Writing Tips - Editing

In Today's Issue


Tips for Editing Your Writing
Funny Phobia
That's Amaaaaaaaaaaaaaaazing
Random Joke of the Day 

You've finished your first draft....Now comes the real (horrible) work.
So here's some tips on making editing your work a bit easier.

Read Your Writing Out Loud

Writing can be a lonely, quiet task, but when it comes to editing it's helpful to make some noise.

Sentences might work in your head, but once you read them out loud you notice that you stumble over a word or two. It will amaze you how many sentences or passages you discover need some work when you try this.

Stand in front of a mirror, chin up, head back, and read. Have your work printed, and read from it. Highlight sections that need editing and come back to them.

Don't find an issue, fix it, and then get back to reading. Just make a note of what you need to re-write once you've finished this exercise. Even better; don't even make notes, use your mobile phone as a dictaphone, record yourself and add verbal notes.

Edit From a Printed Manuscript

The first time you edit your work, you don't want to print it out. Editing isn't something you do once. You'll edit, re-edit, re-re-edit, re-re-re-edit... you get the picture.

Printing your manuscript every time will result in a gross waste of paper. (And an unwanted expense.)

Most people find editing to be easier on printed paper. You can do a lot on screen, but you seem to notice more when it's printed. So at least once, preferably twice, print out your entire manuscript. Then lock yourself in a quiet room and edit!

Don't Edit in a Logical Order

It seems odd to recommend doing something that isn't logical. But if you edit out of order, you'll find that you notice more.

If you edit your manuscript from start to finish, you'll get caught up in the story. It's more difficult to notice complex sentences or poorly written paragraphs that way.

Make Sure Your First Draft is Your First Draft

The subtitle to this section makes very little sense. So let me explain.

You don't want to write a chapter, then edit it. Then write your second chapter, then edit that. You want your entire first draft complete before you even think about editing. This approach simplifies the process of editing and helps avoid writer's block. (You want as few roadblocks as possible when writing. Just get it all out there, onto paper or screen, then worry about editing.)

Separate your creative, free-flowing, writing brain and your critical, ruthless editing one. (This is why it's also a good idea to leave a few days between finishing your first draft and editing.)

Ask a Friend to Edit For You ( Thank you Anne Rhodes she does mine ! )

A fresh pair of eyes will always find things you miss. And will provide some new ideas, too.

Writing is usually a solo act, but that doesn't mean you can't ever ask for help. Or work in a team. A new reader is also likely to pick up on continuity errors, and plot holes. You've been so deep in your writing for so long that you might miss these things.

If you are going to ask a friend to help you edit, here are a few things to remember:

1) Don't give them your first draft - it's not fair. Edit yourself a couple of times before asking for help.

2) Don't let them make irreversible changes. Make sure they are editing a separate document. You might not agree with everything they change - which is fine. But you don't want to spend hours figuring out what they changed and what they didn't.

3) Don't leave it all to them. It's wonderful that they're helping, but it's your work. You need to edit it too. (I know it's not fun, but it's vital.)

4) Friends and family aren't necessarily the best people to ask. They might be! But they might not be, too. Whoever you ask you need to make sure that they're going to be critical, and honest. For example, I can't ask my dad to edit anything I write. He just tells me how much he loves my writing. Bless him. The point is, parents and friends often edit with rose-tinted glasses. So choose your help wisely.

5) Ask them if they liked it. What did they like? What didn't they like? Don't just ask them to edit sentences to make the wording easier to read. Get some feedback.

Isolate Sections

It is important to focus when you're editing or proofreading. Use pieces of paper to isolate paragraphs when you're editing. And use them to isolate vertical section when proofreading.

Read down the columns you isolate, this way you are more likely to spot spelling mistakes. You'll be seeing individual words rather than sentences.

Editing your own work is difficult. But it is possible. I would recommend the following as a pretty good structure to your editing:

1) Finish your first draft.
2) Take a few days away from it. Read a book, or catch up with friends.
3)Read through your work looking for complex sentences or paragraphs - correct them!
4) Print your manuscript.
5) Read through your manuscript looking for spelling and grammatical errors.
6) Ask a friend to edit and proofread your work for you.
7) Check your friend's suggestions, either implement them or ignore them!
8) Find professional editors and proof-readers to check your manuscript.
9) Read your manuscript again. This time for enjoyment. You worked hard on this book, enjoy it!
10) Congratulations. Your masterpiece is ready. Either get some copies printed or self-publish your book.

If all else fails, remember these famous words: "Write drunk; edit sober" ‐ Ernest Hemingway

Funny Phobia

Turophobia ? The fear of cheese !!

That's Amaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaazing

Russia has a larger surface area than Pluto.

Random Joke of the Day

Where do Pirates go shopping ? AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAArgos