MarieWriter
Really Experienced
- Joined
- Jul 2, 2012
- Posts
- 168
Greetings all, looking over the comments about editors.. I can see some of the frustration out there... So If I may be so bold-- I will offer a few thoughts and tips on editing.. This is more geared towards beginner writers, and those who know they need an editor.
First off ME: actual published author - erotica and non-erotica. (a few posted stories here that were for contests). As well as some professional editing work - not my favorite thing at all... And I also do a writers workshop at our local community college a few times a year.
This: maybe too long, sorry, skip to the end or read it all.. na, read it all, heck, it's not that long...
Finding an editor on here appears to be very difficult. (I used to do some - and am not opposed to helping out here or there, but so many people ask, without giving specifics). Everyone who will edit has their own limits: in time, desire, and what their interests are for and in editing. Help yourself out when you ask by giving as much info as you can: genre', word count, format, i.e word or google docs. etc.. The more info you give the better your chances might be. Also state what you seek in an edit. Is it a short frilly look over, or a detailed edit to help with any and all things. No editor wants to write your story for you, but knowing what you seek will help a lot.
Your story: Like all stories needs an editor-- period. Even if it is you- which is difficult for all authors no matter their experience. I suspect there are hundreds of stories posted here that have lower ratings simply because of grammar issues. It can be smoking hot, but if I have to read grammatical error after error I wont finish it.
So you need an edit(or). If you can't find an editor you have to self-edit. Which can be problematic at best. Why? because it is YOUR story, and it will say what YOU want it to say, no matter what it really says. Anyone can use the spell or grammar check. So USE IT!
But it only goes so far. A wrong word spelled correctly slips past that check. Words like HE and SHE often get switched around in writing and those will not be picked up by the checker. It may or may not pick up passive sentences-- a huge no no, but if you aren't sure how to fix that, then it doesn't tell you anything other than something needs adjusted. A grammar checker wont pick up on tense changes- another huge no no. A good story line will be destroyed for most readers by poor grammar.
Many newer writers struggle with stuff like: to, two, too, or your, you're - there, their. Lay, lie. Like vs as if, who or whom... (for a small example). When I did do some VE on here there were dozens of stories I looked at where the author didn't have any understanding of the "rules" for writing and quite honestly, it was a mess and frustrating. One of the reasons I stepped away from it.
Difficult to solve these problems on your own if you are unsure of what they are, how to spot them or fix them. BUT don't let that list of stuff keep you from writing!!!
SO...
If you are going to write, learn the basic rules- When to use quotes, how to write dialogue and the rules for formatting it-- i.e. a new paragraph every time someone different speaks. What are the options for writing thoughts vs. spoken words. How to write numbers. Yep- there is a rule for that too. LOL
OK you've read all of that and are maybe less than pleased.. Sorry.. simply some facts... So here are a few basic methods to help you self-edit:
1) write it-- write your baby- pump-- so to speak on a sex site- that story out. Get it done! And congrats, you're writing!! Keep going!!!! Just write!!!! Early attempts will not be so great... Even professional writer's early stuff needed improvement, so no big deal.
2) do the grammar/spell check on the system- fix the errors. (A note here-- don't worry about fixing every typo as you go along. If you have a thought, write it out, then you can go back and fix the typos the system highlights. Don't lose your rhythm of a story line for typos).
3) Finished it? Sweet-- now go through the story, look at the word count, give an honest effort to delete 8-10% of the story. WHAT?!! Do it. How? Get rid of pesky words that end in things like "LY" - for example- whenever you can.
3.a) 8-10% -- Yes really.. sucks huh, but it will tighten up a story! This step alone will freak many people out. Fine, don't do that, but it will tighten up the story.
3.b) What can I cut out? Well, if it doesn't move your story or plot forward, it is not needed. Period. -- see my note at the end on writing better with less words...
4) Once you think you are finished. PRINT THE STORY. Then sit down someplace and read it. This is actually huge. By printing it, and getting away from the computer, you can read it almost as if you are seeing it for the first time. Have a pen or pencil with you, or highlighter, and mark up the errors you see and jot down the changes you need to make. This is almost the single biggest way you can help yourself when doing a self-edit.
4.a) Go back to the computer and fix the items you have marked up. Reread it.
5) By now, you might be tired of reading the same damn thing a hundred times. I get that way. So walk away. Leave it for a day or two. THEN REPEAT STEP 4.
5.a) By this second reading, things like incomplete plots or thought lines or the wrong word in the wrong place will hopefully reveal themselves and you can fix them, or delete them. (If you like something that needs to go, but don't want to cut it out, cut and paste it to a 'scrap' document and use it for a later story).
After a second reading, if you find a lot of stuff to fix, repeat steps 4 and 5 again. If not, then you are pretty much there for self-editing. Maybe take a shot at an editor one more time, but don't wait too long, by now you know you are excited about posting it.. so do it, submit it, and hope for the best.
I wish you the best, but most of all.. KEEP WRITING!!
Side note: Struggling with trimming that 8-10% of your story? Yeah it happens. For lots of reasons. So we all need to learn to say as much as possible in as few words as needed. Here is a very basic writers exercise that helps quite a bit:
Find something, an idea, a picture, an image, a memory, anything- and write about it in 100 words. Exactly. not 101 or 99, 100. Make that story say as much as possible in 100 words. You will find yourself having to do some serious editing here, to get to where you want to be. This is a basic writers exercise that does so much. Give it a go. Not sure what to write about? Google a random image or something; sexual or nonsexual. Then write it, in 100 words.
Good Luck
--MW
First off ME: actual published author - erotica and non-erotica. (a few posted stories here that were for contests). As well as some professional editing work - not my favorite thing at all... And I also do a writers workshop at our local community college a few times a year.
This: maybe too long, sorry, skip to the end or read it all.. na, read it all, heck, it's not that long...
Finding an editor on here appears to be very difficult. (I used to do some - and am not opposed to helping out here or there, but so many people ask, without giving specifics). Everyone who will edit has their own limits: in time, desire, and what their interests are for and in editing. Help yourself out when you ask by giving as much info as you can: genre', word count, format, i.e word or google docs. etc.. The more info you give the better your chances might be. Also state what you seek in an edit. Is it a short frilly look over, or a detailed edit to help with any and all things. No editor wants to write your story for you, but knowing what you seek will help a lot.
Your story: Like all stories needs an editor-- period. Even if it is you- which is difficult for all authors no matter their experience. I suspect there are hundreds of stories posted here that have lower ratings simply because of grammar issues. It can be smoking hot, but if I have to read grammatical error after error I wont finish it.
So you need an edit(or). If you can't find an editor you have to self-edit. Which can be problematic at best. Why? because it is YOUR story, and it will say what YOU want it to say, no matter what it really says. Anyone can use the spell or grammar check. So USE IT!
But it only goes so far. A wrong word spelled correctly slips past that check. Words like HE and SHE often get switched around in writing and those will not be picked up by the checker. It may or may not pick up passive sentences-- a huge no no, but if you aren't sure how to fix that, then it doesn't tell you anything other than something needs adjusted. A grammar checker wont pick up on tense changes- another huge no no. A good story line will be destroyed for most readers by poor grammar.
Many newer writers struggle with stuff like: to, two, too, or your, you're - there, their. Lay, lie. Like vs as if, who or whom... (for a small example). When I did do some VE on here there were dozens of stories I looked at where the author didn't have any understanding of the "rules" for writing and quite honestly, it was a mess and frustrating. One of the reasons I stepped away from it.
Difficult to solve these problems on your own if you are unsure of what they are, how to spot them or fix them. BUT don't let that list of stuff keep you from writing!!!
SO...
If you are going to write, learn the basic rules- When to use quotes, how to write dialogue and the rules for formatting it-- i.e. a new paragraph every time someone different speaks. What are the options for writing thoughts vs. spoken words. How to write numbers. Yep- there is a rule for that too. LOL
OK you've read all of that and are maybe less than pleased.. Sorry.. simply some facts... So here are a few basic methods to help you self-edit:
1) write it-- write your baby- pump-- so to speak on a sex site- that story out. Get it done! And congrats, you're writing!! Keep going!!!! Just write!!!! Early attempts will not be so great... Even professional writer's early stuff needed improvement, so no big deal.
2) do the grammar/spell check on the system- fix the errors. (A note here-- don't worry about fixing every typo as you go along. If you have a thought, write it out, then you can go back and fix the typos the system highlights. Don't lose your rhythm of a story line for typos).
3) Finished it? Sweet-- now go through the story, look at the word count, give an honest effort to delete 8-10% of the story. WHAT?!! Do it. How? Get rid of pesky words that end in things like "LY" - for example- whenever you can.
3.a) 8-10% -- Yes really.. sucks huh, but it will tighten up a story! This step alone will freak many people out. Fine, don't do that, but it will tighten up the story.
3.b) What can I cut out? Well, if it doesn't move your story or plot forward, it is not needed. Period. -- see my note at the end on writing better with less words...
4) Once you think you are finished. PRINT THE STORY. Then sit down someplace and read it. This is actually huge. By printing it, and getting away from the computer, you can read it almost as if you are seeing it for the first time. Have a pen or pencil with you, or highlighter, and mark up the errors you see and jot down the changes you need to make. This is almost the single biggest way you can help yourself when doing a self-edit.
4.a) Go back to the computer and fix the items you have marked up. Reread it.
5) By now, you might be tired of reading the same damn thing a hundred times. I get that way. So walk away. Leave it for a day or two. THEN REPEAT STEP 4.
5.a) By this second reading, things like incomplete plots or thought lines or the wrong word in the wrong place will hopefully reveal themselves and you can fix them, or delete them. (If you like something that needs to go, but don't want to cut it out, cut and paste it to a 'scrap' document and use it for a later story).
After a second reading, if you find a lot of stuff to fix, repeat steps 4 and 5 again. If not, then you are pretty much there for self-editing. Maybe take a shot at an editor one more time, but don't wait too long, by now you know you are excited about posting it.. so do it, submit it, and hope for the best.
I wish you the best, but most of all.. KEEP WRITING!!
Side note: Struggling with trimming that 8-10% of your story? Yeah it happens. For lots of reasons. So we all need to learn to say as much as possible in as few words as needed. Here is a very basic writers exercise that helps quite a bit:
Find something, an idea, a picture, an image, a memory, anything- and write about it in 100 words. Exactly. not 101 or 99, 100. Make that story say as much as possible in 100 words. You will find yourself having to do some serious editing here, to get to where you want to be. This is a basic writers exercise that does so much. Give it a go. Not sure what to write about? Google a random image or something; sexual or nonsexual. Then write it, in 100 words.
Good Luck
--MW
Last edited:
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