Do It Yourself Editing

[minsue]

Another trick is to edit one paragraph at a time from the end back to the beginning. It's difficult to edit that way but it does help concentrate the attention on just that bit of the story without the intended flow of the plot confusing the issue.

Oh, thank you. That's a great idea. I don't do much editing, and even then just copy editing, but when I do I have an evil problem with no longer editing and instead simply reading. It usually takes me a while for me to realize that I'm doing it and so I've had to go over the same paragraphs over and over again as I backtrack.

I am in your debt, WH.

 

[neonlyte]

I've included a summary of the common errors writers have posted to this thread in the first post to save people reading the entire thread.

Please post more common errors, particularly ones not included thus far, and I will update the summary from time to time.

 

[impressive]

Lay/lie/laid... these give me fits...

This one just won't stick in the memory banks. I have to look it up EVERY time. (To my credit, though, I do look it up.)

 

[Weird Harold]

Please post more common errors, particularly ones not included thus far, and I will update the summary from time to time.

One thing I do search for when editing somone else's story is the word TOLD. It's often an indicator that dialogue should be used instead of narration.

Another problem I look for as an editor, although it's difficult to search for, is "tom swifties" -- an excessive avoidance of "He said/She said" by using as many different dialogue tags as possible or an over-emphasis on HOW something was said.

 

[neonlyte]

*bump*

More editing tips welcomed - I've consolidated all the tips posted - see first post on this thread.

 

[CharleyH]

I am bumping this twofold.

1) OK, since getting this new computer, and reinstalling word, I am really, really frustrated with my spellcheck. It is NOT catching ANY of my spelling errors, and I feel I am losing work this way. Just now, thank god I re-read my doc, it did not catch impliment (common spelling error for me when typing fast, though I know it's implement). The thesaurus and grammar work fine. Does anyone have any idea why it would not be working?

2) semi-colons, blah, never know if to use it or an emdash.

 

[NoJo]

(I can still hear my high school English teacher's daily refrain: "When in doubt, leave it out.")

He was eventually caught on camera, I hear.

 

[neonlyte]

I am bumping this twofold.

1) OK, since getting this new computer, and reinstalling word, I am really, really frustrated with my spellcheck. It is NOT catching ANY of my spelling errors, and I feel I am losing work this way. Just now, thank god I re-read my doc, it did not catch impliment (common spelling error for me when typing fast, though I know it's implement). The thesaurus and grammar work fine. Does anyone have any idea why it would not be working?

2) semi-colons, blah, never know if to use it or an emdash.

Sent you a PM.

 

[Weird Harold]

I am bumping this twofold.

1) OK, since getting this new computer, and reinstalling word, I am really, really frustrated with my spellcheck. It is NOT catching ANY of my spelling errors, and I feel I am losing work this way.

I have customized the autocorrect list in my copy of Word and the few times I've had to use my daughter's copy -- which is customized to catch HER quirks insted of mine -- it drives me crazy. Perhaps that's part of your problem: customizations and configurtion changes you've made and forgetten about in your old instllation? Perhaps it's just your custom dictionary that's missing.

On the topic of this thread, MS Word users need to remember to go the spelling and grammar tab under tools/options and click the "recheck document" to clear all of the Ignore and Ignore ALL flags, so that Word will actually check the spelling/grammar instead of checking to see if the spelling/grmmar has already been checked and marked as OK.

 

[CharleyH]

I have customized the autocorrect list in my copy of Word and the few times I've had to use my daughter's copy -- which is customized to catch HER quirks insted of mine -- it drives me crazy. Perhaps that's part of your problem: customizations and configurtion changes you've made and forgetten about in your old instllation? Perhaps it's just your custom dictionary that's missing.

On the topic of this thread, MS Word users need to remember to go the spelling and grammar tab under tools/options and click the "recheck document" to clear all of the Ignore and Ignore ALL flags, so that Word will actually check the spelling/grammar instead of checking to see if the spelling/grmmar has already been checked and marked as OK.

I checked off the default dictionary button. It appears that there is no custom dictionary... well, when I click modify or edit, a word document would appear with our user names and a #, anyhow I had actually never used any of those features before, so never changed the settings.

I think I have rectified the problem, but will keep an eye on it before submitting anything.

Thank you, Weird Harold, and also a thanks to Neon and Lauren for the extra help.

(Damn, that almost sounded academy award-like. lol)

 

[Weird Harold]

I checked off the default dictionary button. It appears that there is no custom dictionary...

Thedeafult custom dictionary for MS Word is "CUSTOM.DIC" an is automatically created when you click ADD to a spelling fault. If you've never clicked "add" to a spelling fault there won't be custom dictionary yet.

Word should give you the option to "add a custom dictionary" but I don't remember if it's on the spelling and grammar tab or the "files and folders" tab.

Once a custom.dic file has been created or other custom dictionaries added, they should show up on the spelling and grmmar tab to customize the spelling and grammar check for that document.

 

[neonlyte]

Very useful post made by Rumple on another thread included on the first entry on this thread.