Clean Up Your Manuscript: Five Quick Fixes

After you’ve written your book and rested it for a while, then comes the task of self-editing. As a line and content editor, I come across habits that are common among writers.

These are things we know, but they still creep into our writing. While re-reading your manuscript, here are some specific tips and tricks to help smooth out your story before it leaves your hands.

1. Some phrases sound natural to us when we are speaking but become redundant when we put them on the page. Read the sentences below without the words in brackets and you’ll see that they flow better and nothing is lost.

Trina laughed [to herself] when Patrick crashed into the door. 

She whispered the words of the hymn [to herself].

2.  Since heads and shoulders do specialized jobs in conveying our emotions, some reactions are understood without adding body parts to the sentence. 

John nodded [his head] in response to Donna’s request.

When Dana asked how his day had gone, Mark shrugged [his shoulders].

3.  Colloquialisms creep into our writing, but can be removed without losing the meaning of the sentence.

Mikayla stepped off [of] the sidewalk.

“Get off [of] me,” Monique squealed.

4.  Have your characters do what they intend to, without delaying them with “filler” words.

Dane managed to get to work early today.

Dane got to work early today. 

Megan began to explain what she meant.Megan explained what she meant.

5. Give your reader a ringside view of your characters’ actions by avoiding filter words, such as felt, saw, thought, wondered, etc. The reader sees through the eyes of the point-of-view character. Immerse them in that experience. 

Instead of: Dionne saw him reach for the box. 
Try: He reached for the box. (the reader knows Dionne’s watching him)

Instead of: She felt the rough wool against her skin.
Try: The rough wool scratched her skin. 

It will take a bit of practice to break out of habits we’ve formed over time but with fresh eyes, we can get rid of those pesky words and phrases that weigh down our sentences. 

Until next time. 

Snapshots of Jamaica & Advice for Writers

Today I have random shots. Enjoy the visit to sunny Jamaica! For the serious writers in the crowd, there’s a link to a blog post that is a critical reminder of what we should spend most of our free time  doing.

Kinda looks like a greathouse, but it isn't. It's a place of business. I would have got the other side of the building but had get this shot before the bus moved again. 

 

Dee Savoy, Camy Tang…People & Ideas to Watch

I didn’t get much done this past week on the self-publishing project. I still need to run a final edit on that first story I want to offer for free on Smashwords and I also did a couple of covers. I’m taking your ideas and combining them into one cover. Still working on that. 

I did get my usual reading done. There are a few people I stalk follow, who have posted interesting articles on self-publishing that are worth sharing. See posts by award winning author Dee Savoy, and innovative thinker and writer Camy Tang.  I also checked out Beth Elisa Harris’ post on writers supporting each other, instead of doing the opposite and thought it interesting brain food. 

Snapshots of Jamaica & Book Covers

Today, our trip will be kinda pedestrian, in that we’re visiting buses and bus stops. And I do have something extra waaaay below on which I need your opinion. Fasten your seatbelts and let’s shove off!

The behemoth in the background is the split-level Transport Centre in Half-Way-Tree.

Paying the Piper - Editing

Source

Some of you might know that I’m planning to self-publish some of my work, by year end.  With that in mind, I’ve been studying the self-publishing business and editing the book I plan to publish. I made contact with a wonderful editor last week and asked about costing. The person was quite gracious and advised that I wouldn’t need more than one thorough round of editing based on my book now in the publishing pipeline. The rates were very reasonable, but when you live where I do, that translates to $113,000.00 Jamaica dollars.

Wait! Don’t go!  I’m not about to pull out my can and start asking for donations.

To a certain extent, now I understand why some writers opt not to get an editor. Do not read that as any kind of copout or endorsement of shortcuts to publication.  In no way, shape or form do I condone putting out work that isn’t properly edited. Those who go the editorless route owe themselves and their potential readers the obligation of publishing something that’s error free or as close to it as they can come, based on their resources.  

In many ways I’m a purist, so if I put a piece of my writing out there, it has to be of the highest quality. I come close to melt-down if I read a published post and see a typo I left in there. That said, it’s a good thing I’ll be working with a group of writers who are young in the business, but have put out really good work to date. (Yes, I've read a couple of their books on Kindle.)  If I can’t afford an editor when I get to that point, I have the assurance that two sets of eyes will also be reading. And before that, my critique group will have gone though the book.

Still, every day brings new adventures and opportunities, so I’m going to be looking around to see what else exists. Maybe I’ll really have to sell an arm, leg and kidney to pay for what I want, but until then I’ll keep them in premium condition. After all, we have to make sacrifices to achieve our dreams. 

All of this reminds me that I’m slacking off on my editing. 

Are you up to date on all the stuff you’re trying to get published?