Fiction Writing

Let's try to write it

Fiction Writing - Let's try to write it

Tag Archives: self-editing

Seven Deadly Sins of Self-Editing

These tips are valuable advice for all writers.  They are from Writers Digest on-line.  If you’re a writer do not ignore them.  Presently I’m reviewing a few writing samples posted by Bookkus publishing.  Some of the writers have submitted poorly-edited pieces and are suffering for it via poor reviews from readers.  They may never get another such a great opportunity that Bookkus provides.  Writers, do your diligence, then do it again.  No 1st drafts, or 2nd, or 3rd, or ones only your mom has read.  My stories go through at least 6 or 7 by myself and then are run through my writers group.

 

Another Self-Editing Tip

Anne Enright puts it, ‘Only bad writers think that their work is really good.’

A good tip to keep your story on track is doing a re-read.  After your terribly mangled first draft divide your story up into clumps of chapters.  Print out each section.  Why print?  I believe you can edit more comfortably by settling back in a chair and using a red pen for corrections.  Your story does look better on paper.  Keep track of each chapter and look for suspense, interest, exposition, etc.  In short summarize.  Your story should appear like a ‘staircase’ graph, that is slowly going up the risers (suspense, adventure) and flattening out to give readers a breather (tread).  A peak/valley graph works well with high points being the suspense/adventure/ excitement and the valleys occur developing the story or moving it along. This can develop your pace and flow.  Many detective stories do this.  As the evidence comes in they have to analyze it, theorize, and plan their next moves.  My firefighter mystery has the fire captain and arson investigator doing this.

Re-reading also reinforces many things in your mind such as chronological order, names, and titles. It also keeps track of things you may have overlooked or forgotten in your hasty 1st draft: I thought they were there in the day, was it a blue car?  did she have on a necklace?

You really should do this because you will find stuff.  You don’t want readers tripping over speed bumps.

Best-selling novelist Michael Crichton (The Andromeda Strain, Jurassic Park) said,”Books are not written, they’re re-written.”

Loneliness of the Writer

Never tell anyone that you’re writing a book, going on a diet, exercising, taking a course, or quitting smoking. They’ll encourage you to death.
Lynn Johnston, For Better or For Worse, 07-15-06
Canadian cartoonist (1947 – )

When writing, your only friend is yourself.  It can’t be helped.  You empty your mind onto a page or screen, attempting to portray your world for others to see.  Setting rules for yourself is a good start: no distractions, no spell/grammar check function on, etc.  And especially being in the mood to write.  Sitting in front of a blank page or screen with no idea in your head is probably a waste of time.  I used to carry a notepads in my jackets and coats to jot down ideas that came to me when I walked or drove around.  It was my ‘madman’s diary’.  If I died and someone went through my pockets for ID they’d open this up and proclaim me insane as it was full of my own shorthand, scribbles, and references to other sections I ‘d already written.

First drafts are ugly because they’re supposed to be.  If you let anyone read them you’re asking for an ass-kicking.  Writing one page is a start, but not to be confused with writing a letter.  Writing a first draft of a book is an accomplishment that very few people do.  Crack the bubbly.  Now comes the hard work of editing.  Join an online critiquing site or a writers group in your area.  You need feedback, advice on everything from plot, theme, characters, dialogue, chronological order, structure, etc.  If you think you can do this on your own, forget it–you probably can’t.   Next week I’ll let you in on some self-editing you can accomplish alone.

With eBooks many writers have skipped this process and posted their work for sale.  It’s up to readers to download the samples and trash the offenders by posting negative reviews.  These reviews stay on the site forever.  You simply can’t hide bad editing.

Like the musician playing in the basement or the kid sitting in the car revving the engine, if you want some validation you have to put it in gear, play with someone.  If you don’t then you become a legend in your own mind.  When I played drums in a big band  I was always trying to recruit good players to come out to one of our practices, sit in and have some fun.  I’d meet a few people (dare I call them musicians?) with great equipment who said they can play this and that, and go on how good they are, blah, blah, blah, and make their own CDs to listen to themselves even more.  These people wouldn’t dare expose themselves to others, test their talent, and get into the dynamics with another musician.  Music is very challenging and skill levels are always tested in many aspects, but not in a basement.  They are deluding themselves.

As a writer, if you intend to take yourself seriously, you have to expose your work to others.  Self-editing is a dumb idea, as is getting critiqued by non-qualified relatives who won’t dare hurt your feelings.

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