Friday, March 22, 2019

Self-Editing


How do you self-edit your books before submitting or publishing? What sort of feedback do want for from an editor when you use one? How has an editor improved your writing in the past?
Another interesting topic and one I’m sure we have all gone through. It might also be of interest to readers to see how we try and publish the best possible book. The process for my self-editing starts by writing the first draft. I usually write the book without editing as I go. Then I go back and read through it and make changes. When I finish the second writing, I run it through spell-check. After that I use Autocrit to pick up more spelling, grammar and formatting errors.  Then I read it through, out loud for most of it.  After that I send it to an editor for her critique and input. When she returns it, I go through and make all the corrections and send it off to my beta reader who does a critique for spelling and grammar. I make the corrections when she sends it back and that’s it.

I do use an editor. I’m looking for concept and any major issues she sees – telling instead of showing, character’s eyes change color part-way through the story, anything that might pull a reader out of the story, obvious punctuation errors I may have missed, and her general comments about the flow of the story, characterizations, etc. Basically I’m looking for anything that will make my book better for my readers.  

Often an editor will include a sheet of editing tips which I review, and it does help as I self edit and review my story.
Looking forward to reading and learning how authors handle this.
Skye Taylor http://www.skye-writer.com/blogging_by_the_sea
Diane Bator http://dbator.blogspot.ca/
Connie Vines http://mizging.blogspot.com/
Anne Stenhouse  http://annestenhousenovelist.wordpress.com/
A.J. Maguire  http://ajmaguire.wordpress.com/
Dr. Bob Rich https://wp.me/p3Xihq-1yE
Victoria Chatham http://www.victoriachatham.com
Helena Fairfax http://www.helenafairfax.com/blog
Judith Copek http://lynx-sis.blogspot.com/
Rhobin L Courtright http://www.rhobincourtright.com

12 comments:

  1. A fresh set if eyes is always a good idea. No matter how many times we edit our own work, there always remain things we didn't see. Even when I've gotten it back from a copy editor, I've found mistakes they didn't catch. It's a hard job for anyone.

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    1. You're so right, Skye. And then when it's published someone always finds one more we didn't catch.

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  2. It took me some time to accept that my writing was not perfect and I needed other sets of eyes to put me on the right path! Bless my critique partners, they are gold.

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  3. Critique partners are wonderful. I used to have a couple, but they moved on.

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  4. I thought I'd posted earlier, but obviously didn't press the right buttons. You are right about reading the manuscript aloud, sound often clearly marks the mistakes. Good post, thanks.

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  5. Yes reading aloud is a must. Great post!

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  6. Hi Beverley, How brave to do that first draft without editing as you go. I've only managed it, and partially, once with Bella's Betrothal. It did give the book a lot of energy, but I found it hard to ignore all the red! anne

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    1. LOL! I'm not sure it's brave. When I start writing I find I want to keep moving ahead and finding out where the story is going. If I edit, the flow stops.

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  7. Thanks for the tip abut Autocrit. I have never used it but will give it a try. You obviously think hiring an editor is worthwhile. Not sure I can afford one, but will think harder about it. Good post.

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