of talks about their topic and hit the speaking circuit to develop a name for themselves while promoting their work.

Many fiction authors also find public speaking to be a successful way to promote their books. If your novel or short story collection has a topical subject matter, or if you have a special area of expertise or a solid platform in a subject area, you should be able to find opportunities for speaking engagements where you can promote your work and/or sell it afterward.

But arranging speaking appearances is not always easy. For those who are considering going on the speaking circuit, here are some tips to help make the experience easier:

1) Develop a number of presentations around your book’s topic and write brief, one-paragraph descriptions for each of them. The more options you can offer a venue or organization, the more likely that you will have something they’re looking for and be hired to speak.

2) Start early – some venues, including professional organizations, colleges and universities, reading clubs, and museums and libraries, book speaking events many months to a year ahead of time.

3) Keep a list of the talks you’ve given, including the cities where you’ve appeared, the dates for your appearances, and the title of the presentations you’ve given. Organizations will want to know where you’ve spoken before, and having a list to give them shows that you are experienced and a proven commodity.

4) Likewise, get testimonials from those who have hired you to speak. Some organizations will want to check your references to verify your experience and track record.

5) Be prepared when you speak. Do whatever research is required, make notes, and practice before your appearances. Also, be sure you know your audience, including how many people will be there and their demographics – age, sex, expertise, etc. – and plan your talk accordingly.

6) If needed, make arrangements for a/v equipment and always have a backup (your own laptop, printed handouts, etc.) ready in case the equipment is not working or is unavailable the day of your presentation.

7) Bring material to distribute or leave behind at your talk. Prepare handouts, bookmarks, business cards, etc., and find out the number of estimated attendees ahead of time so you have enough copies for everyone in your audience.

8) If you are speaking about your book, have standing posters of the book cover made and bring one with you to mount on a table or podium. Also, check with your host to see if s/he would like any material beforehand to create a display or do general promotion for your talk.

9) If your presentation is open to the general public, be sure to touch base with your host about what kind of media work s/he is doing for promotion. Do your own promotion, as well – create and distribute flyers, sent email invites to friends and relatives, announce events on social media sites, including Facebook and Twitter, and send press releases to content and calendar editors at news media offices and websites.

10) If you are going to do some media promotion for your speaking engagements, be sure to contact editors, reporters, and producers for print, radio, and television about two-three weeks prior to your event. Create a press release specifically for your event and, if possible, tie it to national or local news headlines that are relevant to your topic. Also, have a head shot of yourself, your book cover art (jpg files are best), and a presentation summary or description ready in case your media contact requests this info.

11) Be sure to take a camera or video recorder with you and have a friend or someone in the audience take photos of you while you speak. You can place these photographs and clips on your website, and the video clips will also come in handy for those venues that require seeing a clip before hiring you to speak.

A final note: many authors have asked me about the protocol for being paid for speaking engagements. In general, I’ve found that due to the state of our economy, most venues (aside from large corporations) do not pay honoraria for speakers. You should always ask, though, because many organizations might be willing to pay a nominal speaking fee, and even if it is a small one, it may help defray the costs of getting there. Most venues are willing to negotiate, and if they can’t offer honoraria, they are oftentimes willing to provide coverage for travel costs, money for gas, or a meal at the event.

If you are promoting a book, you’ll want to be sure to discuss the possibility of selling books after your presentation and make arrangements for how sales are handled. If the venue is a library or museum, you can ask about having your booked stocked on the shelves or in the museum bookstore. You’ll also want to be sure that you have books there at the event; if the venue won’t order them, then make arrangements to have them shipped ahead of time or, if convenient, carry them with you.

Finally, be sure to collect business cards and contact information from everyone involved in setting up your speaking event and send thank yous after your appearance. Even if your event was not the most organized or well-attended, you still want to show gratitude for being given the opportunity. A thoughtful thank you is a sure way to show your host(s) that you are a professional and will help keep the door open the next time you want to give a presentation there.

The Importance of Professional Editing

Comma splices. Sentence fragments. Cliché expressions. Missing words. Commas and periods set outside quotation marks. Overuse of exclamation points. Misspellings. Passive voice.

Authors, please understand – errors like these will kill your writing. It doesn’t matter how compelling your storyline is; if any of these problems appear on the page, guess what your reader is going to remember?

As a publicist, I beg you to do the following:

Before you send your manuscript to an agent, publisher, or publicist, have it professionally edited.

Before you place a book online in any format, have it professionally edited.

Before you send your manuscript out to be printed, have it professionally edited.

Let’s talk a bit about editors.

Even though it helps to have people you know (i.e., friends and family) read your completed work, there is a huge difference between having your book read by your Aunt Martha, and having it read by someone who specializes in English grammar. Unless Aunt Martha is a professional editor, don’t go there. Even if she is an avid reader of books or a writer herself, don’t go there. Hire someone who has some credentials and understands proper grammar and punctuation.

If you can find a professional editor who has experience in the publishing industry, that’s even better.

Most editors will read books for content issues (this is known as a developmental, substantive, or content edit) and for grammatical/structural flaws (a copy-edit or detailed line-edit). You want someone who will do both, because a book with plot, character, and continuity issues can be as problematic as a book riddled with grammatical errors.

If you are a fiction author, a professional content editor will be able to tell you if your characters are believable, if they’re likeable, if their dialogue is appropriate, if your book’s plot makes sense, if you have a proper beginning, if your story contains enough conflict, if your protagonist and antagonist finally confront each other, and if you have a proper ending.

If your book is non-fiction, a professional content editor will help ensure that the book is factual, properly researched and annotated, timely, and contains information that makes it a worthy contender in its category.

How do you find professional editors? Here are some suggestions:

1. Ask professionals in the industry (agents, publicists, independent press owners, etc.) who they recommend. Most publishing industry pros have worked with editors and can recommend good ones to their clients.

2. Search online for professional editors who are experienced and can give you client references. Be sure to do your homework and contact those references before signing a contract. Ask to see samples of work they’ve done on documents similar to yours.

3. Place an advertisement on online job boards such as monster.com, careerbuilder.com, or ifreelance.com, or post locally on Craigslist or in your local newspaper.

4. Ask fellow authors who they’ve used. Be sure they’re recommending professionals and not inexperienced friends or family (like Aunt Martha).

Finally, be clear about what you want an editor to do with your manuscript. (Note: You may want to consider having a contract if you’re going to hire someone for a substantial amount of work on your project.) I recommend having a content edit done first, so that you can correct those issues and rewrite the book before spending dollars on final copy-editing and proofreading.

Of course, it’s crucial that a book be completely edited, but if budget is an issue, consider having at least a portion of the book professionally scrubbed. If you find yourself having to cut costs, go with the first three chapters, since those are the most important for creating a positive first impression and engaging your reader.

Finally, once you’ve had your manuscript edited for content and grammatical issues, be sure to have the final version proofread (professionally, if possible) one last time for any items you might have missed.http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif

Here is a list of websites with info about editing/editors (Disclaimer: The following is just a taste of what’s available on the Internet, and does not imply any specific recommendation):

Society for Editors and Proofreaders http://www.sfep.org.uk/pub/dir/directory.asp
American Copyeditors Society http://www.copydesk.org/
Book Editing Associates http://book-editing.com/
http://www.infinitypublishing.com/book-professionals/recommended-book-editors.html
http://www.bookmarket.com/101edit.htm
http://www.firstediting.com/book_editing_services.php
http://bloodredpencil.blogspot.com/
http://www.erinedits.com
http://thebookeditor.com/
http://www.manuscriptediting.com/
http://mybookedit.com/
http://www.shewrites.com