editing

erikadprice: Editing Tips for Fuckups

erikadprice:

As an academic and an incompetent amateur writer, I spend a lot of time editing written work — maybe more time than I spend actually writing shit. I’ve torn my own work to shreds and given feedback on dozens of undergraduate and graduate papers, personal statements, and applications; I’ve edited…

Erika had an amazing story in the last issue of The Yeah Write Review, and wrote one on representing racial minorities for the forthcoming Issue 03, and she’s a fantastically talented writer and you should therefore read this and LISTEN TO EVERYTHING SHE SAYS.

And for real, these are really good editing tips.

amandaonwriting:

Four Types of Book Editing

1. Developmental Editing

Any or all of the following:

  • Working with the client and, usually, the author of a book or other document to develop a manuscript from initial concept, outline, or draft (or some combination of the three) through any number of subsequent drafts
  • making suggestions about content, organization, and presentation, based on analysis of competing works, comments of expert reviewers, the client’s market analysis, and other appropriate references
  • rewriting, writing, and researching, as needed, and sometimes suggesting topics or providing information about topics for consideration of authors and client.

2. Substantive Editing

Improving a manuscript in any or all of the following ways:

  • identifying and solving problems of overall clarity or accuracy
  • reorganizing paragraphs, sections, or chapters to improve the order in which the text is presented
  • writing or rewriting segments of text to improve readability and flow of information
  • revising any or all aspects of the text to improve its presentation
  • consulting with others about issues of concern
  • incorporating responses to queries and suggestions creating a new draft of the document

3. Copy Editing (sometimes called line editing).

Any or all of the following:

  • correcting spelling, grammar, punctuation, syntax, and word usage while preserving the meaning and voice of the original text
  • checking for or imposing a consistent style and format
  • preparing a style sheet that documents style and format
  • reading for overall clarity and sense on behalf of the prospective audience
  • querying the appropriate party about apparent errors or inconsistencies
  • noting permissions needed to publish copyrighted material 
  • preparing a manuscript for the next stage of the publication process
  • cross-checking references, art, figures, tables, equations, and other features for consistency with their mentions in the text

4. Proofreading. Comparing the latest stage of text with the preceding stage, marking discrepancies in text, and, when appropriate, checking for problems in page makeup, layout, color separation, or type.

Proofreading may also include one or more of the following:

  • checking proof against typesetting specifications
  • querying or correcting errors or inconsistencies that may have escaped an editor or writer
  • reading for typographical errors or for sense without reading against copy

Definitions from Freelance Editorial Association

From Writers Write

(via writeworld)


vickytorious:
About editing -- get a beta-reader that you trust and will give you good feedback. Give them a paper copy and tell them to take a highlighter to the passages that go slowly, so you know where to trim the fat. To keep continuity, have a sheet of paper for each main character, and as you reread, write down the little factoids about them that you've littered through the novel. It helps to see if you've been inconsistent. :)

This in response to this question from the other day.

All relevant answers are tagged editing.

vagrantmuse:
For the nanowrimo editing ask, I'm a huge fan of creating outlines and, essentially, replanning the story right from the beginning. Before you delve too deeply into your work, it's helpful to assess which details you can remember most clearly so you can differentiate between main and side plots and also determine which scenes and characters may be disposable later in the editing process. Breaking it up into smaller acts and creating character profiles will also make things easier.

I’m definitely not usually an outliner (I like to know the beginning and the end, and the fun is getting myself from point A to point B), but I feel like with a longer piece my process should be 1. write a horrendous, all over the place draft 2. back away, reassess, write an outline 3. place the salvageable original content into said outline 4. flesh out the missing pieces. I don’t think I could make an outline before spitting out a first draft because actually writing that draft made me have to confront so many things about the story that I never would have thought to before I actually started writing. It also makes some aspects of the story and plot points come out more organically.

This in response to this question from last night.

All relevant answers are tagged editing.

magicbunni:
After I finish a draft, I read it back for sense and cohesion. If stuff is missing, I add, or note, it. I correct grammar and spelling. All chapters and scenes have to work to a goal (main plot or subplot). I usually cut anything gratuitous (not pointing at my goals) now. This early on (my first pass) is a good time to ask myself "Is this boring?" or "Is this character unlikable?" Basically, first pass is a good time to start identifying big problems, noting them, and thinking how to fix them.

This in response to this question from earlier.

All relevant answers are tagged editing.

pinstripedjackalope:
On editing longer pieces--I am currently doing the same, and what I've found to be helpful is to make lists. List your major plot shifts, list characters and their traits, list how things are supposed to work, list problems, etc. It's helping me!

This in response to this question from earlier.

All relevant answers are tagged editing.

lifeiswritable:
In response to the ask about the revision process with longer manuscripts, I suggest checking out Veronica Roth's tumblr (theartofnotwriting). She has three recent blog post that are incredibly insightful about how she's going about the revision process with her final book in the Divergent trilogy. Good luck! I worry for the day revisions begin with my current manuscript. :)

This in response to this question from earlier.

All relevant answers are tagged editing.

inwhichifeelallthefeels:
So, to that editing question (and there’s a lot of info, so this is coming in 3 or 4 messages, I hope that is all right.) Revising: First, I like to have a printed hard copy. For plot, I go through the novel and make sticky notes with every single major plot point that actually exists in the writing and put them on my wall. Then look at the plot points to see where the gaps and mix ups are and make sticky notes of a different color and throw them up there too, so I know what I have to work with.

I do a lot of the same thing for the characters too, like I’ll have a sheet of paper for each character and I’ll write down traits as I come across them when I read through the novel and make sure there aren’t any that are conflicting or don’t make sense and I’ll mark them if there are. (I keep page numbers where the trait appeared for reference) I usually only do all of this once, but sometimes more. NaNo pieces usually take at least two go throughs. When I actually do the rewriting thing, unless the plot has changed a huge amount, I keep the original file open on half of my computer screen and the document that I’m rewriting into open on the other half. I basically rewrite it page by page. If it still feels off to me, I’ll go through the whole process again, but I’ve only ever had to do that once. Then I start letting other people read it.

This in response to this question from earlier.

All relevant answers are tagged editing.

skkeogh:
Find a couple of good beta readers and/or a serious critique group (but be prepared to have a thick skin and an opened mind). It is best if you find readers who read and/or write within your genre.

I personally think I’d like to do a couple of rounds of self edits, until it’s at the point where I’m okay with it but need other eyes. But maybe that’s just me.

This in response to this question from earlier.

All relevant answers are tagged editing.

proverbial-sunrise:
I've only ever fully edited one of my NaNo novels so I may not have the best advice, but this is what I did: I had the whole thing printed and coilbound and then I read it over with a red pen and made notes and changes. The downside is it costs money, but the upside is mistakes are usually easier to catch on paper and it forces you to start at the beginning. Also, get it printed one-sided so you have the back sides of the pages to make really big changes (which you will need to do, I promise).

This in response to this question from earlier.

All relevant answers are tagged editing.

wordsofthequiet:
Regarding editing: I wrote, edited, and self-published my novel and I'm much better at editing for character, plot, etc. than I am for sentence structure (the opposite of most, I think). My first tip is to read through once, twice, or three times taking vigorous notes on the plot and characters. Would someone else understand why something is happening? Why the character is acting that way? Try to pretend you know nothing about it. Have someone else read it, too. For more help, send me an ask

This in response to this question from earlier.

All relevant answers are tagged editing.

scr1ptor:
Do you have any advice for revising/rewriting a novel? I’m fixing up my NaNoWriMo novel, but I have no clue where to start. The storyline, the characters, everything needs working on. It’s so overwhelming!

I’m actually having this problem too. I’m the type of writer who usually has to edit more for sentence structure than plot/characters, but obviously that changes when you’re dealing with a piece of writing as long as a NaNo. My story has huge chunks missing, continuity errors, questionable plot aspects that I haven’t finalized yet… all kinds of things that I feel like I need to address first before I even need to think about line editing.

If there are any yeah writers out there who have experienced editing longer form works, I’d love to hear what works for you—if you have a system, or an anecdote you’d be willing to share, or there’s something that really helped you when you were editing something—let us know by sending an ask!

This and all relevant answers will be tagged editing.

yahighway:

Now that NaNoWriMo is over, what’s next? We’re kicking off Revisions December by sharing our approach to edits.

Yesssss I needed this so badly.

December’s going to be Editing Month on Yeah Write too.