tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post2517542766845128082..comments2024-03-28T10:41:26.999-06:00Comments on Blood-Red Pencil: A Line Editing TipDanihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14471919576687777886noreply@blogger.comBlogger12125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-56336998309795112002012-12-10T10:05:23.187-07:002012-12-10T10:05:23.187-07:00You're so right; we do read what we *think* we...You're so right; we do read what we *think* we've written, rather than what's actually on the page. This week I photocopied a chapter from my novel for all of my writing group colleagues, and then read a passage from it. To my amazement, everyone around the table picked up on the fact that I read straight through a mistake without realising it was there. I read what I *thought* I'd written, but everyone else read what was actually there. Great post!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-71979882999766621252008-09-10T00:38:00.000-06:002008-09-10T00:38:00.000-06:00Helen,I'm notorious for leaving out words. I just ...Helen,<BR/>I'm notorious for leaving out words. I just re-read one of my most popular blog posts and discovered I'd left an important word out in a sentence. Talk about embarrassing for an editor!<BR/><BR/>I allow time between edits on manuscripts, but I definitely need to slow down on blog posts.Lillie Ammannhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01851121176224654240noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-22041967559413057082008-09-09T18:18:00.000-06:002008-09-09T18:18:00.000-06:00I'd rather pay someone to edit than read the story...I'd rather pay someone to edit than read the story backward! After so many drafts, I start to lose interest.L.J. Sellershttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10213491074676394406noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-36681048550006253022008-09-08T11:43:00.000-06:002008-09-08T11:43:00.000-06:00This happens to me so often, I think my brain is m...This happens to me so often, I think my brain is made of Swiss cheese. What scares me is that more and more it seems to be the most important word in the sentence I leave out.<BR/><BR/>One tip I heard from an editor is to read the passage backwards, sentence by sentence, beginning with the last sentence. That way you take the flow of the story away and your brain can't cover up holes by anticipating what's next.Mark Troyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10746027017657987261noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-73719319488601056202008-09-07T14:57:00.000-06:002008-09-07T14:57:00.000-06:00I like that idea Maryann. Reading line by line wit...I like that idea Maryann. Reading line by line with the rest covered up would definitely slow you down enough to focus on the words.Helen Gingerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09794759602654727110noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-9667692085257811572008-09-07T14:56:00.001-06:002008-09-07T14:56:00.001-06:00Okay Mike. You're gonna have to teach me how to cr...Okay Mike. You're gonna have to teach me how to create a podcast. I haven't a clue.Helen Gingerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09794759602654727110noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-24986328505795151272008-09-07T14:56:00.000-06:002008-09-07T14:56:00.000-06:00I usually record a full manuscript. Not so much fo...I usually record a full manuscript. Not so much for the line editing, but to get the feel of the flow of the story, the pacing, the sound of the words, I'll put it on cassettes and then listen to it in the car.Helen Gingerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09794759602654727110noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-80874449993706307452008-09-07T12:52:00.000-06:002008-09-07T12:52:00.000-06:00Good tips, Helen. Thanks for sharing them. Eons ag...Good tips, Helen. Thanks for sharing them. Eons ago before computers when I edited a slick quarterly magazine, the senior editor taught me a trick. He had me read each story line by line, covering the rest of the story with a blank sheet of paper. Worked well for a feature article, but not sure how to do that on a computer with a whole book. :-) But your suggestion to read slowly works.Maryannwriteshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09479027709233807149noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-60261977343036232162008-09-07T11:35:00.000-06:002008-09-07T11:35:00.000-06:00And a previous tip from a reader that goes right a...And a previous tip from a reader that goes right along with Mike's good tips - print the manuscript in a different font... maybe even a different color. That's if you can get over the environmental issues of all that printing and colored ink.... I like the recording idea better for the materials savings.Danihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14471919576687777886noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-2122563507568598542008-09-07T10:18:00.000-06:002008-09-07T10:18:00.000-06:00Excellent. The bane of writing!Other tips:1) Make...Excellent. The bane of writing!<BR/><BR/>Other tips:<BR/><BR/>1) Make it a text file and have a text-to-speech program read it to you (you can also make it a podcast to listen to while commuting!).<BR/><BR/>2) Read it on a different screen: your phone, PDA, or eBook reader.<BR/><BR/>I think all the words I intended are here...Mike Canehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12396654716615965650noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-12765932972414064752008-09-07T10:09:00.000-06:002008-09-07T10:09:00.000-06:00Also, reading out loud into a recorder and playing...Also, reading out loud into a recorder and playing back is a good way to hear the flow of your paragraphs. <BR/><BR/>Good post, Helen!<BR/><BR/>Dani<BR/>http://blogbooktours.blogspot.comDanihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14471919576687777886noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-77505518330523442752008-09-07T09:51:00.000-06:002008-09-07T09:51:00.000-06:00This happens to me a lot. Also, since I do lots of...This happens to me a lot. Also, since I do lots of typing on my laptop computer, sometimes it's hard to see where I've put a period or comma or left one out.<BR/><BR/>I don't mind revising what I've written, in fact at times I enjoy it. However, I very much dislike editing my punctuation. It's one of those chores that won't go away even though I don't like it.<BR/><BR/>Morgan Mandel<BR/>www.morganmandel.com<BR/>http://morganmandel.blogspot.comMorgan Mandelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10118929301591850918noreply@blogger.com