tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7021635145002263987.post1790576095104101530..comments2023-12-28T03:29:56.836-08:00Comments on Melissa's Imaginarium: When Do You Edit: A Guest Post By Stephen L. BraytonAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04443736284850057306noreply@blogger.comBlogger22125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7021635145002263987.post-36884923599841805752011-09-30T05:19:00.482-07:002011-09-30T05:19:00.482-07:00Yes, I found it very helpful to edit someone else,...Yes, I found it very helpful to edit someone else, to find mistakes there so I can avoid them in my own.<br /><br />Yes, you can edit too much. When you're tired of it, you need to take a break and return with refreshed eyes.Stephen L. Braytonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14575880529198211433noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7021635145002263987.post-61172188293250155692011-09-29T12:29:57.563-07:002011-09-29T12:29:57.563-07:00I think everyone edits in a different manner, and ...I think everyone edits in a different manner, and it also depends upon what kind of editing you are doing, e.g., looking for plot holes or sequence issues or weeding out those nasty little words like "just" and "that." I find there's nothing like reading the manuscript out loud.<br /><br />LesleyLesley Diehlhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10552765934908042306noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7021635145002263987.post-82901396153662555602011-09-29T11:01:43.682-07:002011-09-29T11:01:43.682-07:00I have found book editors to be unfailingly helpfu...I have found book editors to be unfailingly helpful and constructive with their edits and comments. (Less so one or two magazine editors from my free- lance days, but that's another story.) I would be very uneasy if someone didn't edit my own work, whether manuscripts, or in my day job. As for editing my own work, I tell disbelieving students on school visits that I take great pleasure in it. It's like taking an aerial view of your story. Once it's complete, you can see with complete clarity what needs to be moved around or taken away; what copy edit mistakes need fixing.Melanie Jackson, author, editor, piano studenthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06028093429254617215noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7021635145002263987.post-17019284660506936332011-09-29T10:03:02.412-07:002011-09-29T10:03:02.412-07:00Line editors don't come cheap,nor should they....Line editors don't come cheap,nor should they. I felt I couldn't afford a line edit job from professional editor friends and didn't want to exploit our friendship by trying to get a discount. I'll just pay the money next time. I edited my novel, read it backwards (literally--a good editing technique, as I'm sure you all know) and forwards. Still hella mucho typos. Not good.<br />Clark Lohr--author: Devil's Kitchen.Clark Lohrhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07017577908741668068noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7021635145002263987.post-70285252429652664762011-09-29T08:36:08.400-07:002011-09-29T08:36:08.400-07:00@Augie I'm so happy you found what needed here...@Augie I'm so happy you found what needed here with Stephen's post. I wish you all the best with your story.<br /><br />@Patricia I hear you on knowing just when to submit and move forward. I think sometimes I fiddle too much. Best of luck to you.<br /><br />@Sylvia Oh I know how you feel. I think you need to maybe turn it over to a beta reader and see what another set of eyes will find. I had one story that I just did that with because I kept finding things. We definitely can edit too much. :) Good luck!Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04443736284850057306noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7021635145002263987.post-33467424471296027222011-09-29T08:31:45.425-07:002011-09-29T08:31:45.425-07:00@Stephen You got a really great discussion going h...@Stephen You got a really great discussion going here. This was a thought-provoking post.<br /><br />@Craig Thanks! I'm glad you enjoyed the post.<br /><br />@Arlee I know what you mean. I do find it easier to help someone else with their edits rather do my own. <br /><br />@Kat Thanks for sharing the Renne Brown book. I'll definitely have to check it out.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04443736284850057306noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7021635145002263987.post-53899255226191237512011-09-29T08:27:46.729-07:002011-09-29T08:27:46.729-07:00@Alex I love having the first draft done, too. The...@Alex I love having the first draft done, too. There's nothing like being able to play now that the initial story is out there. <br /><br />@Hannah Outlining and research in long hand is a must for me. It helps me feel a visceral connection to my stories and characters.<br /><br />@Sunny Thank you so very much stopping by and offering some very helpful insights. I appreciate it very much.<br /><br />@Dac That is some great advice about line editing. Thanks for sharing.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04443736284850057306noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7021635145002263987.post-86045113693093892702011-09-29T07:30:33.044-07:002011-09-29T07:30:33.044-07:00I'm deep in the editing dolldrums today. I fee...I'm deep in the editing dolldrums today. I feel like I've edited my manuscript to death - I'm sick of it - yet I keep finding "errors".! Is it possible to edit too much? ;-)Sylvia Neyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09700149683391617521noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7021635145002263987.post-70452306474304891892011-09-29T05:53:24.081-07:002011-09-29T05:53:24.081-07:00Stephen, just as you did when you wrote "Beta...Stephen, just as you did when you wrote "Beta," I wrote the first draft of "Mixed Messages" longhand. I wrote a chapter and then keyed it into Word, rewriting each step of the way. I spent years working on "Mixed Messages." Several times, I set it aside and went back after a period of time to read it with fresh eyes. I have two friends who read in the mystery/suspense genre and, when I finally decided it was time, I asked them to give me their opinions. And then I rewrote some more. My problem wasn't that I didn't do enough editing; my problem was that, at some point, I had to realize that "Mixed Messages" was ready to submit and I had to move on to my second book.Patricia Gligor's Writers Forumhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16801554698484928100noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7021635145002263987.post-38929768537747434962011-09-28T21:59:45.767-07:002011-09-28T21:59:45.767-07:00Thanks Sunny and Stephen, I really needed this ton...Thanks Sunny and Stephen, I really needed this tonight. I was feeling frustrated, but now I see that I am not alone. Revisions are a pain, but I will keep revising until I have it right. And, I agree a new set of eyes will make a difference. AugieAugiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17848187134055619150noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7021635145002263987.post-24077586499492002562011-09-28T21:04:33.378-07:002011-09-28T21:04:33.378-07:00Wonderful post Stephen, I think I need to go back ...Wonderful post Stephen, I think I need to go back to the basics again and write it out long hand for the first draft. I'm trying to find the fun in editing too...it's hard, but I am trying. Sunny suggested an editing book by Renne Browne and I attended a workshop for Revising Fiction by Kirt Hickman. The 8 hour workshop was one of the best workshops I've attended.Kat Hinksonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06381877732736883715noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7021635145002263987.post-75922542485633015852011-09-28T20:07:41.608-07:002011-09-28T20:07:41.608-07:00I find it so much easier to find mistakes in other...I find it so much easier to find mistakes in other people's writing than my own--it's a psychological thing I guess. If I don't catch the mistakes as I go then I often miss them later. Need more practice I guess.<br /><br /><br />Lee<br /><a href="http://tossingitout.blogspot.com/" rel="nofollow">Tossing It Out</a>Arlee Birdhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11663942782929929334noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7021635145002263987.post-13231676254040786232011-09-28T20:01:45.498-07:002011-09-28T20:01:45.498-07:00Great advice - thank you Mr. B! And thank YOU, Ms....Great advice - thank you Mr. B! And thank YOU, Ms. B!Craig Edwardshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06037542638067599437noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7021635145002263987.post-6065581360779971012011-09-28T19:05:41.122-07:002011-09-28T19:05:41.122-07:00Thanks for all the comments. Writing styles and ed...Thanks for all the comments. Writing styles and editing proceses are unique to each writer. Find what works. If it doesn't work, then try something else.Stephen L. Braytonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14575880529198211433noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7021635145002263987.post-21360377965003881902011-09-28T19:04:16.601-07:002011-09-28T19:04:16.601-07:00Yes, edit yourself. Read it to friends - have your...Yes, edit yourself. Read it to friends - have your writing group read it. Again.<br /><br />But last - the line editor. I recommend finding a grammar teacher at the local college. Somebody really good. This goes for submissions, self-pub and online books as well. <br /><br />You cannot be your own line editor.<br /><br />At least, I can't.Dachttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17004321696572753739noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7021635145002263987.post-67845564091621624462011-09-28T18:45:36.201-07:002011-09-28T18:45:36.201-07:00I'm an acquisitions editor for Oak Tree Press....I'm an acquisitions editor for Oak Tree Press. How important is it that a book is edited prior to submission? While we don't expect the manuscript to be perfect, my publisher is at a point where polished manuscripts get put into print earlier than a novel that needs extensive revisions. As a small indie press, we don't have the luxury of a line-editor. Editing takes time away from production and slows down our output of titles. <br /><br />At Oak Tree, we cannot afford to clog up the well-oiled machine that gets titles into print. So, as Stephen says, make sure your manuscript has been read over again and again, find a different set of eyes, read it aloud. Then submit knowing you have done your very best.Sunny Frazierhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03693884364418711551noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7021635145002263987.post-60010420141599192322011-09-28T16:08:46.866-07:002011-09-28T16:08:46.866-07:00I love writing longhand as well, but I have the op...I love writing longhand as well, but I have the opposite problem. I don't edit enough when I'm writing. If I'm typing, however, things tend to turn out better. I still like to handwrite all my outline notes and junk.Hannahhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16915603693944523761noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7021635145002263987.post-61676884991636103802011-09-28T13:14:34.502-07:002011-09-28T13:14:34.502-07:00He writes like I do - longhand first and then ente...He writes like I do - longhand first and then enter it into the computer. (Although I wait until I'm done.) I write much faster than I type and can keep up with ideas better.<br />However, the roughest part for me is that first draft. I enjoy the editing, because the basics are in place and I get to embellish and expand.Alex J. Cavanaughhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09770065693345181702noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7021635145002263987.post-60217159763557604192011-09-28T11:35:43.540-07:002011-09-28T11:35:43.540-07:00@Dez Thank you, sweetie. I think Stephen gave some...@Dez Thank you, sweetie. I think Stephen gave some great advice and I love to be able to share it with fellow writers out there.<br /><br />@Angela Keeping our heads up is one of the most important things we can do as writers. Glad you enjoyed the post.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04443736284850057306noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7021635145002263987.post-25091276654166685502011-09-28T06:29:40.842-07:002011-09-28T06:29:40.842-07:00I agree with Dezmond, lots of useful information. ...I agree with Dezmond, lots of useful information. And the end is good in that it reminds me to keep my head up and keep working.Angelahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12399082789777816445noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7021635145002263987.post-3602570822286123342011-09-28T05:50:22.096-07:002011-09-28T05:50:22.096-07:00nice one, you two! Lots of useful info for our dea...nice one, you two! Lots of useful info for our dear writers!DEZMONDhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14127166104359407763noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7021635145002263987.post-73301803505918779772011-09-28T05:00:02.924-07:002011-09-28T05:00:02.924-07:00This was a terrific post, Stephen. Some helpful in...This was a terrific post, Stephen. Some helpful info for me as I set about doing some edits for one of my stories. Thanks for stopping by and I hope you enjoyed taking over today. :)Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04443736284850057306noreply@blogger.com