Publishing E-Books For Dummies

I’m Struggling to Edit My E-Book

The editing process can be grueling, especially if you’re creating your first book-length work. The techniques you might have used on articles or short stories in the past may not seem to work as well. Perhaps you know that your e-book needs fairly major revisions (not just typo corrections), but you aren’t sure where to begin. If you’re struggling to edit your book, try these suggestions:

1. Request feedback from readers about the structure of your book.

If you have a few willing friends — or, better, a writers’ circle — ask them to read your e-book and give you “big picture” constructive criticism. At this stage, you’re looking for feedback about the overall shape and structure of the e-book and for comments about any areas that aren’t quite working. (Perhaps your nonfiction e-book is too detailed, or your readers detest a certain character in your novel.)

If your blog or e-mail newsletter has an established readership, ask for volunteers to read your upcoming e-book. Pick four to eight people for a good range of opinions. Fewer than four, and one person’s strong opinion can unduly skew your feedback; more than eight, and you might feel overwhelmed by the number of different suggestions. Give guidance on what you’re looking for: You might ask specific questions such as “Does Chapter 11 work?” or “Did you find the ending believable?”

2. After ...