Edit it Twice

Don’t expect perfection on the first pass.

Two weeks ago, I completed my first editorial pass through a 103,000-word novel. Working part time, the task took nearly a month. By the end, I’d cut some 7,750 words.

I took care of the POV and made sure each new chapter immediately identified the main character, setting, and time. I fixed telling dialogue attributions and made sure the … Continue reading

Put ONLY in Its Place

A word’s placement makes a difference.

I have a beef with Safeway. They may know groceries, but they struggle with word order. I cringe every time I hear this line in their radio ad: “Safeway only sells U.S.D.A. choice beef.”

What’s wrong with that? The placement of the word only.

In English, modifiers belong as close as possible to the word they … Continue reading

More Than a Month’s Work

Don’t expect an instant novel.

Several friends on Facebook have been posting about working to write a novel this November.

It’s great to see their determination and progress. I just hope they realize that at the end of the month, their novel won’t be done.

They may have a first draft, even a good first draft, but it’s won’t yet be a polished novel. For … Continue reading