The next item on the Elements of Fiction Editing Checklist may seem a little odd: ☐ The chosen grammatical person is suitable to the story and the POV characters. What does that even mean?
Category: Editing
Psychic distance isn’t about mind-reading
I got a little distracted last week, but let’s return to the Elements of Fiction Editing Checklist. We were talking about point of view, or viewpoint. One aspect of viewpoint is psychic distance.
Determine your most appropriate POV character
I’ve said that character is the most important element of fiction. Some editors disagree, and will say plot or point of view is more important. I’ve given my reasons for why I feel as I do about character. Here’s why I put viewpoint before plot on my list. Viewpoint, or …
Why Character is the most important fiction element
The editing checklist I presented last time is written in order of importance according to me. Other editors will disagree about what is the most important aspect of a novel. I put Character at the top of the list because the characters, especially the viewpoint characters, are how the reader …
Before editing, develop a plan
Many writers get to the end of a rough draft and then start revising without a clear plan. We’re taught how to write, but often we’re not taught how to edit. Professional editors know that editing requires a clear plan. Working without one can lead to months, if not years, …
Read your rough draft before you edit
Now that you’ve taken some time off from your manuscript, you can approach it as a reader would. Read through your novel as quickly as possible to get a feel for the story. Do this in whatever way is comfortable for you. At your local office supply and copy center, …
Your first draft can be awful, as long as it’s finished
The difference between a good novel and a great novel is editing. Before you submit your manuscript for traditional publication, you must edit thoroughly. That goes double if you plan to self-publish. At the Florida Writers Association’s Mid-Winter Conference West and Reading Festival in Bradenton last week, one of the …
How does one train to be a fiction editor?
When I guest blogged at Random Writing Rants the other day, a commenter asked about how one gets trained as a fiction editor. Here’s an expanded version of my answer. I belong to two professional associations, both of which provide editor training: Editorial Freelancers Association The Christian PEN: Proofreaders …
When it’s okay to spell okay ‘OK’
Writers and editors may be the only people who get into arguments about spelling. In fact, I think it could easily be said that if you’re inclined to argue about how things ought to be spelled, you’re an editor, at heart if not by title. I’ve been inclined to spell …
Publishing Q&A: Do you need a professional editor?
This question came up several times during the Florida Writers Association conference. Sometimes it was “Do you need a professional editor to work on your manuscript before you self-publish?” and other times it was “Do you need a professional editor to work on your manuscript before you submit for traditional …