6 Tips for How to Organize Your Novel’s Edits – Helping Writers Become Authors
Editing can be a trying time for many writers. I can speak from experience. Editing is the general term used for a myriad of things which go under the same umbrella, such as: rewrites, organizing chapters, first, second, and third drafts, etc., and then finally edits, before our work is even sent to an editor to start revisions. That’s a lot of work for writers.
Today I’m reblogging a helpful article from K.M. Weiland whose newsletter on all things writing, I’ve been subscribing to for a few years now. Her articles are a wealth of information. And in today’s post, you will find some helpful info on organizing your work in the editing stages.
“How to organize your novel’s edits can seem like a complicated question. Use these 6 steps to make things as simple and straightforward as possible.”
“One of the reasons editing a novel can sometimes feel like the insurmountable Mt. Never Gonna Get There is because you don’t have a clear path forward. Facing a big edit–with lots of feedback from various sources–is like facing down the mopping up after a hurricane. You’ve got the manpower and the know-how. But first you have to figure out how to put them to use. After all, you can’t move forward until you know the first step. . .” Continue Reading
Source: 6 Tips for How to Organize Your Novel’s Edits – Helping Writers Become Authors
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dgkaye
D.G. Kaye is a nonfiction/memoir writer, who writes from her own life experiences and self-medicates with a daily dose of humor.
28 Comments
Teagan Geneviene
Ha! Relating to the “mopping.” I’ve been a technical editor for more years than I like to admit. I’m constantly mopping up after people with bigger salaries, bigger titles, and zero grammar skills…
(On another topic — I found out that the Dallas job with my agency got cancelled — not that they bothered to tell me or answer any of my post-interview follow-ups… ) I’d rather get to Arizona anyway! ) Mega hugs my friend.
dgkaye
Haa! Isn’t that the way Teag? The little guy getting paid less to do the big guy’s dirty work.
Well wasn’t that so nice of your agency to keep you uninformed. It sounds to me that there are many ingrates where you work, and too many who don’t appreciate what you do.
Just another warning from the universe though, they don’t want you in Texas, because your heart is in Arizona. Just as well, cuz I much prefer to visit you there, lol. Big huggies to you xo 🙂
D. Wallace Peach
Interesting. I usually leave the major proofread for typos, grammar, and puctuation for the end since every time I make a change to the manuscript, I make more mistakes! It’s endless. Otherwise good suggestions for getting organized 🙂 Thanks for sharing, Debby.
dgkaye
Thanks for reading Diana. And I have to agree with you on proofread typos etc. Unless I’m rewriting in the computer and catch those typos along the way, I prefer to do my scrutinizing edits after the changes. 🙂
adeleulnais
thank you for this post Debby will take lots of advice from it.
dgkaye
So glad you found it helpful Adele. 🙂
kcg1974
Great tips for editing, Debby. So much easier to edit in ‘steps, and be organized along the way!
dgkaye
Thanks Kim. Glad you found it helpful. 🙂
kcg1974
I’m sure it will help many authors. Your blog is chock full of helpful insight! Such a gift you are, Debby. Happy Friday to you. ?❤️
dgkaye
Thank you so much for your uplifting comments Kim. Happy weekend to you. 🙂 <3
kcg1974
So welcome, Debby ?
dgkaye
🙂
olganm
Thanks for the share, Debby. I need all the help I can get!
dgkaye
My pleasure Olga. 🙂 xo
Vashti Quiroz-Vega
Thanks for sharing this article, Debby. I love K.M. Weiland and try to follow her posts. Editing can be quite frustrating, so we could use all the help we can get. Thanks again. 😀 xx
dgkaye
Don’t we all know it Vashti. Every little tip helps. 🙂
D. Parker
Read and loved, I’ve bookmarked this for when I edit my book. Thank you, Debby, you always have such amazing advice. 🙂
Hope this weekend is treating you kindly. 🙂
dgkaye
Thanks Donna. Glad to be helpful. And hope you’re having a lovely Canada weekend! 🙂
Sherri
Thanks to you Deb, yet another newsletter I susbscribe to now! Your wonderful advice and help is priceless my friend… 🙂 <3 xoxo
dgkaye
Lol Sher, you crack me up! But so glad you don’t have any computer crap to add to your load. 🙂 <3 xo
Sherri
LOL…and long may that remain, ha!!! Thanks Deb!! 🙂 <3
dgkaye
🙂 🙂 🙂 <3
Sherri
<3 <3 <3
Sacha Black
I think I read this article when she posted it. I like her but she is a SUPER plotter. I am a pantser so i can’t always get on with her suggestions. Its a useful one for sure though
dgkaye
I agree with you Sach. But with all her great info, there is always something I pull from it too. 🙂
Sacha Black
Oh yeah definitely that’s why in subscribed!
Deborah Jay
Interesting. I agree with everything in the list, but I do no.1 last.
It’s hard to leave the little things (typos, grammar, punctuation etc.) alone, as they are so easy to fix, but I find it a waste of time to do until everything else is corrected. Half the time I’m going to cut or re-write chunks in the structural edit, so quite a lot of the small stuff may well be in bits that will be deleted.
I leave those bits for the final sweep if I haven’t picked them up as I’ve gone along during the big edit.
dgkaye
Thanks for sharing Deb. I’m with you looking for typos, etc.comes after I’m getting more satisfied after a few rounds of drafts. 🙂