The first draft reveals the art; revisions reveal the artist.

21 June, 2021

Is your book properly aligned?

Put the brakes on publishing your book!

I recently had the entire front-end suspension for my car replaced; this included the control arm bars, inner and outer tire rods, sway bars, shocks, struts, brakes, and rotors.

With all-new parts in place, I took my car to a national automotive retail service center to have the wheels aligned. After about an hour's wait, I'm called to the front desk only to be told that they could not complete the alignment because I needed new front tires. The tires were ordered but hadn't arrived. To say that I wasn't a lil bit peeved is an understatement. My mission was a wheel alignment, not one additional requirement to fulfill. Besides, needing the tires didn't make sense to me. I thought, do the alignment, and I'll have the tires mounted when they arrive. But anyway!

My inability to get the alignment reminds me of authors wanting their books published despite still needing critical parts. If you're going to publish a phenomenal book, an author must do what is necessary, even if it's inconvenient or prolongs the process. I had no choice—no tires, no wheel ailment.

What is required of an author to ensure that their book is appropriately aligned?

Editing and more editing is one requirement. An author attempting to publish a book without editing is akin to getting a wheel alignment when new tires are needed. Actually, an author trying to publish a book without editing is akin to a car owner driving their car when brakes are needed. Both will eventually experience an accident—prayerfully, the accident isn't fatal. If you think it's insane to put one's life on the line riding in a car that needs brakes, understand that it is insane publishing a book without editing.

After returning to have the wheels aligned, once finished, the mechanic who performed the alignment shared with me that the left control arm bar needed tightening. That means the mechanic who initially performed the task missed a critical detail. As an author, hiring one editor most likely will not be enough. Editing a manuscript is so critical that it is necessary to have more than one editor edit your manuscript. It isn't uncommon for a second editor to bring insight to a manuscript that the first editor failed. Traditional publishers (the BIG 5) use anywhere from five to 10 editors to edit a manuscript.

Authors, if you are serious about publishing a well-respected—the operative phrase is "well-respected"—book, respect the process and give your book an editing alignment. The failure to honor what needs to be achieve may cause you to be in an editorial accident; prayerfully, it isn’t fatal.

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