Tag: self-editing for writers

Why Editing Matters & Simple Ways to Make Your Work SHINE

Editing makes up a HUGE part of the writing process. Oh, if all we writers had to do was sit down and slap glorious words on a page. If only it were so easy.

Fatal Flaws: Why Your Story is Falling Apart & How to Fix It

Recently I blogged about the log-line, how it’s an incredible diagnostic tool for spotting flaws in a story idea. The brilliance of the log-line is the simplicity. As an editor/writing coach, I can zero in on a story’s every strength and spot every flaw with a single glance at the log-line. How? Because the log-line …

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Perspective: Self-Editing Your Dialogue and Characters

Perspective is key to creating dimensional characters that resonate with the reader. Proper perspective adds dimension that transitions a ‘plot puppet’ into what feels like a real ‘person.’ POV (point of view) offers readers a glimpse into the character’s psyche, which will drive thought, action, emotion, conflict, choices, and change. Perspective can also rid our …

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The Dangers of Premature Editing: Pruning Our Stories vs. Pillaging Them

Editing is essential for crafting a superlative story. We clip away the excess, delete the superfluous and prune away the detritus to reveal the art. Yet, editing is something we’re wise to handle with care. While lack of ANY editing is a major problem today, editing too much, too soon is just as big of …

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So You Wrote a First Draft—Dear God! What NOW?

If we add too much of the wrong thing, we can spoil the entire novel. If we cut too much of the right stuff we can collapse the story.