I got my manuscript from my conceptual editor whose name is James Bare. He marked up the manuscript with different colors. Yellow was what he liked a lot, gray was what he thought should be removed, and green is what he thought should reviewed or at least revisited. Needless to say, it was colorful.
He also spent some time explaining to me the difference between writing as a speaker and writing as a writer. I apparently say and type "you see" a lot. You see, this is something I say a lot when I am speaking, but, you see, it isn't very good when you write. You see, right?
Anyhow, here is what James Bare said about my manuscript.
Hi, James,
First, congratulations on completing your book! I have enjoyed reading it over the last month. I think you have a terrific opportunity to reach a target audience that needs all the spiritual advice it can get. I found the manuscript to be honest, heart-felt, humorous, and a generally engaging read. You did a good job intertwining your story of the things that have happened throughout your life with some critical questions about what we actually live our life for. In short, you made my job easy.
Before you dive into the manuscript, let’s address some “housekeeping” issues first. The purpose of the conceptual editing process is to develop the strengths and address the weaknesses of your original manuscript. This can often times be a difficult proposition; it’s important to remember that my comments, suggestions, and critiques are designed to provide constructive criticism.
As an editor, I am trying to help you accomplish your goals. I enter this process under the assumption that you want to tell a great story, you want to reach an audience, and you want to sell books. Tate acquired your manuscript for these purposes, because the company believes that you have a great idea. My job is to take your idea to the next level, to challenge you to think about your manuscript, and to ensure an end result in which your goals are met. I made my initial edits with these thoughts in mind.
