Saturday, January 21, 2023

Self-Editing For Fiction Writers - How to edit yourself into print


I don't mind editing my own work, but what I am finding is that I miss things. I know that when I am reading a poorly edited book, whether fiction or non-fiction, it loses credence. I write mainly fiction - cozy mysteries, to be precise. I want my readers to enjoy my books and look forward to my next book. I don't want them to be so turned off by poor editing that I slip into never-never land in their eyes.  

I just picked up the second edition of Renni Browne and Dave King's "Self-Editing for Fiction Writers - How to edit yourself into print." Topics covered include characterization and exposition, POV (point of view), dialogue mechanics, sophistication, and voice.

Their first words of advice are to put your manuscript down for a while before you edit it. In this way, you are looking at it with fresh eyes. I have ignored this advice from time to time and generally found myself in a terrible mess and tearing my hair out.  

From presenting examples of the best way to present a paragraph, using scenes to tell your story, to doing the writing exercises presented in this book - these are all wonderful ways to interact with what the authors are teaching.

It is important to establish our characters, and the authors do a good job of showing the best ways to do this. I like their use of checklists in each chapter - they make the editing/tightening-up process much easier.

Write your story - then go back in and make it better!

I find this book to be a good resource for editing. I know I will do a much better job editing my books if I heed what they say. The bottom line of editing is that it is in this process that we, as authors, are able to polish our work so that it stands out and continues to attract readers.

(c) January 2023 Bonnie Cehovet
Reproduction is prohibited without the written consent of the author. 



 

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