Ahhh,
revising. I don’t mean
your friendly little cut and paste and then we’re done. I mean the fourth-time-through-the-novel
kinda rehash. When the written word starts looking like Sanskrit and you find
yourself Googling the plural possessive of “ours”--more than once. I actually woke up this morning from a dream in which I was editing my WIP. Good Lord, how did I get into this? I can’t even keep my sock drawer in order,
not to mention sixty-five thousand words and all the rotten little dots and
dashes that go along with them! Criminy. What was I thinking?
I’ve been
reading a lot about the revising process lately. Someone, I’m not sure who, recommended that to
find all the typos I should read my manuscript backwards. Oh yes, his name was Eloh-ssa. Someone else suggested “it might be worth it”
to spend three grand to get a professional edit. Sorry, but it ain’t worth it in THIS house-hold. What I really need to do is to stop obsessing
on Twitter over the latest contest and go to work so I can afford to buy a new
fridge. The one we’ve got sounds like a
clothes-dryer full of tennis-shoes.
The best
technique I have found for editing my manuscript is to submit it to an
agent. Then, when I reread the email I
sent said agent, I will spot all the myriad of mistakes that somehow, previously
slipped my eye: A glaring incorrect
“their” (it must be auto-correct, right?); the fact that I obviously think
colons should be used for digestive purposes only; and the blatant overuse
of my characters name as a mind-numbing form of thought-control. (I really didn’t use it eleven times in the
first 250 did I?) However, this type of editing tends to be counter-productive.
So my dear
talented Peeps, I thought perhaps you might be willing to throw me a bone and help a fellow writer embarking on this part of the journey. Listed below are a plethora of questions for which I am seeking answers. Rather than scan the web for unreliable answers, I thought to ask those writers near and dear to my heart. You have all been so helpful in the past. I hope to glean as much
wisdom as possible from your writerly experience. Feel free to answer all, some or none. I'll still love you--and more importantly, will still read you.
*How do you
know when your manuscript is ready to send to Beta Readers?
*Do your
beta readers check for typos, spelling and grammar or just overall flow and feel?
*Do you send your readers a questionnaire (of
sorts) along with the MS ?
*What
questions do you put on said questionnaire?*Do you use Google Docs?
*Do you send it out to one reader at a time, and then fix the whatevers, and then send it out to the next reader or do you cast a wide net?
Many thanks.
~Just JillP.S. My dream-editing was right on. I axed the whole paragraph this morning.
P.S.S. Please check out Kirsten Lamb's book, "We Are Not Alone: The Writer's Guide to Social Media" on Amazon here!
I do several round of edits before sending to my test readers. They look for plot holes and overall storyline. Then I edit it many more times before sending it to my critique partners, who look for about everything. I do pose questions for my test readers but not my critique partners. Never used Google Docs.
ReplyDeleteHope that helps!
Thanks so much for taking the time to share your experiences Cap'n! Always appreciated!
Delete~Just Jill
teehee--oh, my friend, we have ALL been there! Here is my process... results may vary... I have several reliable beta partners... at about my 4th draft I send to a few who are really good with PLOTTING and Characterization. I specifically tell them, don't worry about typos or wording (unless there is a sentence or paragraph they totally can't follow)--what I want feedback on is story, pace, character consistency. I ask them specifically to note where it goes too slow or too fast, and mostly just to make notes in the margin if something is 'off'.
ReplyDeleteThen I revise. The NEXT round I ask (different people) for a more careful read--more the grammar, beta step... BEFORE I send for this, I read it out loud--you can catch a LOT reading out loud. This also might not be a bad spot for a word cloud to spot your crutch words (though is mine, so I always need a 'thoughectomy')
So my first send to professional types (agent queries) is maybe the 7th-9th draft. Earlier books were more--they have drafts in the teens and still aren't published.
I hear you! I need to hear it! I use my MC's name so much it is embarrassing. Thanks for stopping by and sharing your wisdom, Hart. Many Thanks!
Delete~Just Jill
Obligatory disclaimer: these pertain to me only. I am told that I am rather odd. (See my comment regarding inheriting a functional cutlass - no, not a car; an edged weapon) My answers are prefaced by @@
ReplyDeleteAnd so:
*How do you know when your manuscript is ready to send to Beta Readers?
@@When you know you want feedback. That is to say, when you are ready for some guidance.
*Do your beta readers check for typos, spelling and grammar or just overall flow and feel?
@@I do all of the above, and those unfortunates who beta-read for me are nasty enough to say, "Hey! Did you know that 'face' is NOT spelled with two 'E's' and no 'A'! Don't believe me? Check it out! Ha ha ha!"
*Do you send your readers a questionnaire (of sorts) along with the MS ?
@@If I have a question on something I ask it. I have a love story in my WIP (coming out in less than two weeks - AAAAAACKKKK!!!!) and I wanted to know if it worked. It was a very quiet one and rather unusual in that the lady in the story tells the gentleman that he is invited to remain with her that night, and she admits that she loves him.
*What questions do you put on said questionnaire?
@@Whatever I want or am hoping for. I am not shy.
*Do you use Google Docs?
@@Well… Yes… I guess. I bought one of their tablet thingies, but I have to figure out how to use it. I know people who LOVE them, and I am sure I will, too.
*Do you send it out to one reader at a time, and then fix the whatevers, and then send it out to the next reader or do you cast a wide net?
@@I've only sent to one, but then I am an unusual case. I have been to shy to seek beta readers (I mean, I can't read horror, can't get into paranormal, and get the willies from thrillers like The DaVinci code. What do I have to offer? I've started asking, shyly, and reciprocating, as well.
TYPOS: can you ID your worst ones and keep a list, and do a search-and-destroy in your word processing system?
Note: I know a freelance editing group that does a very good line edit and such for an extremely reasonable amount of money. (and believe me, due to various concerns relating to the economy and the job market not wanting very experienced people who are suddenly looking for work of any sort - any at all - I am very much aware of the cost of things, though not strapped now) You'd like them. They are British. Email me if interested. Quotes cost nothing.
Diana Dear,
DeleteMany thanks for taking the time to stop by and share your experiences. Very sound advice--all. I shall consider the freelance editing group. I mean, they ARE British after all. However my rumbling fridge informs me I have other priorities at the moment.
Merci mon amie,
~Just Jill
Funny, I use the exact same process where I used to send it out only to notice the glaring errors the minute the email was irretrievable. :)
ReplyDeleteHI Johanna, Thanks for the moral support. Here I thought I was the only one using that method!
Delete~Just Jill
All beta readers are different. If you tell them of some specific fears they should keep their eyes open for them. Otherwise, they comment on what they see worthy of commenting on. Of course some readers do better with small stuff like Grammar and others do better with big picture stuff. It would be wise to have some of both so you get a really good all around crit when you put them all together.
ReplyDeletePersoanlly I send it to beta readers when I've gone over it so many times that I've lost all objectivity. At that point I need fresh eyes and a break while they read it.
I don't send them a questionnaire. I want to know what stood out to them, what they noticed. If they're looking for things I'm already concerned about they may miss something I didn't know I should fix. I may however ask them about something after they've sent they're crit back.I send it out to all my Beta readers at once because I wait until It's as good as I can get it alone. If there are a lot of things to change after then I may send it out so a second round of Beta reads after changes.
Anyway, that's just my experience so far. You need to find what works for you.
Thanks so much for the good advice S.P. I shall take it to heart!
Delete~Just Jill
I've not used Google docs. I usually just send a Word document via email and a few weeks later I get it back all full of red or blue or green slash marks. I do love the people who can tackle both story issues and typos/grammar. Those readers are worth their weight in gold. :)
ReplyDeleteHI L.G.
DeleteThanks for stopping by! I love colored slash marks! It make smy MS look like a pretty rainbow...
~Just Jill
I don't use beta readers. I use MS Word and not google docs. I usually edit myself though I've hired eyes to look at stuff before. It's a judgment call I make depending on my audience. If I'm writing erotica, I don't hire another editor.
ReplyDeleteSounds like Word is THE choice thus far. Thanks for commenting Michael.
Delete~Just Jill
I know how you feel, Jill. I am trying to cut 25,000 words from my far-too-long historical middle-grade and I love all those words! I do use beta readers and critique groups. I usually have specific questions for them, but also always ask, "What can I do without? Where can I cut." I also try to get some kids to read the manuscript. Right now I have copies in my grandson's classroom and several kids have read it. They never want to cut anything out! In fact, one of the kids told me he thought I should add to the manuscript. (sigh) I use Word, but have thought about getting a copy of Scrivener. I have friends who love it. Good luck with your rewrite and don't take any more advice from Eloh-ssa.
ReplyDelete25,000 words? Egads. That's not editing! That's amputating!
DeleteGood luck with that and thanks for getting my joke, Rosie.
~Just Jill
I sent my work to the last round of beta readers when I was (a) sick to death of looking at my manuscript, and (b) had edited, and cut and rewritten so many times, I didn't think I was capable of doing any more improving on my own. At that point, I frankly needed fresh objective eyes to help me ascertain whether it was time to publish that puppy or to put it out of its misery.
ReplyDeleteOne thing that did help me see my work in a different light was sending it to my Kindle and reading it there. I was able to pick up on some minor errors there that I'd overlooked on the computer.
Good luck!
Ooh! Great idea with the Kindle. I must get me one of those. There have been several books lately that I wanted to read but couldn't because I lacked a gadget.
DeleteThanks for adding your voice to the chorus!
~Just Jill
This is so interesting! I haven't finished the first draft of my manuscript yet (am having the feeling I may need to pare it down by about 25K words as well!), but I had been wondering about this sort of stuff. Thanks, Jill!
ReplyDeleteThanks for stopping by Linda! Good luck with your MS!
Delete~Just Jill
I have two critique partners and I use an editor - but not a $3000 editor, thank you very much. However, I'm thinking of using some beta readers on my WIP, so the responses here are very interesting. I'm taking notes!
ReplyDeleteThanks for stopping by Carol. Good luck with "Solomon's Compass"! (Psssst! Readers! Stop by Alex's blog to read all about Carol's latest book.)
DeleteWhen I send my stuff out for critiques, I usually ask people to just look the overall story. While people are certainly welcome to grammar edit for me, I might mention that it's a low priority, especially if this is an early draft. If my critique buddies were to grammar-edit my WIP for me, and I later end up cutting out big chunks of the story when I do my mass revisions, I would feel bad if they'd done all that proofreading for me in vain. That said, I myself don't enjoy grammar editing all that much. I do the best grammar editing when I've taken a short break from my WIP.
ReplyDeleteMaybe someone had already suggested this... I wonder if there's a market for grammar editing work among teaching assistants or grad school students in teaching programs. Just a thought.
You brought up some really good points Cynthia. Thanks for stopping by and offering your experience!
Delete~Just Jill
First, I send the manuscript out to my writing friends. They rip it apart for plot holes, characterization, and pacing. Some of them comment on grammar and punctuation; not because I asked them to but because they help themselves.
ReplyDeleteThen, edit and edit again. After that, I send it to four or five people who are readers rather than writers. If they like it, it's ready to for a final copyedit. The editing process feels endless to me.
Thanks for putting in your .02 Elizabeth! Fearless!
Delete~Just Jill