Hey guys, Today Nancy Lin is here to help us with what might just be THE suckiest part of writing. But part of being a great writer, is also learning to be at least a good editor. We all need professional outside eyes on our work, and Nancy is here to help you get the most bang for your buck.

Take it away, Nancy!

***

Editing is a necessary part of writing, but not all writers are great editors. As a writer, I find it helpful to get a second opinion, because I’m not able to see every single error. And this isn’t just me.

You might think you’re the next Shakespeare (which are pretty big shoes to fill). Once you stop basking in your own ego, you can be more realistic about your writing ability. And chances are you’re not.

Professional editors are useful, and, in some cases, they’re necessary. Hiring one may not be as easy as you think. The process can take a great deal of time, and the good ones don’t work for cheap. That’s why you need to learn to do some of the editing yourself.

If you learn some self-editing techniques, it could save you time, and it could even save you money. There is also the uncertainty that may come from the waiting process, and not knowing how good (or how bad) your work really is.

Believe me – I’ve been there.

There are some online tools you can use for the editing process, and they come with certain advantages. They can also be cheaper than professional editors. Some of them are even free.

It can be hard to receive criticism from a person, which is why writers cringe at the idea of hiring an editor. After the process is over, they’re sometimes left with a broken bank and a bruised ego. If you get it from a program, it might soften the blow.

There is another advantage to using these tools, and it’s rather obvious. You can get a better analysis than from a standard spelling and grammar checker, so you will be able to analyze your writing more effectively. This can allow you to be more critical of your own work.

There is one thing you have to remember. Like the rest of us so-called masters of the manuscript, these tools are far from perfect, and they’re not programmed to think. They will be able to identify potential problems with your writing, but you have to decide if you want to follow their suggestions.

As you’re editing, it’s important to remember the “big picture.” Think about what you’re trying to say, and be strategic about any changes you make.

I’m sure you’re dying to find out which editing tools I’ve chosen. So, here they are.

#1: Edit Minion

The best part about this tool is that it’s free. It may not be the best editing tool, but it will get the job done. It analyzes your writing, and it highlights words and phrases that may need correction. They’re even color coded based on the type of error. Just hover your mouse over it to find out why.

Edit Minion will analyze your writing for any of these potential problems:

• Adverbs
• Weak words
• Homonyms
• Prepositions at the end of a sentence
• Passive voice
• Clichés

You do, of course, have to make your own call about what you want to change.

#2: Hemingway App

This tool is also free, and it does real-time reporting as you type. It highlights sentences that may need shortening, and it points out adverbs or sentences in the passive voice. The program is easy to use, and it’s readable. By the way, there is a readability scale, and you get readability grades for your writing. In fact, it’s good for finding sentences that need simplification.

#3: AutoCrit

Unlike the last two, this one isn’t free. You have to have an account, and there is a subscription fee. But you can request a free trial.

It does a detailed analysis of your writing, and it has a “visual guide.” It will even compare your writing to other published works. What is more, it helps you with the standard edits and checks your document for repetitive words and phrases. It will even check for words that are taking too much space.

#4: WordRake

This is another paid tool, working with Word. It analyzes your writing for any redundant words, and it will suggest possible replacements. While it is not the cheapest, it can help you to shorten your sentences and tighten your writing.

#5: SlickWrite

When it comes to this tool, “slick” is the operative word. Not only is it free, but it’s also fast and easy to use. It looks for the common problems (such as adverbs, passive voice and awkward phrasing)) that can plague your writing. SlickWrite has an intuitive interface, and you can move between the five tabs located at the top.

#6: SmartEdit

SmartEdit is another tool that works with Word, but you can use it as a standalone app. It’s only available for Windows, but there may be a Mac version later on. It does 20 different checks on your writing – some which include:

• Misspellings
• Misused words
• Repeated phrases
• Adverbs

It will also check for clichés, redundancies, and dialogue tags.

#7: ProWritingAid

This tool works with a variety of writing platforms and web browsers like the following ones:

• MS Word
• Google Docs
• Scrivener
• Google Chrome

It has both a free and premium version. There are actually two premium levels. The free version will let you analyze up to 3,000 words at one time, but there is no interactive editing. The first premium level has everything in the free version, but it doesn’t have a word limit. A great bonus: The Premium+ version has a plagiarism checker.

#8: Consistency Checker

While it doesn’t do the detailed checks of the before mentioned tools, it can be useful in the editing process. In fact, it does as the name suggests. Just upload the document, download the report, and it will point out any inconsistencies.

#9: Unplag

Unplag is not an editing tool per se, but it can be helpful in the process. It’s an online plagiarism checker, which detects text coincidences in your work. It can check a few documents at once, and there is a full report showing highlighted text similarities, originality percentage, links to the original sources and other important details. The small investment can keep you from destroying your reputation and your career.

#10: After the Deadline

This tool installed in your browser checks your writing for spelling errors, misused words, and other common issues. When you write an email or new Facebook post, After the Deadline will notice any typos or mistakes immediately. The built-in AI recommends alternatives that can improve the flow of your writing, and it has a list of 1,500 words that are often misused.

Final Thoughts

Image via Drew Coffman courtesy of Flickr Creative Commons

Editing can be a long process, but it’s a necessary part of writing. It makes your manuscripts cleaner, more concise, and more effective. You might not like editing, but using some of these tools can save you a great deal of time. Not to mention, you can save on editing costs.

Not every writer likes editing. Some of them probably despise it, but there’s no way you can escape it. It’s just part of the job. And you’re going to have to suck it up and get it done.

So, will you take advantage of these tools so you can become a better writer? What other resources you will recommend your fellow writers?

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Thank you NANCY! And I love hearing from you! Remember comments for my guests get double weight in the contest.

To prove it and show my love, for the month of JUNE, everyone who leaves a comment I will put your name in a hat. If you comment and link back to my blog on your blog, you get your name in the hat twice. What do you win? The unvarnished truth from yours truly. I will pick a winner once a month and it will be a critique of the first 20 pages of your novel, or your query letter, or your synopsis (5 pages or less).

Check out classes below and Battle of the Pages is almost full, so get your seat while you can!

About the Author:

Nancy Lin is a freelance writer, blogger and editor from Kansas City. Her articles have appeared in a number of writing-related websites, including DIYAuthor, Cultured Vultures and Plagiarism Today. If you’re interested in getting help with your writing, you can always find Nancy on Google+ and Twitter.
I love hearing from you!

Upcoming Classes

All W.A.N.A. classes are on-line and all you need is an internet connection. Recordings are included in the class price.

Again, I am trying something new and offering an open and interactive workshop. Is your first page strong enough to withstand the fire?

Battle of the First Pages

June 16th, 7-9 EST. Cost $25

This is an interactive experience similar to a gong show. We will upload the first page and I will “gong” when I would have stopped reading and explain why. We will explore what each writer has done right or even wrong or how the page could be better. This workshop is two hours long and limited seats available so get your spot as soon as you can!

So You Want to Write a Novel 

June 17th, 7-9 EST. Cost is $35

Just because we made As in high school or college English does not instantly qualify us to be great novelists. Writing a work that can span anywhere from 60,000 to 120,000+ words requires training. This class is for the person who is either considering writing a novel or who has written a novel(s) and is struggling.

We will cover the essentials of genre, plot, character, dialogue and prose. This class will provide you with the tools necessary to write lean and clean and keep revisions to a minimum.

Character & Plotting (NEW CLASS!)

June 24th, 2015 7:00-9:00 P.M. EST. Cost is $35

All great plots are birthed from character. The core plot problem should be the crucible that eventually reveals a hero in Act III. This means that characterization and plot are inextricably linked. Weak plot, weak character. Blasé character, blasé plot.

This class will teach you how to create dimensional characters and then how to plot from inner demons and flaws. Get inside the heads and hearts of your characters in a way that drives and tightens dramatic tension.

This is an excellent class for anyone who wants to learn how to plot faster and to add layers to their characters.

For those who need help building a platform and keeping it SIMPLE, pick up a copy of my latest social media/branding book Rise of the Machines—Human Authors in a Digital World on AMAZON, iBooks, or Nook. 

The post Hate the Editing Stage of Writing? Check Out These Helpful Tools appeared first on Kristen Lamb.

Please don’t kill me.

I love to garden, but I am terrible at reading instructions, which means I am not going to read a How To book or gardening blogs, because I already have enough to read and this would steal time from my great joy…digging in the dirt. This means that, over the years, I’ve learned a lot through trial and error.

Code for : Killing Stuff

Almost five years ago, we bought our first home. We got a sweet deal on it, but it needed work. The yard was little more than mowed field. I couldn’t wait to get in and pretty it up. I slaved for hours in triple-digit Texas heat digging holes and clearing land for gardens. I’d always loved oleander and when I found them on sale at the local nursery, I was ecstatic. Normally, oleander this size were over $100 but I got each for less than $20. I planted one on each corner of the house and dreamed of how beautiful they’d be when they matured.

Then we had the most freakish, freezing winter in Texas history. I’d never even seen snow before and suddenly we were buried in eight inches of it.

The Canadians can all stop laughing now. You guys have things like PLOWS, SNOW SHOVELS, SNOW TIRES…and COATS.

Anyway, the oleanders that seemed to be doing okay during the mild fall were obliterated. When early spring came, I cleaned up all the dead stuff and dug out all the oleanders and threw them away. All except one because I ran out of energy.

Much to my horror, guess what sprouted once it got warmer?

My last remaining oleander. *sniffles*

To this day, I can’t look at that oleander without grieving the other four. I feel so foolish. What if I’d just been patient? What if I hadn’t been so quick to judge what was “dead”?

This is what premature editing can do to our story. When we start hacking away and digging stuff out too soon, we have no idea what treasures we might be tossing in the garbage. Never underestimate what your subconscious is capable of doing. Our subconscious mind is planting seeds along the way that can eventually sprout into ideas better than we imagined. Editing too soon can ruin that magic and toss it in a Hefty bag, just like my poor oleanders.

Tips to Avoid Premature Editing

Fast Draft

Candace Havens teaches a method called Fast Draft. You write the entire novel in a matter of two weeks. No stopping, no looking back. No editing. This is my preferred method, because I am notorious for editing stuff to death. In the novel I just finished, I forbade content editing. There were times I thought what I was writing was ridiculous. SHEER MADNESS. But, as I got closer to the end, I realized my subconscious was far smarter than I am. I ended up with a richer, deeper story that I never would have been able to consciously plot. Because I didn’t uproot those seeds of inspiration, I was finally able to watch them bloom into something far more remarkable.

Thus I challenge those of you who might have a tough time finishing. Give permission to simply WRITE. Your subconscious might have a miracle in store for you.

Limited Edit

Allow yourself to correct typos, punctuation and grammar ONLY. Anything else that you believe needs to be changed, make a note of it in a different color. Then keep moving forward.

I know this isn’t for everyone. Every time I talk about this topic, I get a half a dozen comments from people who just can’t bear to not edit. Of course, many of them don’t have finished books, either.

In the end, these are tips. You have to find what works for you. But I would at least give these methods a try. You can always slay the superfluous adverbs later ;).

What are your thoughts? Have you ever gotten overzealous and edited the heart out of a story and later regretted it? What tactics do you use to keep from editing too soon? Does editing early not bother you?

I love hearing from you!

To prove it and show my love, for the month of March, everyone who leaves a comment I will put your name in a hat. If you comment and link back to my blog on your blog, you get your name in the hat twice. What do you win? The unvarnished truth from yours truly. I will pick a winner once a month and it will be a critique of the first 20 pages of your novel, or your query letter, or your synopsis (5 pages or less).

For a LONG-TERM plan for a fit, healthy platform, please check out my latest book Rise of the Machines–Human Authors in a Digital World.

The post Lessons from Oleander–The Dangers of Premature Editing appeared first on Kristen Lamb.