tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post5709082412019623551..comments2024-03-28T10:41:26.999-06:00Comments on Blood-Red Pencil: When a House Is Like a BookDanihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14471919576687777886noreply@blogger.comBlogger20125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-72969747280847160782013-11-20T12:37:20.514-07:002013-11-20T12:37:20.514-07:00We lived in our last house for 22+ years but when ...We lived in our last house for 22+ years but when we retired, we wanted to get far, far away. Our next move will be toes-up, I'm sure.Terry Odellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11610682530545306687noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-17312852329257623112013-11-19T07:53:48.271-07:002013-11-19T07:53:48.271-07:00Hi Morgan, I recently came up against a case of ed...Hi Morgan, I recently came up against a case of editorial complacency when employed by a writer in a new, emerging market: authors who've had their book traditionally published yet it didn't sell well, so they are getting their rights back and improving the work before self-publishing.<br /><br />Today's editors can be among the chronically over-worked and I think some times they simply have to make due. As an independent editor, it wasn't hard for me to identify numerous ways in which this project would fail to bond with a reader. I think you just helped me come up with a future post! Thanks.Kathryn Crafthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08371458857187160425noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-80683383063951445222013-11-18T16:17:29.984-07:002013-11-18T16:17:29.984-07:00I don't believe we'll ever move. It would ...I don't believe we'll ever move. It would be way too much work! Painting and carpeting is bad enough!<br /><br />Morgan MandelMorgan Mandelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10118929301591850918noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-12747811034223112013-11-18T16:15:13.670-07:002013-11-18T16:15:13.670-07:00Thanks, Linda. Yes, I don't rearrange furnitur...Thanks, Linda. Yes, I don't rearrange furniture too often, and don't like it when I have to rearrange huge chunks in a book!<br /><br />Morgan MandelMorgan Mandelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10118929301591850918noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-21721735288925517282013-11-18T16:03:54.043-07:002013-11-18T16:03:54.043-07:00This reminds me of when we put our house in Florid...This reminds me of when we put our house in Florida on the market -- that was a MAJOR editing job. Killing those darlings! And then, when we bought our new house, it needed some remodels and renovations. I agree, it's a lot like editing. <br /><br />Terry <br /><a href="http://terryodell.com/terrysplace" rel="nofollow">Terry's Place</a><br />Terry Odellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11610682530545306687noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-63011160756974717822013-11-18T15:39:50.974-07:002013-11-18T15:39:50.974-07:00Hmm…I'm an editor who hates rearranging the fu...Hmm…I'm an editor who hates rearranging the furniture. Wonder what that means?<br /><br />Excellent post, Morgan, and great comparison!Linda Lanehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16056682992943171805noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-77018575135621231622013-11-18T15:32:34.195-07:002013-11-18T15:32:34.195-07:00Sometimes I get hung up on editing as I go along. ...Sometimes I get hung up on editing as I go along. I keep trying to just get it out first, then get rid of the clutter!<br /><br />Morgan MandelMorgan Mandelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10118929301591850918noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-64376621327839016282013-11-18T13:50:38.518-07:002013-11-18T13:50:38.518-07:00You've just reminded me to highlight Just, Onl...You've just reminded me to highlight Just, Only, and a couple of other words I'm prone to overuse. Thanks! I needed the entire reminder. Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16272417114895975742noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-91348566036440167202013-11-18T12:42:29.120-07:002013-11-18T12:42:29.120-07:00So much clutter, so little time!
Morgan MandelSo much clutter, so little time!<br /><br />Morgan MandelMorgan Mandelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10118929301591850918noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-70796929504214966782013-11-18T11:24:17.903-07:002013-11-18T11:24:17.903-07:00Great analogy, Morgan. We writers can certainly &q...Great analogy, Morgan. We writers can certainly "clutter" up our WIP with all our gems. But sometimes...you just have to clean house!Heidiwriterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02593338979995203659noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-8696136049683459842013-11-18T10:31:11.919-07:002013-11-18T10:31:11.919-07:00I should have clarified #5. Sometimes we don't...I should have clarified #5. Sometimes we don't take advantage of good scenes and mention them after the fact, instead of making them happen in the present.<br /><br />Morgan Mandel<br />http://www.morganmandel.comMorgan Mandelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10118929301591850918noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-32187828079566657842013-11-18T10:23:58.609-07:002013-11-18T10:23:58.609-07:00It took me a while to get going, but now I'm o...It took me a while to get going, but now I'm on a roll now. It feels good to throw out lots of my useless stuff from down through the years. Much is about writing, such as magazines. I'm keeping some pages of the critiques I received for my books, but the rest is being pitched. I'm careful not to disturb his stuff, which he believes all belongs to the keepsake category!, I believe the DH is slowly getting used to the house becoming semi-organized. Morgan Mandelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10118929301591850918noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-85909097176877072072013-11-18T09:42:48.945-07:002013-11-18T09:42:48.945-07:00I'm confused about number 5, Morgan. If writin...I'm confused about number 5, Morgan. If writing in past tense, which is what most authors do, we don't use present tense at all. Or are you referring to internal dialogue? I've noticed that that is being used less and less in current fiction.Maryannwriteshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09479027709233807149noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-1014209440612681582013-11-18T09:40:39.637-07:002013-11-18T09:40:39.637-07:00Good point, Susan. I was going to add that until I...Good point, Susan. I was going to add that until I read your comment, so I'll just second it. :-)<br />Maryannwriteshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09479027709233807149noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-60559369961275359102013-11-18T09:16:22.877-07:002013-11-18T09:16:22.877-07:00I empathize with your husband, Morgan ... why mess...I empathize with your husband, Morgan ... why mess with things for no urgent reason ... and by urgent, I mean fire or natural disaster.Christopher Hudsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03667548312923348614noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-48177140823095483782013-11-18T08:00:37.577-07:002013-11-18T08:00:37.577-07:00Good points, Diana! We do more than one revision. ...Good points, Diana! We do more than one revision. Actually, I save the file under the first revised name, unless it's major, but I send an email to myself every day I do revisions, and include the latest revised copy. That way, I retain the progression.<br /><br />Morgan Mandel<br />http://www.morganmandel.comMorgan Mandelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10118929301591850918noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-25097393386308135952013-11-18T07:37:31.482-07:002013-11-18T07:37:31.482-07:00I save the file as a new name after every draft an...I save the file as a new name after every draft and revision layer. You never know when you might need something from an earlier version. Plus, if you somehow lose the file you are working on, the last updated file is a better place to start than from ground zero. I use all of the high and low revision techniques in Story Building Blocks III: The Revision Layers. It is time consuming, but I believe it makes the work stronger and cleaner. It is important to send your best work out to agents and editors. It is even more important before you hit that "publish" button on your own. I would never submit or publish a first draft, a second, or a third.Diana Hurwitzhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18216220574149672733noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-51999455228570680822013-11-18T07:33:25.269-07:002013-11-18T07:33:25.269-07:00Great suggestion. Thanks for adding to the list, S...Great suggestion. Thanks for adding to the list, Susan!<br /><br />Morgan Mandel<br />http://www.morganmandel.comMorgan Mandelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10118929301591850918noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-67043742899400251582013-11-18T07:02:32.734-07:002013-11-18T07:02:32.734-07:00Great list, thank you! I'd also add "read...Great list, thank you! I'd also add "read your MS out loud." It forces you to read more slowly than you might otherwise. Since you're so familiar with the book, your eyes might skim, and you will definitely see what you intend to be there. Your ears will hear what you REALLY wrote. :)<br /><br />(There's no edit button...)Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17930297769946362533noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-24847475626222112372013-11-18T07:01:17.160-07:002013-11-18T07:01:17.160-07:00This comment has been removed by the author.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17930297769946362533noreply@blogger.com