How to Process Feedback

by Carly Hayward

ShoreIndie is a community full of editors and fellow authors wanting to help your manuscript be the best it can possibly be. The community this contest fosters is one of the most valuable prize you could win. Even if you aren’t picked by an editor or you don’t win during the judging round, there is a lot of value to this contest. The ShoreIndie editors are a fabulous resource, and lucky for you, they are chomping at the bit to give you feedback. They all have your best interests in mind, and they want to help you make your best book.

The way to get all that feedback is to engage. Don’t just submit your manuscript, talk to the editors on Twitter. Ask them as many questions as your heart desires. It’s what they are here for. They want to get to know you and your book. And believe me, we love giving advice!

Top 8 Problems That Turn Readers Off

by Carly Hayward

ShoreIndie is about to begin, and I bet you’re wondering what you can do to catch an editor’s eye. We editors see hundreds of manuscripts during these contests, and there are some common problems that will turn us away from your manuscript. While all these problems can be overcome by a fabulous voice or a plot that we can’t look away from, it’s best to avoid them.

Let’s dive right in! Here are the top eight problems we see over and over again:

1. Head-hopping: This term can be easily misunderstood. Head-hopping is not the same as multiple points of view or omniscient narrators. It’s when you are within the head of one character, understanding their opinions and viewing everything through their perspective, and then suddenly you are hearing the thoughts of another character. Multi-POV changes points of view after chapter or section breaks and remains in one character’s head at a time. And an omniscient narrator may be able to see into everyone’s head but has a bird’s-eye view; their POV is distinct from the characters.

Meet ShoreIndie Editor Carly Hayward

Carly Hayward is a developmental editor specializing in genre-fiction, including but not limited to romance, mystery, sci-fi, fantasy, erotica, and YA. Carly will help you find your voice and bring your vision to the reader. She will be your book’s best friend.

She has worked in the publishing industry for 9 years, including at a big 5 publishing house, a literary agency, and an indie publishing house that helps self-publishing authors. Carly graduated Magna Cum Laude with a B.A. in English. She is a member of the Editorial Freelancers Association and Chicago Women in Publishing. Carly was a panelist at Book Expo America 2016 and an editor for #RevPit and #P2P16.

For ShoreIndie 2017, Carly is excited to accept submissions that fit the following MSWL: