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The Seven Deadly Sins of Self-Editing

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EDWolfe
Active Ink Slinger
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I just got emailed this article and wanted to share it here. It targets novelists mostly, but I figured all the writers could find something in it that speaks to them.

Thoughts?
nicola
Matriarch
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I think the article needs editing

Some really good points raised. In particular:

Step away from your current project as long as you can bear it—then wait an additional week. You’ll need that emotional distance before you revisit your work.


Put your manuscript on a diet. Pare down or eliminate scenes that don’t further the story. Examine plot points, characters, description, dialogue and exposition, until you have precisely what you need to tell your story, and not a character or subplot more. Then apply this same philosophy to your work at the sentence level, killing your darlings and eliminating excessive adjectives and adverbs, along with verbose descriptions. Bring out the flavor of both your story and your style, but stop short of overseasoning.


Seek the help of beta readers, critique groups and editors. In return for the valuable feedback you receive, share your growing skills by critiquing the works of other participants in return.


Thank you for posting it ED.
AbigailThornton
Orgasm Aficionado
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Thanks for that. I've found a good way to remove my darlings without 'killing' them: anything which I like but doesn't work gets cut-and-pasted into a word document. I just checked and that document is 78000 words and counting.

Of course, it's extremely satisfying when text gets cut-and-pasted the other way!!
Tranquil
Active Ink Slinger
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its a nerve racking experience especially for you first time. thanks for the above. its help me go back and revise (yet again).. wish a magic fairy would take it away and edit, give me all the pretty words i want to hear ...lol yeah not going to happen. back to the pen.
Liz
Scarlet Seductress
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Quote by AbigailThornton
Thanks for that. I've found a good way to remove my darlings without 'killing' them: anything which I like but doesn't work gets cut-and-pasted into a word document. I just checked and that document is 78000 words and counting.

Of course, it's extremely satisfying when text gets cut-and-pasted the other way!!


Excellent idea smile
AudioLee
Active Ink Slinger
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I think the advice on the time away is so important. I've found that when I've come back to something too early, I can almost feel it because it's still familiar. If I wait long enough, it's almost as if I'm reading it for the first time, and I notice all sorts of things that I wouldn't otherwise.
kylie_kained
Detention Seeker
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I have been doing the time out with my current story and it seems to work well. Gone is the rush now and the ideas and words have time to click in place.
RumpleForeskin
The Right Rev of Lush
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Good thread. Just one editing/proofing trick some may find useful.

Before starting, change the font style and size. This gives the text a new look and can make spotting glitches a bit easier.

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