Wednesday, October 28, 2015

The joy of editing: Print it out!

Good evening, fellow bloggers, readers, and writers!

"A eruchin u-dano i faelas a hyn. An uben tanatha le faelas!" Translation: "Oh Children of Eru, Show them no mercy, for you shall receive none.": Last week, I had just gotten back from a trip to Minneapolis and was therefore was unable to write a post for 'The Joy of Editing' series. So this week you will be getting two!

Last post we talked about the macro-edits: rewriting and making the major changes that need to be made to move you to the next step.

So let's say you've written the first draft, and gone through it again, following the steps we went over in the recent post.

Now...though your draft is most likely still a bit sloppy, you should have a much better structured piece to work with as you dive into it once again. But...before you do...take a break. It's very important to set aside a project after you've written and rewritten. You're brain not only needs a rest, but next time you bring it up, you want to be able to look at it with fresh eyes. You'll be able to notice and catch things that you might not if you dig right back into it immediately after you've completed your macro-edits.

After you've taken a few days, a week, or however long a break you need...what's next?

Print it out!

Here are three proofreading programs and services that you can access online to save yourself a little time when proofreading.: I actually had never printed out a manuscript before until recently while working on my WIP, 'Moments in Time'. I had heard it recommended by other writers, but the thought of using up so much ink for something incomplete that is only going to be scribbled on, didn't sound appealing.

But as I have written so many drafts for this project, I wanted to do everything I could to make sure this book is not just entertaining and compelling, but properly written and edited, sticking to the fiction fundamentals in order to be published.

After going through the steps we've already covered in this series, I decided, maybe I should print it out. The more I read about other writers doing it, I was convinced it was a good idea. (I recommend not printing the whole thing at once if you have more than 100 pages. Depending on your printer, it might run as slow as a snail if you do that. I learned this the hard way....)

What are the benefits of printing out your draft? Well for one thing, there's something satisfying about marking it up with your red pen. When you hold the printed version in your hands, it's much easier to spot grammar mistakes, typos, weak paragraphs or scenes, etc...especially after you've already typed and read it on the computer.

First drafts... and the importance of every edit thereafter. Darcy Pattison quote on writing: Also, when you edit by hand, those changes stay in your mind clearer and longer than if you were to type them out.

So! After you've printed the manuscript, and maybe have read through the whole thing, now get out the pen, and mark everything you notice that needs to be changed. Take notes of what to look for. Keep your eye out for mistakes, weaknesses and strengths in every area: characters, setting, plot and so on.

Be sure to take your time. Read slowly and carefully, so you won't miss anything. This step may take a while, but it's going to help for when you get back on your computer and make those changes!

After this, we only have one post left of this series! I will be talking about cleaning up and preparing that final draft!

But for now, get out that pen, and start scribbling! Good luck...and happy editing!

Wednesday, October 14, 2015

The Joy of Editing: Macro-Edits

Happy Wednesday, everyone!

3 stages of editing: Did you know that most first time authors rewrite their book at least six times? If someone would have told me that several years ago, I would have been incredibly discouraged! AT LEAST SIX TIMES? That is like painting a picture, not being happy with it, painting it again, changing the style a little, but still not liking it...and then starting over once again, and repainting until it can't get any better.


I think this is why it's so easy for an aspiring writer to give up after just the first draft, or sometimes even before that! It's when a writer knows how much work and practice it's going to take, and pursue it anyway, that they have a good chance to complete and publish their work.

I hope this post will help you as you work on the big macro-editing stage of your project. Once again, these are tips I have learned from practice, research, studying, and having my WIP, Moments in Time professionally edited before I started the massive rewrite.

If you plotted, made an outline, did your research, got to know your characters, did some proof reading and editing while writing that first draft...and perhaps have rewritten the project fresh in a new document, then the next step is to go back and make the big changes. These include:

    Writing well takes perseverance, but it's worth it!:
  • Cutting: There is a good chance you'll be cutting quite a lot while working on this stage. It can be a little painful especially if you remember how long it took you to write a particular event or scene. (I cut 8,000 words while working on my most recent draft of Moments in Time.) But it is quite necessary. To know what to cut, ask yourself if it fits in with the plot. If you are writing fiction, and the scene seems out of place and does not draw your characters closer to where they should be in the end, then readers will either be bored or confused. 
  • Rewriting: This in a way fits in with the 'cutting' part. You may need to delete a whole scene or chapter just to rewrite it again so it fits in with the plot. Look for plot holes or characters you introduced early on, then forgot about, and rewrite so the story is complete. Keep rewriting until it's just right. Did you know J.K. Rowling rewrote the opening chapter of The Sorcerer's Stone a total of fifteen times before continuing to the next chapter?
  • Character accuracy: This is a good time to go back and make sure your characters stay consistent according to their personality and background story. Ask yourself, "Would this person really say this, do this or react this way in this kind of situation?" Characters should also grow and change for the better by the end of the book, while staying real and likable to the reader. 
  • Check the pace: Don't rush scenes! If a scene seems rushed, go back through it and add words and detail to keep things moving at the right pace, and so the readers will understand what is going on. At the same time, make sure the story isn't moving too slow. Hook the readers at the end of each chapter, so they can't put the book down.
After you've gone through and made the most drastic changes by cutting rewriting, etc, then the road ahead will begin to look a little smoother! But after you've completed this step in your writing project, set it aside, go get some ice cream, and celebrate! 

It takes a lot of guts rewrite and cut out scenes that took you hours to write! A writers life can be a bit painful at times, but it sure is rewarding. Never lose sight of what your novel or craft is going to look like when it's finally complete! 

Wednesday, October 7, 2015

The Joy of Editing: The First Draft


While I researched the subject of editing, it was interesting to see the variety of different methods each writer uses. Some go through the entire first draft without editing at all. They just write, write, write, without worrying about plot holes, grammar, or other mistakes. They save that for the next draft.
Other writers will write a chapter, then go back, proofread, edit, and continue to the next. In my opinion, I don't think there's necessarily a wrong way in going about it, as long as you have plotted and outlined beforehand so you will be working with some sort of structure, instead of just writing whatever comes to your head. 

Writing North Idaho: Witty Sayings about Writing:

Today I will be talking about producing the first draft in a way that will make the rewriting, editing, and revisions just a tad less painful than they could be. Just remember, that first draft, no matter what, is always going to be rough. The following tips are just ways that have helped me get the draft to where it needs to be before I renovate. :)

Before you begin your draft, make sure you...

  • Research/Plot. Since I became a copywriter, I've learned how crucially important it is to learn every single detail about the subject you are writing. If you are writing copy for a product, you need to know the history of the product, who will be buying it, what makes it better than its competition, and how it will make the prospect's life better. The same goes for writing fiction. If you don't know where your story is going, who your characters truly are, and how to describe the setting...then you don't have the proper structure you need to begin your draft. Whether you are writing a story or an article, get to know what and who you are writing about. Then plan out how you are going to put it together.
And that leads us to...
  • Create a thorough outline. Some writers outline every chapter of their book. I usually divide my story into three scenes. The opening, the middle, and the close. I write all the events I want to happen and put them into the scenes they belong. The order of the events often change, and many of them get cut out, while I add different events and happenings that are more appropriate and help gear the story into the direction it needs to go. So while your outline will most likely change quite a bit, it's still very important to have a good idea of where the story is headed. While writing an article, essay, newsletter, blog post, etc., it's also important to create an outline before you begin. That will make the actual writing process come along much smoother and easier.
Then you will be ready to...
  • Get to know your characters. Way back in January, I wrote a post about knowing your characters inside and out. You can read it here: Why you should know your characters inside and out.... Before writing your first draft you should know your characters' backstory, their strengths, weaknesses, what they will encounter during the story, and how they will handle conflict. While you are writing the first draft, keep in mind their personality and backstory, so you can help them grow in a way that is believable.
And last but not least...
  • Edit while you write. I know that it is very common advice to write the first draft and worry about the editing later. But I have found that if I do absolutely no editing or proofreading while I'm working on that first draft, I am going to have one ugly job while working on the revisions. A first draft itself is already sloppy enough even while doing a little editing here and there while you're working on it. What I usually do, is write a few chapters then go back and make some major changes if needed. This keeps the story fresh in my mind so I won't forget about subplots and secondary characters. I don't worry about grammar and dialogue so much, because I know I'll fix that later on. 
 Like I mentioned above, there are many different methods of getting that first draft written down. Some might find it easier to get through it without the worry of any editing until later. 

What kind of methods do you use while you prepare and write your first draft? Do you edit at all while working on it, or do you save that till the next draft? I am so looking forward to hearing any tips you have to producing a good first draft!

October Blog Series..."The Joy of Editing"

Good afternoon, readers! Are you all as excited as I am that October is here? As our dear Anne Shirley says, "I'm so glad I live in a world where there are Octobers." The trees are beginning to change from summery green to an enchanting golden, red, and orange. It's that time of year to get out the cozy sweaters, sip apple cider, and breathe in the fresh, cool autumn air!

Being the beginning of the month, this also means a new blog post series! To be honest, I had a hard time deciding on what this series was going to be. Not that I couldn't think of any. There were several subjects I wanted to cover actually, and couldn't decide which one to talk about this month.

Well, after contemplating a while, I decided to choose to write a series on editing. I know a lot of writers have the same goal as me to finish up a project or two by the end of the year. And if you are one of those writers, you are most likely at the editing stage right now.

This series will be geared towards both fiction and non-fiction writers. The posts will apply to anyone who is writing a fully length novel, a short story, an article, essay, etc. I will be sharing tips I've learned on my own and tips I've learned from other and wiser writers.

You know you're a writer when... - Writers Write: I will be honest by saying, editing and I have a love-hate relationship. It feels so good to cut out all the bad stuff. But it's also such a tedious and painful task, having to go back over and over again, trying to decide what will make the project the best it can be, and going over all the 'rules' and 'principals' that need to be applied.

Yes, it's not always very fun! But editing is obviously a very important part of honing your skills, and developing your writing into a tight, well written, and arousing piece of art.

Stay tuned for the first post of 'The Joy of Editing'. It will be posted on here by tonight!