The editing process has always been tough for me, and I’ve discovered it’s that way for many other writers. We all love to put things down on the printed page, but that editing… sigh… just takes time. One thing I know, though: the editing process can make all the difference in the world on whether a book sells or simply sits inside your computer as the query letters pile up. As a television newswriter with often an hourly deadline to meet, I learned that no matter what, it paid to take the time to edit. In recent years, having given classes on editing, I know this whole process should be simple, but every book is different and every book needs editing in a different way. With all that in mind, here are some ideas and tips for editing your own book:
Edit carefully. To me, the editing process must go through at least three passes. First, I look for obvious mistakes, misspellings, name mistakes where one character is Harry at the beginning and Jeff by the ending. Perhaps the name of the closest town undergoes a name change.
Edit more than once. In the next pass, I look at the basics and mechanics of writing. Yes, some of that can be done with a simple editing program, but I suggest being more careful and doing the job on your own. That means learning and knowing the basic rules of grammar, which is always good for any writer. Learn the rules and make a steady practice of using them and knowing your weak points. That not only helps with your current book but any book you might write in the future.
The next pass is for polishing. Could something be phrased better? Does the writing sing? Where are the passages where I struggled? Did I finally succeed in getting the words just right? If there were things you wanted fixed, do it now.
Read your book out loud. The final pass in editing is one of the most important. I usually suggest that writers complete the process by re-reading your manuscript out loud and listening to the words. Why? Very simple. If you stumble over reading a word or a sentence, you will notice. Does the sentence need to be rewritten? Is it so long you lose your place halfway through? Did you stumble over a misspelled word or grammatical error? Does the sentence make sense or confuse you even while you read it?
Reading out loud can help you pick out words that might be misspelled, awkward phrasing or missing words. It is also useful for dealing with dialogue and whether it makes sense or sounds stilted. Yes, it might seem odd to have to do this, but believe me, I have always found it valuable. Reading back a story out loud is the ONE thing I suggest to writers when they do any writing—whether it is a book, or even something as simple as this blog. For years when I was working as a television newswriter I almost always re-read my copy out loud before it went to the anchor or reporter. It was one of the early suggestions I received from a wise old news guy, and I never forgot the lesson. I did that in a busy newsroom with other people around and as a result I got used to reading EVERYTHING I write out loud. (Yes, I even read this blog out loud– with only the cats listening—and that reading helped me catch a couple of missing words!) In the newsroom most of us did it because we knew our words were going to be read by a reporter or anchorman and the sentence couldn’t afford to be confusing. We couldn’t afford to make simple mistakes that might trip up a person who could be reading the copy for the first time live on the air with thousands of viewers watching. It had to make sense coming out of the anchor or reporter’s mouth. That’s what you want for your readers.
This is even more true for writing dialogue. The words should sound as though they were spoken by the hero and the heroine. No one speaks alike so by reading your story out loud, you can hear the words your hero and heroine are speaking and whether they sound different.
Soon I will finish my latest book. Doesn’t that sound great? After months of research, months of planning and many more months of writing, it is finally about to go out the door.
While it is great to finally be able to think about sending it off in an email to my editor, it is still sad, scary and with a note of trepidation that I will hit the send key on my computer and know that it is gone. Will it be good enough for the editor to immediately send me the final okay? Will she want more work or changes?
Heavy sigh… Who knows?
One thing I know—I will be happy to be finished with the editing process. And that’s why I am discussing it today. A good job of editing can make all the difference in the world on whether a book sells or sits inside your computer. Having given classes on editing, this whole process should be simple to me, but every book is different and every book needs editing in a different way.
As stated earlier, the editing process has helped me as I finish my next book—number three in what I call the Dead Man Trilogy—a series set on a ranch in New Mexico.
Here are the blurbs for my first two book in the series:
When tabloid reporter Cere Medina decides to dig into the mysterious cold case death of Marco Gonzales, she hopes it will save her career. Instead, she unearths enough secrets to make a small town explode. Not to mention putting her on the wrong side of the town's fascinating sheriff.
Sheriff Rafe Tafoya doesn't need anyone digging up the past. He's come back to his hometown of Rio Rojo, New Mexico seeking peace and quiet. But Cere's arrival puts his town--and his heart--in danger.
Behind it all lurks the ghostly presence of Marco, who has everyone playing by a dead man's rules...
Good luck with your editing!
Any comments or questions? I always love to hear from readers.
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