@Ananta Dave That’s a great place to be doing a read through with audio is such a smart move. It really helps with flow, pacing, and catching those sneaky line level issues we miss when reading silently. After 3 rounds of self edits, you’re definitely putting in solid work on your WIP. By the way, I’d love to know if this is your first MS or if you’ve published before. I’m also curious where you are right now in your process, whether you’re leaning toward querying (TradPub) or going Indie/Self Pub. And how you’re handling things on your end if you’re working solo or with beta readers/CPs, and whether you’ve done any developmental editing yet or mostly self edit + line edits. Also wondering what you’re using to manage your draft, if it’s just Word or if you keep backups on Drive/Scrivener, and how you’re thinking about the next steps like formatting (Vellum/Atticus/Word), your pub route (KDP, IngramSpark), and your overall marketing strategy. And I totally get what you meant about never feeling like the editing is done, that’s every author. At some point, it shifts from perfecting to ready for the next stage. If you want, I can share a quick checklist for the next steps. Happy to help wherever you feel stuck.

@Jonathan Mark Bayliss Alright, thanks so much for reporting her.

@Jonathan Mark Bayliss Haha, maybe we’re both bots then 😂 But I promise, I don’t have the idea about who’s the bot that spam you

@Petra Glover Serious question for you. When you imagine your book finally being published, what matters more to you? . Seeing real readers enjoy your work . Making consistent sales . Building an audience for future books . Simply finishing and publishing your story

@Petra Glover The interesting thing I’ve noticed though is that many good books never really reach those readers in the first place. Not because the book isn’t good, but simply because discoverability is harder than most people expect after publishing. Out of curiosity, have you already published your book, or are you still working on it?

@Ben Olivia Hi Olivia, I appreciated your comment on my post about editing & polishing. That stage can be surprisingly intense. I didn’t want to crowd the thread, but I was curious, are you currently self editing, or working with beta readers/pro editors?

@Laura Law 40K in is real commitment, so first, that’s a win. Sometimes when a protagonist digs herself into a hole, it’s actually a sign the story is asking for a stronger turning point rather than a full unpick. Do you feel like it’s a plot logic issue, or more that the stakes escalated faster than you planned?

@Gabby Martini Yeah that’s right

@James Blair You’re absolutely right to avoid generalisation, and that nuance matters. The real distinction isn’t talent but process. A professionally published novel has usually passed through multiple layers of scrutiny agents, editors, proofreaders, and market readers. Each acting as a quality filter. In theory, this reduces technical flaws and improves clarity, structure, and consistency. That said, more eyes do not automatically mean better art. Those same layers can sometimes smooth out originality in favor of predictability or commercial safety. Conversely, a self published author who invests seriously in editing, feedback, and revision can achieve or exceed the same level of quality. So the difference isn’t professional vs amateur, or traditional vs self published. It’s rigor vs shortcuts. A strong book is the result of disciplined craft, honest revision, and respect for the reader regardless of the publishing path. The best authors focus less on the label and more on the standards they hold themselves to.