In case you have created a novel - or any type of book - and are now curious about precisely how to go about publishing it, stop! Did you re-read your text, fixing flaws and enhancing any weak areas in your text? The response to this is likely "certainly". Have you read through it twice? Again, you'll probably say yes. Have you used a book proofreader to go through your book using a fine-toothed comb? The answer to this particular question for a lot of authors is a no. If you're one of them and have at this point didn't have any success with your manuscript, it might be just where you're going wrong.
The reality is, you may be the best writer on this planet, but because you wrote the draft, you are not likely going to detect every one of the issues throughout the text. You shouldn't just count on software either; it can certainly pick up on spelling slip-ups, but it doesn't know if you've missed out a word, or put ideas in the wrong sequence, or accidentally taken out a sentence. The really hard idea that a great number of writers find not easy to face is that they also can't depend on their own sight to pick out such plain slips: as a book writer, you're simply too involved in your work to stand back and review it objectively. You may read a sentence through without being aware of that omitted word, since your mind is sure of what ought to be there and fills in the blanks for you. It is really frustrating, but it surely happens.
And next there's the huge, dreadful, novel-destroying errors that you may not notice - or not prefer to acknowledge you've detected: the gaping plot holes, the dry dialogue, the indisputable fact that your antagonist is totally ill-matched for the majority of of the fifth chapter with no rationale. Getting another person to read your novel and note down anything they don't understand - or whatever they think doesn't add up - will undoubtedly be indispensable to you.
A great number of authors employ family and friends to 'proofread' their novel, although what often happens is usually that the relative or good friend comes back to the author spouting about how incredibly good the novel is, while not really responding to some of the issues in the text or offering any type of helpful critique. This could be because they don't want to disappoint you, but usually it's basically because they don't actually know what they're looking for - if they have never experienced editing previously, how will they know what to do?
The best way to remedy this is get the help of an experienced proofreader to look through your manuscript for you - yes, they will cost you money, although that money won't be going to waste. In fact, it could be the best money you commit to your book, including what you may invest in your promotional plan. A professional could certainly look at work objectively, be honest in their opinions, and - even more importantly - they'll know what is expected of manuscripts in the publishing industry. They will are aware of the grammar conventions you ought to be adhering to, they will have an understanding of plot as well as structure work, and they'll manage to recommend areas for improvement that you could never have thought of all by yourself.
Shop around on the internet for experienced proofreaders as well as editors - many offer assorted services for different levels of editing, and you're bound to discover one that's within your means.
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