tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post3217596454245155139..comments2024-03-28T10:41:26.999-06:00Comments on Blood-Red Pencil: What Are Editors For?Danihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14471919576687777886noreply@blogger.comBlogger30125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-85494003040254088262011-01-15T23:17:05.421-07:002011-01-15T23:17:05.421-07:00Great advice, Helen.
I edit as best I can on the ...Great advice, Helen.<br /><br />I edit as best I can on the computer - and then I print the work out and go over it with a pen. As you might imagine, I am stunned at what I missed on the screen.<br /><br />I frequently read the close-to-final version aloud - it helps rhythm, and points out awkward passages that just reading itself doesn't show up.KjMhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17691028465137798738noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-30310339076881622722011-01-14T13:07:35.369-07:002011-01-14T13:07:35.369-07:00Great advice, especially the last line! Every writ...Great advice, especially the last line! Every writer I know needs a good editor, including the very best ones. <br /><br />One thing that might be helpful to writers trying to figure out what they need in the way of help, and how much it would cost to get a professional editor, is this essay I wrote with colleagues: http://www.prosedoctors.com/the-art-craft-and-cost-of-editing/.Connie Halehttp://www.sinandsyntax.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-23967044630269759122011-01-14T08:12:17.367-07:002011-01-14T08:12:17.367-07:00I recently did a course on Basic Proofreading and ...I recently did a course on Basic Proofreading and Editing - my motive was that hopefully I can get a pretty clean ms to an external editor. I'm glad I did it, but phew. I'll happily pay for a professional editor because it takes incredible discipline and focus to proof read and edit.<br /><a href="http://judycroome.blogspot.com" rel="nofollow">Judy (South Africa)</a>Judy Croome | @judy_croomehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17455755011354905278noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-38261511730179973622011-01-14T06:46:30.706-07:002011-01-14T06:46:30.706-07:00Useful advice, as always. Thank you.Useful advice, as always. Thank you.Deborah Carr (Debs)https://www.blogger.com/profile/03223653554549707595noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-61852776736858299022011-01-14T06:23:18.619-07:002011-01-14T06:23:18.619-07:00Lots of great advice, Helen. I've found anoth...Lots of great advice, Helen. I've found another great editing method ... If it's a smaller essay type of writing, or just a section of a manuscript, I've found that actually retyping it into word always works to clean up the piece. Something about that typing process brings flaws to light.Joannehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03972054718663959694noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-76275504697109299932011-01-14T04:36:11.664-07:002011-01-14T04:36:11.664-07:00A good editor is worth gold! Before I published my...A good editor is worth gold! Before I published my debut novel, I had the presence of mind of showing my manuscript (which I thought was pretty much finished) to a professional editor. I'm sure glad I did. It meant rewriting parts of the novel, but it was worth it. Scott Nicholson, who is part of the editing team on The Blood-Red Pencil, saved "Love of a Stonemason" from being a flop and helped me make it into a book I am proud of. <br />Thank you, editors!<br />Christaauthor Christa Polkinhornhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14609212815347152668noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-28279689659121901232011-01-13T20:42:46.311-07:002011-01-13T20:42:46.311-07:00Great advice, Helen. And don't forget that the...Great advice, Helen. And don't forget that there are a lot of freelance manuscript editors like me out there! Get them to do a sample edit of your work first. I always do a sample edit of the first 6-12 pages or so, so the author can see how I'd handle their work.<br /><br />Instead of reading backwards, I just make the page bigger by clicking on the "+" sign in the bottom right corner until it's 120% to 150%. Then it's REALLY hard to miss the mistakes! (Some people even go bigger.)Jodie Rennerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17180607353893233389noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-21833701651184816512011-01-13T20:05:14.196-07:002011-01-13T20:05:14.196-07:00Being the ancient person that I am, I remember the...Being the ancient person that I am, I remember the days before computers. Back then, I printed out a manuscript more than once as I did edits. Now I might do it once, since I see things on paper than I miss on the computer. When I'm reading print, I slow down.Helen Gingerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09794759602654727110noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-82990012952835020032011-01-13T18:02:34.917-07:002011-01-13T18:02:34.917-07:00I don't print much out anymore being an avowed...I don't print much out anymore being an avowed nazi environmentalist ;), but I do change screens, fonts, and read aloud. Sometimes, just waiting a day between edits does the trick, too.Danihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14471919576687777886noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-59481753390030564132011-01-13T14:56:52.430-07:002011-01-13T14:56:52.430-07:00The last sentence did mean that, but I was joking....The last sentence did mean that, but I was joking.<br /><br />Kathy, I can see that reading something backward would force you to look closely at each word, but that would drive me nuts, unless the piece is short.Helen Gingerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09794759602654727110noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-85471706385122447792011-01-13T14:50:36.024-07:002011-01-13T14:50:36.024-07:00Okay, Helen, did that last sentence mean that edit...Okay, Helen, did that last sentence mean that editors are there to torture writers? <br />Actually, as a proofreader, I do read shorter documents backwards. And sometimes even the long ones, which isn't fun. <br />Good post, as usual.Kathy McIntoshhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06899118869240481737noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-63142034498306860152011-01-13T13:23:48.114-07:002011-01-13T13:23:48.114-07:00That happens to me, too, Patricia. I love it!
Mar...That happens to me, too, Patricia. I love it!<br /><br />Maryann, slowing down when you're in the editing phase is definitely helpful. Otherwise we read what's in our head, not necessarily what's on the page.<br /><br />Hi Dawn. Sometimes my edits on my own work turn into almost full rewrites!Helen Gingerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09794759602654727110noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-1546884826264096132011-01-13T12:59:43.349-07:002011-01-13T12:59:43.349-07:00I love editors. They are gods and goddesses.
As f...I love editors. They are gods and goddesses.<br /><br />As for setting manuscripts aside, I do that and let them sit a long time. When I finally start revisions, I'm amazed at how much of the story I don't even remember writing at all.Patricia Stolteyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17192369425956406122noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-55555028520174609232011-01-13T11:29:14.930-07:002011-01-13T11:29:14.930-07:00Very helpful advice, Helen. Thanks. Reading backwa...Very helpful advice, Helen. Thanks. Reading backwards to catch typos is a trick a publisher taught me a long time ago when I was editing a magazine. He recommended putting a blank piece of paper over a page of copy and going down line by line, reading from right to left. <br /><br />Granted, that would be tedious for an entire book, but it does help keep a focus on looking for simple mistakes and not getting caught up in content again.Maryannwriteshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09479027709233807149noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-82930050909876212412011-01-13T11:22:42.501-07:002011-01-13T11:22:42.501-07:00I just blogged about editing @ http://dawnbrazil.b...I just blogged about editing @ http://dawnbrazil.blogspot.com/. I love this site, I always find great editing tips and it's refreshing to know that the tips I've picked up are on par with the editors at The Blood-Red Pencil. Editing can be a daunting task but when you have a list of things to look for in one concise location it can be easier. It's always preferable to get right to your destination rather than stumble around in the dark!Author Dawn Brazilhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17266576901266161844noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-57551260565164748032011-01-13T11:22:22.424-07:002011-01-13T11:22:22.424-07:00This comment has been removed by the author.Helen Gingerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09794759602654727110noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-87381615174979576522011-01-13T11:21:46.961-07:002011-01-13T11:21:46.961-07:00Cute, Karen.
I'm so used to reading front to...Cute, Karen. <br /><br />I'm so used to reading front to back, if I switched I'd be so frustrated trying to make sense of it, even though I knew I couldn't.Helen Gingerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09794759602654727110noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-9693833293463263142011-01-13T10:20:09.052-07:002011-01-13T10:20:09.052-07:00Great advice. It's always best to have another...Great advice. It's always best to have another set of eyes. Even if you have to give them back.<br />:0)Karen from Mentorhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03685540761526680384noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-69856265365610471042011-01-13T10:17:51.209-07:002011-01-13T10:17:51.209-07:00Excellent advice as usual, Helen. I can't imag...Excellent advice as usual, Helen. I can't imagine trying to read a manuscript backwards; I understand its usefulness for finding hidden typos, but I'm sure it would make my eyes cross!Elspeth Futcherhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10330102545384369360noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-57974628244624651562011-01-13T09:54:45.338-07:002011-01-13T09:54:45.338-07:00Lessons learned without pain are the best, I think...Lessons learned without pain are the best, I think, although a painful experience usually does hurt. I tend to learn the most from those, though, because I don't forget them.Helen Gingerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09794759602654727110noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-89600177159221193992011-01-13T08:56:33.323-07:002011-01-13T08:56:33.323-07:00Until I started my bookish blog (shameless plug: h...Until I started my bookish blog (shameless plug: http://www.ManOfLaBook.com) I never realized just how important editors are.<br /><br />One bad experience with an independent author showed me just how important an editor is.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-19231152244306767442011-01-13T08:51:07.278-07:002011-01-13T08:51:07.278-07:00Great advice, Helen!
I had a lady read tarot card...Great advice, Helen! <br />I had a lady read tarot cards once. I could barely stop giggling and felt it was a bunch of gibberish!<br />DL LarsonDeb Larsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14115066586448611470noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-8124393753229680772011-01-13T08:13:30.499-07:002011-01-13T08:13:30.499-07:00It is rather mind boggling, isn't it, Donna!It is rather mind boggling, isn't it, Donna!Helen Gingerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09794759602654727110noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-33219061315147971952011-01-13T08:12:00.302-07:002011-01-13T08:12:00.302-07:00Good advice.
I agree with Liza about backward read...Good advice.<br />I agree with Liza about backward reading being useful for business letters or short passages. But I can't imagine reading an entire manuscript backwards. <br />Thanks,<br />Donna V.<br />http://donnasbookpub.blogspot.comDonna Volkenannthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04540727800410234483noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-79751032539585036532011-01-13T08:04:43.777-07:002011-01-13T08:04:43.777-07:00Susan, I do that too, although sometimes it's ...Susan, I do that too, although sometimes it's after the fifth or sixth editing pass-through.Helen Gingerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09794759602654727110noreply@blogger.com