Mistaken Identity

E. Tip of the Day

Family support is important for any successful profession, but it is especially important for a successful writing career. I’ve been lucky to have a family that supports my every dream. However, don’t mix up “family support” with “free proofreaders”.

Asking family members to read your work in progress is a common enough practice among new writers. Don’t worry. We’re all guilty of doing it, even me. 🙂 A family member’s approval of your writing gives you validation that Yes, you can write! However, it can sometimes put a strain on a relationship, and may even make your family resentful of your writing career. No one wants that.

Proceed with caution when asking family members to read your work. If someone works in a profession that relates to your plot–a crime scene investigator, for instance–ask them for their professional opinion of the scenes you’ve written involving the CSI. And leave it at that, unless they’d like to read the entire novel. But keep it professional. Be aware you are using their valuable time to read your book, time they could be spending doing tasks they need to get accomplished, and don’t take advantage of that. They’ll appreciate your consideration, and later when you need that support when your book sales aren’t as high as you’d like them to be, they can still be there to comfort you.

If you’re just looking for someone to proofread your work, use the pros when necessary. Most writers are happy to help each other out, and may even see plot holes you may have missed. In the event you’ve finished your work in progress and need an editor,  that’s what we’re here for–to help you!

For a list of our services, visit: https://writtendreams.com/Services