tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3085903023777323950.post1611266143839893256..comments2023-06-04T08:18:05.065-04:00Comments on Starving Novelist: Getting Through the Editing ProcessSara Furlong-Burrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14893391101864117298noreply@blogger.comBlogger11125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3085903023777323950.post-3054856714836412542012-03-10T12:58:30.078-05:002012-03-10T12:58:30.078-05:00I love editing. Just one of those who thinks polis...I love editing. Just one of those who thinks polishing the silver is fun. My greatest influence was the editor I hired to troubleshoot my second novel. Just by looking at the way she re-ordered sentences and restored the flow, I learned to do that for myself. As for spelling, mine is fairly good, but even then things slip through after 3, 4 times of reading the same mss over and over and over - that's the part I hate.Sarahhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15557451101867739615noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3085903023777323950.post-77524939812372159732012-03-07T17:43:19.048-05:002012-03-07T17:43:19.048-05:00I have written 13 chapters of my book and I have g...I have written 13 chapters of my book and I have gone back to the first two and boy, do they need re edited.....Also following you, follow me if you wish at:<br /><br />http://thewrongplaceatthewrongtime.blogspot.com/<br /><br />Nice to meet you....<br /><br />Dave PerlmutterDave Perlmutterhttp://thewrongplaceatthewrongtime.blogspot.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3085903023777323950.post-10490731661802787602012-02-11T00:50:38.843-05:002012-02-11T00:50:38.843-05:00Its 5.43 in Madeira and blog hopping and came acro...Its 5.43 in Madeira and blog hopping and came across yours and very happy to do so. Love this post, made me smile, even at this time of the morning, why am I up..only went to bed 4 hours ago. Anyway, my editor and I had a chat yesterday and we were going thru they whys and no's about editing and thankfully she loves it of course. I am a first time writer, 9 chapters in and I have re read them and changed them, its so true what you say. I will keep following your blog, very interesting. My blog, oh the story is based on true events is at http://thewrongplaceatthewrongtime.blogspot.com<br /><br />Follow and comment on the first chapter if you wish...<br /><br />Good luck with the baby, not long now....Dave P Perlmutterhttp://thewrongplaceatthewrongtime.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3085903023777323950.post-13857043231745572902012-02-08T16:41:00.375-05:002012-02-08T16:41:00.375-05:00It's difficult - i actually like my story and ...It's difficult - i actually like my story and i find myself reading it rather than critiquing it, particularly the last bits that i haven't read a million times already. having left it alone for a while i can see bits that were important at the time but not nowPeter Johnstonehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14632985885571023385noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3085903023777323950.post-41422329892023247462012-01-25T23:04:27.966-05:002012-01-25T23:04:27.966-05:00Sarah-That's a good idea. This is the second ...Sarah-That's a good idea. This is the second time I've gone through my book and I know that, know matter how many times I go through it, I'm still going to miss things. Thank god I'm not a huge perfectionist.<br /><br />Christine-I agree. The first drive is more like an outlline. Real writing is born through editing.<br /><br />James-I always try to keep the drinks handy. Some people actually like the editing process. Those people baffle the holy heck out of me, lol. I think my problem is that I like to finish a project and move on too quickly.<br /><br />Ross-Thanks for dropping by. No matter how hard I try, I don't think I'll ever get into editing, lol. I too have a few books on editing that I reference while I'm going through my book/stories. It kills me how long it takes and makes me wonder how some writers can churn out a new book every six months. Craziness, I say.<br /><br />Marsha-Oh, I'm telling you, you can smell mine a mile away. Like you, I too usually only have time to write on weekends or days off of work. I also tend to stay up way too late at night and pay for it heavily at work the next day. I keep telling myself that someday this writing thing is going to pay off and all the sleep deprivation will have been worth it.<br /><br />Jessica-My daughter is due on February 29. :-) However, according to my docs, she will most likely be here earlier than that. I agree with you on editing your own work. I tend to be way too hard on myself and focus on things that probably aren't a big deal all while missing the obvious, glaring errors in the process. Have you ever tried beta readers. I've had my book beta read and the feedback was outstanding.Sara Furlong-Burrhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14893391101864117298noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3085903023777323950.post-81098841952597652822012-01-24T13:55:38.046-05:002012-01-24T13:55:38.046-05:00When are you due? My little bambino is supposed t...When are you due? My little bambino is supposed to grace us with her presence by March 6th. :)<br /><br />I'm horrible at editing my own work. I love editing others' writing, but mine... definitely not so much.<br /><br />My problem is that when I go back through my own writing, I either miss the obvious errors, or I get so stuck on the little things that I'm in danger of just rewriting the whole manuscript.<br /><br />I agree with you about putting it away for a few months and then coming back to it. For me, the biggest advantage to this is that I'm not quite so emotionally attached to the writing by that point. :)Jessicahttp://www.jessicaschmeidler.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3085903023777323950.post-34959554195240019152012-01-24T04:06:58.340-05:002012-01-24T04:06:58.340-05:00I actually like editing. But then, every circumsta...I actually like editing. But then, every circumstance is different. Working full time, I can only write on weekends and holidays. Once the first draft is finished, I feel much more in control. <br />Now that I know where the story is going, I can go back and tinker during the small bits of time I have. <br />You are absolutely right about letting the first draft sit for a few months. And it is definitely a stinker when it comes back out of the drawer!marsha corneliushttp://mrcornelius.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3085903023777323950.post-4407481754895911522012-01-19T03:36:47.035-05:002012-01-19T03:36:47.035-05:00Hey Sara. Very good piece. I've self-edited th...Hey Sara. Very good piece. I've self-edited three of my books so far and have come to actually enjoy the process. I tend to let the first draft cool for a month or so and go off and either read or scribble shorts. Then I load it up on the Kindle and read it like a book. That's mainly to get the flow, plot, dialogue rythmn etc. This generally leads to plot tweaks, chopped scenes and added/ rewritten bits.<br />Then I do the grammar, spelling and style cull (killing the adverbs and verbosity)- I used the Browne Self-Editing for Fiction Writers book. <br />Final read through, then I usually get two or three friends to read it... first book had about six versions! <br />Cheers, RossRoss M Kitsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15328214670002553096noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3085903023777323950.post-69224715389423866632012-01-17T22:15:33.414-05:002012-01-17T22:15:33.414-05:00Hi, Sara. I heard there was Vodka today, so here I...Hi, Sara. I heard there was Vodka today, so here I am!! *grins* Not really. I'll stick with this one glass of White Zin.<br />Great post. Very witty and very true. <br />I don't know whether I like the editing process. I guess I just go with the flow. I'll have to get back to you on that. My edits on my second novel should drop into my e-mail any day now.<br />Take care.<br /><br />-JimmyJames Garcia Jrhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00559119178720751963noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3085903023777323950.post-77302495973783631882012-01-17T06:38:38.607-05:002012-01-17T06:38:38.607-05:00I think everyone hates editing. Which writer was i...I think everyone hates editing. Which writer was it who said that all writing is editing? The first draft gives you shape, the real stuff comes after that.Christine Murrayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08168406879681616375noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3085903023777323950.post-72152004156202671132012-01-17T03:30:01.986-05:002012-01-17T03:30:01.986-05:00The story I'm editing now is my first 'pro...The story I'm editing now is my first 'proper' attempt at editing. So far, I've dealt with specific issues. After that, I think it will be chapter by chapter.Sarah Tokeleyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13273148070092101085noreply@blogger.com