A while back, I posted a call to all writers who wanted to share their editing tips, and Kristina Stanley volunteered. If you don’t already follow Kristina’s blog, you’re missing a real treat. So without further ado, here’s Kristina:
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Please share one to three tips or tricks that you use when editing your work, how specifically you use them, and why they work for you.
I have the computer read the words out loud to me. You can also do this with your eReader. I use this method to find where I tend to repeat words. When I read, I don’t hear the words as well. This also works for finding small words that are incorrect. It’s hard to see ‘if ‘versus ‘of’ but I can hear the difference. The computer also doesn’t allow you to skim, so you have to focus on every word.
I keep a large spreadsheet, so I can check off each area of concern per scene. For example, one column I use is called scene entry. I note whether the scene starts with dialogue, thought, action or narrative. Having each scene start in the same way could be boring for the reader and this makes me put in variety.
While editing, I check each scene to determine if it is an empty stage. I ask myself are the senses covered. Smell? Taste? Hearing? Touch? Sight? Then I ask myself does the reader know where the characters are physically. When describing the scene, I ask is the description relevant to the plot? If it’s not, maybe some of the description can be cut.
What was your biggest repeated mistake when you first started writing? What is your weakest point of editing and why?
As I mentioned above, starting a scene the same way. In the first draft of my first novel, my husband asked why each scene started in a doorway. You know the scene, when one character is coming to meet another. He thought it was pretty funny. I had a lot of reworking to do.
My weakest part of editing is finding my own errors. A second pair of eyes is invaluable.
Have you used any editing methods previously that just didn’t work for you? If so, what were they and why didn’t they work?
I’ve read the advice to read your work backward. This never worked for me. I tend to nod off at the boredom.
Please tell us something about your current work in progress or your most recent completed work (or both), and tell us where we can purchase your book(s).
I just released DESCENT (Imajin Books, July 2015). DESCENT is the first in the Stone Mountain Mystery Series. BLAZE the second in the series is due out this fall. Below is a short description of DESCENT. If you’re interested you can buy it at: myBook.to/Descent
When Kalin Thompson is promoted to Director of Security at Stone Mountain Resort, she soon becomes entangled in the high-profile murder investigation of an up-and-coming Olympic-caliber skier. There are more suspects with motives than there are gates on the super-G course, and danger mounts with every turn.
Kalin’s boss orders her to investigate. Her boyfriend wants her to stay safe and let the cops do their job. Torn between loyalty to friends and professional duty, Kalin must look within her isolated community to unearth the killer’s identity.
Rachel, thank you for hosting this blog. I look forward to getting and collecting other editing ideas from your readers. There is always more to learn.
Kristina Stanley
You can find me at: Blog | @StanleyKMS | Facebook | LinkedIn | Google+
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Thank you, Kristina, for such awesome tips! Now, who’s up next? If you’re game, please contact me at:
Rachel, thanks for hosting my editing tips. Your blog is a great place to learn about editing from other authors and create a collection of tips. Good idea you had!
Thank you, Kristina! I appreciate you sharing your advice. 🙂
Reblogged this on KRISTINA STANLEY and commented:
Novelist Rachel Carrera had this awesome idea to collect editing tips from authors and share them with the world. Check out her blog for tips from me and other authors. Thanks Rachel.
Thank you for the reblog! 🙂
Great stuff today. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks for stopping by and commenting.
Thank you for visiting! 🙂
I was thinking about you today. Nice to hear from you again.
Wow, Kristina…a scene spreadsheet — that is labour intensive!
Rachel, I’m game to be next! My best tip is that after the first draft I change the colour of text. I write in black and will make it blue. Re-reading in a font/colour that I’m not used to forces my brain to actually read and see the words, vs. skipping over them. Once the chapter has been reviewed and approved, I change it back to black. This tip was given to me by Barry Dempster, an award winning poet and author and I love it! The added bonus is that you can easily see where you left off (though I do use Find page). On the third go-round, I change the font, from Times New Roman 12 to another, Calibri or Arial. It’s all about tricking the brain!
Judy, I’ve never thought of changing color. I’ll have to add that to my list of things to try. It shouldn’t be so hard to find a typo, but it is…
Those are awesome tips, Judy! Feel free to email me with your formal post. I should be back to blogging regularly by November. 🙂
I read my first manuscript out loud for the same reason you mentioned above. Next time, I’ll have to try letting my computer read it to me!
Maria, I think it’s great to change the way your edit. A little variety has to help. I think I might try reading aloud again and see if it helps. With the computer reading to me, I hear repeated words that I don’t hear in my head.
Isn’t that a cool idea? 🙂
I’m so NOT tech savvy. I read my words out loud to see how they flow. Had no idea a computer could read them to me. ❤
Diana xo
It’s easy to have the computer read to you. Th help function should be able to tell you how to do this. If you have an eReader, it can read to you too. Not fancy reading with a great voice, but having the automated voice read to you seems to make troublesome words jump out.
I bet it works well!
LOL! 😀
Great interview and responses. Thanks for sharing. 🙂
Thanks Norah.
Thank YOU for visiting! 🙂
Reblogged this on Barrow Blogs: .
Judith, Thank you for reblogging.
Thank you for the reblog! 🙂
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Reblogged this on Concierge Librarian.
Thank you for the reblog! 🙂
This is so very important, thanks for sharing
Thanks for stopping by and for reblogging.
And thank you for visiting! 🙂
Not a problem
This was wonderful information. I will definitely be using some of these tips as well. I read out loud but sometimes still miss errors. 🙂 Thank you for sharing your great insight!
Susan, I’m glad you found some of the tips helpful. I’m sure as this series progresses, there will be more info to help us all. Thanks for commenting.
These were great tips, weren’t they? 🙂
Love the tip – have computer read back to you. What a fantastic idea.
This one really works for me. I can’t believe how many times I can read a sentence and still miss a typo. The lovely lady who lives in my computer seems to find them much easier that I do.
I love that one, too! 😀
Editing is the hardest part of the process for me. I have had both good and recently apalling editors and learned that I have to listen to my own inner voice. If I feel a scene/sentance is wrong, then it probably is. I also think editing has to be done at a distance of many weeks. Re-writes can be done on an as-you-go basis. I’ve just returned to the final edits of my 3rd Victorian crime books after a couple of months. Amazing what you pick up!! Even after it’s been through 3 different pairs of eyes, there are still tiny errors. The writers who think they can just do a read-through and then self-publish are fooling themselves!!
Carol, your comment about if it feels wrong… is so true. Sometimes when I’m reading my work, I’ll think – that’s not quite right – or somethings off here – and it’s very important to listen to those thought. I tell myself not to be lazy and go rewrite the sentence. If I don’t rewrite in the moment, I make a note to do it later.
I agree 100%! 😀