Following my train of thought from my last post, let's look at the first couple of items on the list - writing and editing. If you're a newbie, do you know how to structure a novel? Did you do your research for the content? So you've spent however long in your own private world putting out that first draft of your novel and loving every minute. Now what? Well, this might seem obnoxiously basic but, on the other hand, you might be so excited to finish you forget all about it. CREATE AT LEAST ONE BACKUP. Computer crashes happen when least expected, or theft, or fire, whatever, please don't lose all that work.
Remember, these posts are for authors who, through lack of funds, or for whatever other reason, have to do it all. Perhaps you have advanced degrees or a career in writing where you learned the ropes, but for those who weren't so lucky, here is the first sticking point.
You might dive right in to a rewrite, but let's say you're fairly satisfied with your manuscript. Now it's time to tidy it up. Editors are expensive, they're out of the question at the moment. You already did a spellcheck and grammar correction in Word or whatever program you are using, but your book is still not in any shape to be shown to anyone. Help is available out there. You need some editing software, either online or a stand-alone program. This might involve a little expense but certainly a lot less than an editor at this stage and you will be amazed how much your writing can improve by using one of these programs. These programs can point out:
- how many adverbs you used
- how many words and phrases you repeated
- how many clichés you used
- how much of your writing is "show" vs. "tell"
and much more.
So, okay. You've wrung your masterpiece through the wringer and come out the other end much improved, but this is just error editing. How about content editing? Now it's time to find out if there are any holes in your plot, mistimed scenes or glaring omissions. This too can be done for free or at a small cost by judicious use of the internet communities. You need some beta readers and they are everywhere. Do a Google search for readers, find a site you trust and you're almost ready to go. Before sending out your book, prepare a questionnaire to go with it and include any question you want answered about your story, such as:
- is my dialogue believable?
- is it boring?
- are there any parts you skipped?
- do I over inform?
These readers are invaluable, be sure to thank them. Make your corrections from the advice they offer and then re-edit.
These are only a couple of suggestions. Make sure your work is the best that it can be before proceeding to the next step.
See you next time.
Remember, these posts are for authors who, through lack of funds, or for whatever other reason, have to do it all. Perhaps you have advanced degrees or a career in writing where you learned the ropes, but for those who weren't so lucky, here is the first sticking point.
You might dive right in to a rewrite, but let's say you're fairly satisfied with your manuscript. Now it's time to tidy it up. Editors are expensive, they're out of the question at the moment. You already did a spellcheck and grammar correction in Word or whatever program you are using, but your book is still not in any shape to be shown to anyone. Help is available out there. You need some editing software, either online or a stand-alone program. This might involve a little expense but certainly a lot less than an editor at this stage and you will be amazed how much your writing can improve by using one of these programs. These programs can point out:
- how many adverbs you used
- how many words and phrases you repeated
- how many clichés you used
- how much of your writing is "show" vs. "tell"
and much more.
So, okay. You've wrung your masterpiece through the wringer and come out the other end much improved, but this is just error editing. How about content editing? Now it's time to find out if there are any holes in your plot, mistimed scenes or glaring omissions. This too can be done for free or at a small cost by judicious use of the internet communities. You need some beta readers and they are everywhere. Do a Google search for readers, find a site you trust and you're almost ready to go. Before sending out your book, prepare a questionnaire to go with it and include any question you want answered about your story, such as:
- is my dialogue believable?
- is it boring?
- are there any parts you skipped?
- do I over inform?
These readers are invaluable, be sure to thank them. Make your corrections from the advice they offer and then re-edit.
These are only a couple of suggestions. Make sure your work is the best that it can be before proceeding to the next step.
See you next time.
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