Start Editing
You thought writing your novel or short story was hard enough but I have found editing to be even more challenging. Have you ever done any editing? If you have how do you feel about it? Now you have got to the end of your work take a few days to savour this accomplishment because it’s a big deal. You have done what many people set out to do but few finish. Congratulations. Take a bow.
Ok now comes the frustratingly hard bit; editing. What to leave in and what to take out. A word to the wise here; NEVER DELETE ANY THING! Instead cut it out and put it onto another file just in case you ever need it again. I have had a few instates when I wish I had done this.
You make think editing is not your job and the publishers will do this. Sorry to disappoint you but they only do the last editing if you get a contract but to get it anywhere near good enough to be accepted either to an agent or publisher you are going to have to edit it. You will need to do this at least twenty times before it may be ready to submit. Twenty times I hear you cry. Yes I’m afraid so but there is some help out there in cyber space. I have recently come across an editing program called Prowriting aid which will do the basics for you. Things like spelling, punctuation, and gramma, which other sites like Scrivener and Grammy do. However this one tells you things like how many times you use the same word (which is a bit of a shock) and many more helpful tips to improve your writing.
I have also found if I read my edited version out loud as it is easier to get an idea of the flow and if it works. It also helps you sort out plot errors like a character being in two places at the same time, which happened in one of my novels! Once you have got any plotting problems sorted then go onto these different programs to sort out the structure and once you’ve done this many times get a good friend to read it and try to get them to give you some honest feed back. This is not easy but at least you are giving them a hopefully, error free manuscript to read. Ask them if the plot hangs together and what characters they like or hate as this is all good to know.
This whole process takes almost as long as it did to write the book but it has to been done thoroughly or all your hard work will be rejected.
Good Luck!
You thought writing your novel or short story was hard enough but I have found editing to be even more challenging. Have you ever done any editing? If you have how do you feel about it? Now you have got to the end of your work take a few days to savour this accomplishment because it’s a big deal. You have done what many people set out to do but few finish. Congratulations. Take a bow.
Ok now comes the frustratingly hard bit; editing. What to leave in and what to take out. A word to the wise here; NEVER DELETE ANY THING! Instead cut it out and put it onto another file just in case you ever need it again. I have had a few instates when I wish I had done this.
You make think editing is not your job and the publishers will do this. Sorry to disappoint you but they only do the last editing if you get a contract but to get it anywhere near good enough to be accepted either to an agent or publisher you are going to have to edit it. You will need to do this at least twenty times before it may be ready to submit. Twenty times I hear you cry. Yes I’m afraid so but there is some help out there in cyber space. I have recently come across an editing program called Prowriting aid which will do the basics for you. Things like spelling, punctuation, and gramma, which other sites like Scrivener and Grammy do. However this one tells you things like how many times you use the same word (which is a bit of a shock) and many more helpful tips to improve your writing.
I have also found if I read my edited version out loud as it is easier to get an idea of the flow and if it works. It also helps you sort out plot errors like a character being in two places at the same time, which happened in one of my novels! Once you have got any plotting problems sorted then go onto these different programs to sort out the structure and once you’ve done this many times get a good friend to read it and try to get them to give you some honest feed back. This is not easy but at least you are giving them a hopefully, error free manuscript to read. Ask them if the plot hangs together and what characters they like or hate as this is all good to know.
This whole process takes almost as long as it did to write the book but it has to been done thoroughly or all your hard work will be rejected.
Good Luck!