Editing Question!!

DamaNegra · May 15, 2006

I know that when you reach a point where your editing consists of putting a comma in the morning and taking it out in the afternoon, but if you can't have the luxury of reaching that stage, how do you know your WIP is completely edited??

I'm in the final stages of editing (I say final because I have to mail the novel out by friday), and although half of my editing is comma-in-comma-out, the other half still consists of chunks being taken out, words substituted and shifting whole sentences, adding description and etc.

However, how will I know I have already done enough editing?

maestrowork · May 15, 2006

Say, when you're changing sentences just to see how different it looks or sounds...

Say, when you're mulling over "run" vs. "dash."

Say, when you're moving/deleting/added texts that has nothing to do with advancing the plot, developing the characters, or enhancing the theme.

Say, when you're editing simply because you're not ready to call it "done."

DamaNegra · May 15, 2006

Say, when you're changing sentences just to see how different it looks or sounds...

Say, when you're mulling over "run" vs. "dash." check

Say, when you're moving/deleting/added texts that has nothing to do with advancing the plot, developing the characters, or enhancing the theme.

Say, when you're editing simply because you're not ready to call it "done." check

Checked two out of four. Does that mean I need to start panicking?

Maryn · May 15, 2006

When you're changing, but not improving, you're done.

You're a writer. You could rewrite, rearrange, remove, and replace endlessly. All you have to ask yourself is whether there's anything you could do that would make it better. Not different--better. If the answer is no, finito.

Maryn, hoping you're nearly done

maestrowork · May 15, 2006

DamaNegra said:
Say, when you're mulling over "run" vs. "dash." check

Say, when you're editing simply because you're not ready to call it "done." check

Checked two out of four. Does that mean I need to start panicking?

Maybe it's time to send them out to beta readers.

There will be more editing. I guarantee you.

LightShadow · May 16, 2006

beta-readers are great. Sometimes they pick up on things you never dream of.

Bonner · May 23, 2006

When do I quit revising/

I've written an historical fiction of 269,000 words. I have been getting rejects without comment and suspect its because of the length. I have elected to dissect this into two novels. At about 115,000 words there is a natural break.
I've started editing and find that, while revising, I am doing a lot of minor changes. Nothing major, just revisions to lose some prepositions or to avoid a repeating participle.
I don't believe I'm doing anything major as the story line/tense isn't changing and I'm wondering if I am revising just to revise. I find I'm not doing anything with dialog/adjectives/adverbs.
Should I stop? I've done this at least three times already and am probably reinstituting changes I made six months ago and I don't remember it. On the other hand, I have found a couple of minor errors (drive instead of driven is the worst so far) and a couple of double spaces between words.

Berry · May 23, 2006

::Berry Channels Uncle Jim::

Yes, stop. Keep querying agents and editors with the newly split novels, and START YOUR NEXT BOOK TODAY.

Editing Question!!

DamaNegra

Mexican on the loose!

maestrowork

Fear the Death Ray

DamaNegra

Mexican on the loose!

Maryn

Not Any More

maestrowork

Fear the Death Ray

LightShadow

defender of the blahs!

Bonner

Berry