Editing/Revising

drevil915 · Jul 8, 2006

I am at the end of my final draft of my manuscript, and I am going to do one last edit/revision before I lock it. Besides books and things of that manner, are there any websites with free editing tips?

Thanks,

-Jason

katiemac · Jul 8, 2006

I haven't used it personally, but many people enjoy and recommend Holly Lisle's method.

novelator · Jul 8, 2006

You might try this: http://home.earthlink.net/~jdc24/selfEdit.htm

And you can find more on my website as well.

Mari

DamaNegra · Jul 8, 2006

Um... the Learn Writing with Uncle Jim thread is a good resource that I've used for editing as well as writing. Just a thought.

DamaNegra · Jul 8, 2006

katiemac said:
I haven't used it personally, but many people enjoy and recommend Holly Lisle's method.

I just read through it quickly, but this is one GREAT resource!! Highly recommended, Drevil!!

WriterInChains · Jul 9, 2006

Hi drevil915,

I'd definitely recommend "Self-Editing for Fiction Writers: How to edit yourself into print" by Renni Browne & Dave King. It's been recommended here before & is a great book.

Break a leg!

~C

Steve W · Jul 10, 2006

Hi,

"Self-Editing for Fiction Writers: How to edit yourself into print" - I wasn't overly keen on this book.1ccc.2006 Some chapters were helpful, but

Steve W · Jul 10, 2006

Hi,

"Self-Editing for Fiction Writers: How to edit yourself into print" - Some chapters were helpful, but I wasn't overly keen on this book.

When I edit, I like to set a minimum number of words to cut from each page - usually 50, about 10%. Sometimes it's easy to hit double that, others it's absolute hell and can take 45 minutes to do a single page. But it's well worth it.

Good luck,
Steve

Bufty · Jul 10, 2006

Hi drevil,

A useful tip you may or may not know about. Use the Find and Replace facility to highlight in red (or any colour you choose)ALL occasions where certain letter groups or words occur.

For example if you highlight all uses of 'was' you might get a surprise. Again, if highlighting say 'ing', many of the words that include those highlighted letters will be ok but at least it shows up all the running and walking and looking and smiling and jumping etc., that can creep in. Same thing with 'which' or 'that' or 'up' or 'down' and a whole string of other weasel words that tend to crop up like weeds.

Good luck.

Scrawler · Jul 13, 2006

I was also going to suggest "Self-Editing for Fiction Writers: How to edit yourself into print" by Renni Browne & Dave King." I'm learning more than I expected.

Another book that is often mentioned is "The First Five Pages: A Writer's Guide To Staying Out of the Rejection Pile” by Noah T. Lukeman
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Anthony P. Steerpike · Jul 13, 2006

Read Strunk and White’s Elements of Style. You can find it at any bookstore.

It’s on my desk; I refer to it every day, even if I know the answer.

It won’t help you with characters, plot, etcetera. It will help you clean up your writing.

I can’t think of a better way for a writer to spend US$10 (unless it were to buy me drinks).

Editing/Revising

drevil915

katiemac

Five by Five

novelator

DamaNegra

Mexican on the loose!

DamaNegra

Mexican on the loose!

WriterInChains

Feed my eyes

Steve W

Steve W

Bufty

Where have the last ten years gone?

Scrawler

Bored fanatic

Anthony P. Steerpike