A Three-Step Process for Self-Editing

This summer is gearing up to become the Season of the Edit.

In addition to prepping two chapter books and a young adult book for release through MuseInks Press this year (the print version of WILSON THE DALMATIAN: VICTORIAN CARRIAGE DOG will release in July. KORY VS. THE 5 K is slated for August. DEAR ALDERONE should come out this September), a VIP client is in the process of editing his manuscript, with a very ambitious goal of having it ready for his publisher by the end of July.

I confess: I LOVE editing. I love working with the raw clay of the original words and molding it into something worth making permanent. But I have discovered that many writers don’t share my editing zeal. 

So I thought I’d present my editing process—a three step method of polishing the words you've written until they shine. It’s fast and relatively painless. And (dare I say it) it can be fun!

Phase 1:  Read as Your Rival (The Content Commentary)

Read your own work as if a rival writer penned it. 

Write down observations about text inaccuracies, awkward construction, non-sequiturs, redundancies, clarity problems, formatting, and overall execution. Then write specific suggestions for how you (the more gifted craftsperson, natch) would fix the flaws.

Be sure to also note strengths: those sections that are particularly well-crafted, moving, or memorable.

Reading as if reviewing a competitor’s work tends to make it easier to get “picky” with the piece. It helps to assess consistency of voice and conduct a general evaluation of things like tense, agreement, parallelism, sentence and paragraph construction, and spelling.

During the commentary, only make notes. Comment on the entire project, identifying strengths and weaknesses and mercilessly mining for inconsistencies.

Phase 2: Take the Notes and Take Action  (The Rewrite)

When the commentary is finished, review your notes and act upon them. 

Rewrite until you get it right.

Address every concern raised in the commentary notes. In addition, conduct a line-by-line edit that would make your 10^th grade English teacher proud:

• Rework passive sentences into active ones. 

• Replace linking verbs with verbs of substance. 

• Delete adjectives and adverbs without remorse. 

• Identify static characters and give them arcs. 

• Surprise your characters more often. 

• Eliminate overused words and phrases. 

• In other words, make creativity take a back seat to craft for a while.

Phase 3: Proof

The final phase—the proof—is concerned primarily with the manuscript's adherence to proper English usage.

Beginning a proof edit assumes that any glaring errors in logic, plot, or characterization have already been dealt with. This step is really about making sure all “I”s are dotted, “T”s crossed, and things like periods, commas, and apostrophes are used correctly.

Commentaries, rewrites, and proofs. Each is an essential part of the editing process. Done correctly, they help you analyze your work more objectively.  Then it’s up to you to roll up your creative sleeves and polish your prose until your soul shines through.

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The One that Got Away

This past week has been one of emotional ups and downs, of high hopes and dealing with reality.

On Mother’s Day Sunday, my friend Julie saw a dog loose on a Michigan country road.

“Want to go for a ride?” Julie asked.

The dog did.

On Monday mornings, Julie and I meet at a local café to write. She told me about the dog, who she’d taken to the vet first thing that morning: no tags. No microchip. The vet didn’t recognize her. Animal control had no record of a lost dog that matched her description.

Julie has three large dogs of her own. No way she could add a fourth.

I, however, only have three small-ish dogs. We had to say good-bye to our last large dog, Zephyr, earlier this year.

I volunteered to foster her until her people were found.

Such a good passenger pup.

Within 10 minutes of meeting her, I hoped her people were never found.

We went to various vets in a 30 mile radius. None recognized her.

We called and listed her as found at all the humane societies and animal controls in three counties.

For the next 6 days, she assimilated into our house. Perfectly housetrained. Beautifully behaved. She got along with the cats, the dogs, and people. The horses and chickens fascinated her.

Old Major adored his new couch buddy.

She was a little dehydrated and (in my opinion) a little underweight, but I didn’t think she’d been mistreated or neglected. Her skin was in good condition, her teeth were clean, and she was such a happy soul.

I made an appointment with my vet for the following Monday to get her shots and licensed.

And on Sunday, her owners surfaced.

They saw Julie’s Facebook post. They described her collar. They had photos of her. ::sniff:: No question about it.

And they wanted her back.

of course they did

So we’re back to a three-dog house. For now. But it was a lot of fun while it lasted.