What's your editing style?

graemebrownwpg

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Hi editors,

I've been introducing myself here, and now I'm nosing around for some fun places to dive into discussion. This is one of them!

I'm interested in hearing from various editors here what their process looks like. I've been learning a lot about editing in my (very junior) role as junior editor for my publisher, but now that I'm here I'd love to learn. Please do share!

(And please, editors, don't count my forum posts or blog posts against me. I do not edit them!)
 

jvc

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(And please, editors, don't count my forum posts or blog posts against me. I do not edit them!)
Just curious, but why not? If this is the public face of your business, then shouldn't it be as pretty as possible? If you're an editor, shouldn't you want your writing to look as professional as possible? If you are training to be an editor, then shouldn't you take every opportunity to practice your craft?
 

Maryn

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It's not original with me, but an online friend at another forum likes to say that for writers and editors, your posts are your shop window. Is it filled with chipped and broken, carelessly displayed items coated with dust, or does it look as good as you can make it?

Maryn, who tries to do hers well but sometimes muffs it
 

Stacia Kane

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(And please, editors, don't count my forum posts or blog posts against me. I do not edit them!)


I don't understand this. Why wouldn't/don't you edit them?

I really, honestly don't mean to seem as if I'm piling on or picking on you, but in my experience we become writers and editors because language is important. We care about it and its proper use. For me, errors are like nails on a chalkboard--they bother me, and I want to fix them. I can't generally just shrug them off.

And as I've said elsewhere, when you care about something--like language--and you spend a lot of time with it, you absorb its use. It becomes instinctive. Sure, a typo may slip through here and there. Sure, you may not always feel like going back to correct a typo. But errors beyond those...they just don't tend to happen so much with people who have really absorbed the rules, and who observe them and spend a lot of time with them.
 

Old Hack

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(And please, editors, don't count my forum posts or blog posts against me. I do not edit them!)

I'm with everyone else here, Graeme. I revise my comments here before I post them, and correct mistakes I find in my own posts even if they're months old.

Incidentally, you might want to take a look at your website. There's a big error on the front page. Ooops!
 

graemebrownwpg

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Why don't I edit my posts? The same reason I don't edit my own books - there are things I miss when I am the writer. Like the mistake on my website - I'm forever updating it, which means errors happen. I'm sure that none of you have let your own authors publish their books without you having a look at it. In my opinion, that's why the process of perfecting prose involves a team, not a solitary person; only one set of eyes is bound to miss things.

As for blogging, I find it interesting that this was not the topic of my post (I wanted to hear about your editing process), yet everyone has jumped on it. I disagree. Wholeheartedly.

When I say "edit", I don't mean write carelessly. I mean write freely. I spend hours on what matters most (the prose of a story). If I revised my blog posts and hired an editor to look them over, I'd have no time to blog at all.

True, my blog posts are a look into my shop window, but my shop's a fun shop. I'm not advertising my services. My whole platform is about fun and sharing and a love for words. And, you know what? Accepting that I'm human and I make mistakes - inlcuding typos.
 

shadowwalker

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You shouldn't have to hire an editor for your blog - aren't you an editor (or "junior editor")? For me, as a writer, editing anything I write is second nature; I would think for a professional editor it would be as well.
 

milkweed

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It's not original with me, but an online friend at another forum likes to say that for writers and editors, your posts are your shop window. Is it filled with chipped and broken, carelessly displayed items coated with dust, or does it look as good as you can make it?

Maryn, who tries to do hers well but sometimes muffs it


May I steal this for my affirmations page I'm creating??? This is just too good not to
pass on!!!
 

graemebrownwpg

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shadowwalker - you are right. It is my instinct to revise anything I write (not edit - you cannot edit your own writing, as a New York editor informed me once). When I post in forums, though, I have five minutes, often less, to get in and out then move on to something else. I'm here to read, learn, ask questions, make a comment. I work 16 hours a day sometimes. I might get a chance when I'm lucky to read something over a few times, but usually I have to rely on my instincts.

When I first started blogging, I would edit my posts as thoroughly as I would a passage from a manuscript. The posts were great, but then more blogging responsibilities piled on, my inbox jumped from 20 emails a day to 100, and the days of luxury were far behind.

I find my readers are more responsive to me now that I trust my instincts. My writing is freer. True, I have the odd mistake, or might "ramble", but that's okay.

NOW...

Is ANYONE going to answer my question?
 

Old Hack

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Just the one, Dennis? Ha!

Also, in this context, it's "peek".
 

Terie

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you cannot edit your own writing, as a New York editor informed me once

This is one of the most galactically spectacular bullshit statements about writing I've ever seen.

I think it's less spectacular bullshit and more a statement taken out of context and applied more liberally than was meant.

I think it's true that almost no writer can edit their own work up to a final publication-ready standard. Even editors with the big houses who also write don't go to publication without proper editing by someone else.

However, there is more than one meaning to the word 'edit', and of course we all (should!!!) edit our own work in the sense of making our own changes.

I suspect the New York editor quoted was talking specifically about 'editing for publication' and didn't mean for the comment to be taken so literally to apply to all senses of the word 'edit'.

(ETA: I noticed a typo in this post and just (ahem) edited it.)
 
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Old Hack

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Strictly speaking, writers revise their own works while editors identify problems with other people's writing, and suggest ways for the writers to resolve those problems: so no, blacbird, it's not the "galactically spectacular bullshit" you suggest.

And blacbird, I have a suggestion too: watch your tone. You're perfectly entitled to disagree with anyone here, but you're not entitled to express your opinion in a rude or demeaning manner, nor are you entitled to spread your grumpiness all over my rooms here. I hope that's clear.
 

Old Hack

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NOW...

Is ANYONE going to answer my question?

There's no need to shout.

It's rude, and before you resorted to such rudeness you should have considered why you didn't get the responses you'd hoped for.

I'll tell you what. I'll give you a few clues.

Your questions are vague and confusing.

You titled this thread,

What's your editing style?

Then you asked this question:

I'm interested in hearing from various editors here what their process looks like.

My editing style depends who I'm working for, what their house-style requires, and most importantly, what's best for the book I'm working on.

My editing process looks dull: just me, sitting at a desk with a heap of papers and a few sharp pencils, or a Word document open on my laptop with Track Changes running.

There. I've answered the questions you asked, but I suspect that's not really what you're after.

I think what you really want me to do is to describe how I edit books. If that's the case, you're out of luck. I don't have the time to write the long essay that would require; nor am I inclined to do so for someone who is happy to post seriously-flawed work on his blog, and who therefore doesn't seem to value the editing process at all.

I feel particularly disinclined to do so when the person requesting such information writes blog posts about the editing process for his publisher: I'm not in the business of providing anyone with free blog-fodder. If you, or they, would like me to write such an essay I would be happy to oblige, so long as I'm paid in accordance with SoA guidelines.

I've already recommended to you by PM a couple of books you might find useful: Carole Blake's From Pitch to Publication, and Teresa Nielsen Hayden's Making Book (I hope I've spelled her name correctly). Have you read them yet?

If you do the smallest bit of searching at AW you'll find plenty of other book recommendations which should help you.

If you need guidance with your own editing work then I suggest you ask your employer (Champagne Books?). You could share with us their preferred methods and systems, which others might find useful. The best place for that would be in the appropriate thread in our BR&BC room.
 

>compass<

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I'm not a professional editor but I just wanted to add my two cents and say that when I post anything to the web I always reread before I post, at least once no matter the rush. It's frustrating when I read an article online and it's riddled with typos and missing words (which always leads me to believe the author wrote it on their smartphone or something).

As for my editing style, I do my best on physical paper with my tiny illegible-except-to-me longhand and various homemade symbols. On paper I'm brutal and my work is tighter; on a screen I'm weaksauce and miss a lot.
 

Jamesaritchie

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Why don't I edit my posts? The same reason I don't edit my own books - there are things I miss when I am the writer. Like the mistake on my website - I'm forever updating it, which means errors happen. I'm sure that none of you have let your own authors publish their books without you having a look at it. In my opinion, that's why the process of perfecting prose involves a team, not a solitary person; only one set of eyes is bound to miss things.

As for blogging, I find it interesting that this was not the topic of my post (I wanted to hear about your editing process), yet everyone has jumped on it. I disagree. Wholeheartedly.

When I say "edit", I don't mean write carelessly. I mean write freely. I spend hours on what matters most (the prose of a story). If I revised my blog posts and hired an editor to look them over, I'd have no time to blog at all.

True, my blog posts are a look into my shop window, but my shop's a fun shop. I'm not advertising my services. My whole platform is about fun and sharing and a love for words. And, you know what? Accepting that I'm human and I make mistakes - inlcuding typos.

We all miss things, even when editing someone else's books. Few books from even the largest publishers come out without errors.

But you will miss one heck of a lot more if you don't edit. Whether it's your posts, or your own books, there is no excuse for not editing them to the best of your ability.

Seriously, if you have to hire an editor to make blog posts, or your own books, pretty much error free, you're going to have serious trouble as a writer, and as an editor. Thousands of writers out there have blogs that are as near to error free in every way as you can get, and thousands of writers edit their own books as well as any professional editor, and better than most.
 

sarahdalton

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While we're on the subject of editing style (kind of), I wondered if it's normal for editors to make jokes in their comments? I've noticed a few beta-readers laugh at certain points in the book and generally poke fun, or reply in a humorous way.

Maybe it's because I'm English and my betas are American, but I just don't find it that funny! Maybe if we were good friends...

I'm thinking of working with an editor on my next project, and am a bit hesitant if I can expect more of the same.

I mean, I do have a sense of humour and will laugh at a hilarious typo, but there is a limit. Writing 'WAH-WAH' next to a character having an emotional moment is definitely my limit!
 

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Sarah, my feeling is it all depends on what type of "humor" it is. Good-natured humor is positive and great. But sarcasm or when the joke is at the writer's expense is inappropriate and unacceptable.
 

sarahdalton

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Sarah, my feeling is it all depends on what type of "humor" it is. Good-natured humor is positive and great. But sarcasm or when the joke is at the writer's expense is inappropriate and unacceptable.

Yeh, it's just difficult to interpret sometimes. Don't get me wrong, my betas are lovely, generous people. It's just that sometimes I read a comment and feel a bit... hmm... not sure how to take that.
 

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I'd have to have worked with a writer for a long time to feel comfortable doing that.

I do make comments like, "this is lovely" or "I think you could put this more clearly", but I certainly wouldn't make fun of anyone featured in the book, or make comments which didn't have some sort of relation to improving the book.
 

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While we're on the subject of editing style (kind of), I wondered if it's normal for editors to make jokes in their comments? I've noticed a few beta-readers laugh at certain points in the book and generally poke fun, or reply in a humorous way.

I've never had that experience with editors. I wonder if beta-readers maybe feel that their role is slightly different and thus respond more informally.

My favourite editors have been the ones who really show me that they 'get' my story - they'll tell me the moments that they loved as well as the sections which don't work so well and need revising. It helps me a lot because I'm no good at judging what's good in my work or what's not.
 

graemebrownwpg

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DennisB: Wow! If you are referring to the duplicated paragraph, thank you for pointing that out. (If there is more, please kindly let me know, as I see nothing). That must have appeared a few weeks ago when I did the last update. Ugh! I have encountered similar problems with notepad before when copying and pasting new blocks of code during updates. I suppose this is my punishment for writing a website in code vs. buying web design software. (I am in the process of finding a web designer to make me something less temperamental.) Usually I notice right away because it causes alignment problems, but when this occurs in paragraph tags these things go unnoticed unless someone points it out or I notice when I am updating the page the next time.

Jane: Thanks for your comments. I will try not to be so vague, and I am sorry for being rude. You did answer my question, however, I am not looking for a detailed "how to edit" post. I'm just interested in hearing how different editors approach their work. For example, do you work on one thing at a time? If you multitask, how to you pace yourself? Do you tend to focus on different things in different drafts? These questions are relevant to me because they relate to struggles I have had during my training.

Blacbird, Terie: while this New York editor may have been guilty of galactically spectacular bovine compost, he had a point. If I never listened to him I would have self-published a terrible manuscript after giving it nothing more than a quick once-over. One thing I have learned to value in the editing process is the critical edge an professionally-trained, objective third party brings to the book-production process.

All: I really think you are misunderstanding me. I do not publish my blog posts without reading or revising them. I do go over them as much as I am able to. If I find a typo (or someone points one out) I do go and fix it, but alas, I'm not omniscient and I do miss things.
Forum posts and emails? A quick read, maybe, but that's where I draw the line. I'm sorry, when I have 100 emails to respond to in a day and usually at least 1 blog post to get up, I have to prioritize. Those of you who have the time to polish up everything you type - bravo! Please believe me when I say it pains me when I click submit and wish I had more time to punch up what I've written.
 

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DennisB: Wow! If you are referring to the duplicated paragraph, thank you for pointing that out.

I referred to it a while ago, when I told you (perhaps in another thread) that there was one huge mistake on your site.

(If there is more, please kindly let me know, as I see nothing).

There are many other mistakes and problems with the sample of your writing which appears on your blog's front page. I'm not going to give you a crit as you don't have enough posts here yet and as your book has already been published, but let's take that opening para:

The Stablehouse climbed three stories, a narrow building just twenty feet shy from touching the top of the double outer wall that surrounded the castle's north flank. Lights shone in the top floor windows and a few others at ground level, where the horses were kept. Will hurried across the dark stones. The soft tap of his shoes against the cobbles echoed in the empty Square. In the middle, where the ground sloped down toward the sewer drains, the statue of Amarr the Barbarian cast a long shadow. Will passed into it and stopped. He heard voices.

In this one paragraph there are at least seven things I'd query with you, if I were editing your work: for example, who knew that Stablehouses could climb buildings! It needs a lot of revision. And you need to take a very hard look at your tendency to overwrite.

That must have appeared a few weeks ago when I did the last update. Ugh! I have encountered similar problems with notepad before when copying and pasting new blocks of code during updates. I suppose this is my punishment for writing a website in code vs. buying web design software. (I am in the process of finding a web designer to make me something less temperamental.) Usually I notice right away because it causes alignment problems, but when this occurs in paragraph tags these things go unnoticed unless someone points it out or I notice when I am updating the page the next time.

This isn't Notepad's fault, an issue that is caused by your website coding, or a problem with your website's temperament: it's your fault for not checking your work after you've uploaded it.

Jane: Thanks for your comments. I will try not to be so vague, and I am sorry for being rude.

Your apology is noted and appreciated.

You did answer my question, however, I am not looking for a detailed "how to edit" post. I'm just interested in hearing how different editors approach their work. For example, do you work on one thing at a time? If you multitask, how to you pace yourself? Do you tend to focus on different things in different drafts? These questions are relevant to me because they relate to struggles I have had during my training.

My bold.

This implies to me that you're asking how we revise our own work, not how we edit the work of others. The two things are completely different. Editors shouldn't be working on a writer's various drafts: just the final one. Could you clarify, please?

All: I really think you are misunderstanding me. I do not publish my blog posts without reading or revising them. I do go over them as much as I am able to. If I find a typo (or someone points one out) I do go and fix it, but alas, I'm not omniscient and I do miss things. Forum posts and emails? A quick read, maybe, but that's where I draw the line. I'm sorry, when I have 100 emails to respond to in a day and usually at least 1 blog post to get up, I have to prioritize. Those of you who have the time to polish up everything you type - bravo! Please believe me when I say it pains me when I click submit and wish I had more time to punch up what I've written.

As I'm sure has been said before, those emails and blog-posts are your shop window. If you're happy to display yourself as a writer and editor who thinks slapdash work is acceptable then that's your call: but me? I'd rather not.

If you're having to deal with so much stuff, and don't have time to make your writing better, then I'd consider whether you're being overloaded with work; if your daily blog post is for your employer's blog rather than your own, I think they're asking too much of you, and I find it disconcerting that a publisher values quantity over quality in this way. It indicates a certain lack of care and makes me wonder if that lack of care might filter through to the books they publish.

And that's why you might want to start revising your blog posts more thoroughly.
 

Susan Coffin

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Well, I'm just an editor of a newsletter for a large writers club (almost 300 members!), so I don't know if my response counts. :D

After I have designed the 15-20 page newsletter, I go through and edit every single article, announcement, and anything else to make sure the presentation is the best I can make it. After this, I send it off to my copyeditors, who find mistakes I missed.

I see others have given their two cents about you not editing your posts, and I have to add that it's pretty important to edit everything we write. The more you do it, the better you get. Another pair of eyes should not have to go over everything we write.