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Revising/Editing Advice and Links

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  • Exuro
    Member
     
    January 25, 2016

    So I don't have a very clear plan when I edit my writing, so I thought to start a discussion where people can pool ideas and sources.

    Right now I usually write the story, wait at least a night read it aloud make changes where it snags. I check continuity, if it's still adhering to my outline, and for some errors I'm starting to notice I'm prone to. I repeat this a few times with long breaks between passes until I feel it's good enough. This is all fairly general, so I'm looking for techniques to really dig into the editing phase.

    I would like to hear about other people's processes and share any link or sources you find helpful in the comments.

  • Exuro
    Member
     
    January 25, 2016

    25 Editing Tips for Tightening Your Copy: One of the many how-to lists out there, but this one I found more specific than most

    Check List for Editors/ theeditorsblog.net: All about reviewing fiction. It breaks down a story into its big-picture and detail elements, then provides a nice list of questions to consider for each. The rest of the site is worth a good browse as well.

  • Exuro
    Member
     
    January 26, 2016

    Zeroing in on Words/ theeditorsblog.net: Ya, I'm liking this site. This one is about how word choice affects the focus and tone of the sentence, guiding the reader's attention and distance to the events.

  • Sotek
    Member
     
    January 26, 2016

    I've had a quick peek at this and to be honest, there's some good points here. It's worth having a look through.

    Nix "That"

    In about five percent of your sentences (total guess from the grammar police), “that” makes your idea easier to understand. In the other 95 percent, get rid of it! “I decided that journalism was a good career for me” reads better as “I decided journalism was a good career for me.”

    This is one of those duhh moments when you realise you've been doing it.

  • Exuro
    Member
     
    January 26, 2016

    Guilty too.It's amazing how much a few small tweaks can refine a sentence.

    "18. Eliminate “there is” or “there are” at the beginning of sentences" is another I'm guilty of doing.

  • Idesto
    Member
     
    January 26, 2016

    Grammatical errors & typos irritate me - as you may have noticed - so I read back my stuff slightly obsessively; too much so, I think. 

    I don't end up changing the story much, oddly: unless there's a glaring mistake. I find when I get going the story flows, & often writes itself. When finished I reread, correct typos & errors, rinse repeat until I reread and don't notice anything. Then I publish. Then reread, notice something I missed, swear, correct, rinse, repeat. Always in 1 session, or at least the same day. I don't like half-finished jobs.  As Bowie said "Always look forward, never look back".

  • The Long-Chapper
    Member
     
    January 26, 2016

    I usually read my story aloud to someone else. That helps me quite a bit. 

  • A-Pocky-Hah!
    Member
     
    January 26, 2016

    This is actually a useful site. I'm gonna try using its tips for my blogs.

    I mostly do editing and building paragraphs at the same time. When a paragraph is finished, I would double check for sentences that require a much more meaningful word.

    As for revising, I would try to read my stories from a different perspective.

  • Exuro
    Member
     
    January 26, 2016

    RIP Bowie

  • Idesto
    Member
     
    January 26, 2016

    Actually I forgot about that Lissette. I've tried doing that with my hamsters but they're not much help :)

    That's a great tip - I think I 1st read it in 1 of Okan's guides - and I've gotten out of the habit, but reading your story aloud, even just to yourself, is a great help. Thanks for the reminder. 


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