tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post7831047949489731844..comments2024-03-28T06:59:34.982-06:00Comments on Blood-Red Pencil: 10 Lies You Might Tell Yourself While EditingDanihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14471919576687777886noreply@blogger.comBlogger23125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-56257504789051996912012-05-11T08:13:56.877-06:002012-05-11T08:13:56.877-06:00Thank you for this. It's high time I started l...Thank you for this. It's high time I started laughing at my million passes at this ms! Loved the lines about symbolism and multiple-layered characters, since so many of my fictional peeps are waaaaaay too complex and "witty" for their own good as their many meandering conversations tumble down my plot hole. My latest defense in my struggle to write a tight plot is, I woulda been great at writing for HBO (justifying the episodic, unresolved nature of my storyline). I'll be back for more comic relief!Lyn Fairchild Hawkshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13308501118724743991noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-26926408314848594782012-04-27T06:52:30.264-06:002012-04-27T06:52:30.264-06:00LOL! Oh, so painfully true!LOL! Oh, so painfully true!Linda G.https://www.blogger.com/profile/04576828490765434497noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-11735052795774908372012-04-16T01:58:02.035-06:002012-04-16T01:58:02.035-06:00I love number three. Just so true!I love number three. Just so true!Sofie Birdhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10569731263629196776noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-47606674535658782902012-04-15T02:41:40.594-06:002012-04-15T02:41:40.594-06:00Add the word 'now' to that list of no-no&#...Add the word 'now' to that list of no-no's and there you have it, take all four and it's amazing how my word count plummets!<br /> The name change? yep, I worked for two years on a story and halfway through change the heroses name - twice - I'm still not sure if i caught all those changes in my final runthrough!<br />Thanks for the laugh, and reminder.Sherry Gloaghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03143365764333974956noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-53005489622556228582012-04-14T18:49:50.870-06:002012-04-14T18:49:50.870-06:00Dang it. I keep falling for number one.Dang it. I keep falling for number one.James Paillyhttp://tomorrownewsnetwork.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-39767961032651992812012-04-13T12:23:22.869-06:002012-04-13T12:23:22.869-06:00Lol. SO true.Lol. SO true.Traci Kenworthhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07336373871521363649noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-12824204874154986772012-04-12T08:58:03.039-06:002012-04-12T08:58:03.039-06:00Number three made me laugh out loud. Great post!Number three made me laugh out loud. Great post!Paige Kellermanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16201061179479380167noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-21814185605401338372012-04-11T21:59:55.337-06:002012-04-11T21:59:55.337-06:00Great post--love this! It's funny and makes me...Great post--love this! It's funny and makes me feel kind of sheepish when I do a search on frequently used words like "oh" and "just" or whatever the flavor of the month is! (This is after telling my clients not to overuse all these words!)Heidiwriterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02593338979995203659noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-67181181335311704132012-04-11T11:15:30.130-06:002012-04-11T11:15:30.130-06:00Michelle; I think the actual number of editing pas...Michelle; I think the actual number of editing passes should be treated the same way as we treat the number of our actual weight. If it's good, we shout it from the roof tops. If it's bad, we don't speak of it and only we know what we consider a 'good' or 'bad' number.<br /><br />Anna; I hope I lightened the load for a minute or two. Good luck!<br /><br />Linda; You're welcome! Thank <i>you</i> for taking the time to let me know you enjoyed it.Elspeth Futcherhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10330102545384369360noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-80026096879100613682012-04-11T11:05:41.591-06:002012-04-11T11:05:41.591-06:00Ah, Elspeth, you've lightened the loads of sel...Ah, Elspeth, you've lightened the loads of self-editing and revision - definite needs among us writers because our loads are heavy and our work sometimes less than fun. Thank you for a morning smile.Linda Lanehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06686488133905538811noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-72955722792311212092012-04-11T10:49:20.384-06:002012-04-11T10:49:20.384-06:00HAHA! I needed the laugh. Thank you!
I'm curr...HAHA! I needed the laugh. Thank you!<br /><br />I'm currently going through editing pains, so this is just what I needed to "lighten it up." <br /><br />Cheers, <br /><a href="http://ifyouwishtobeawriter.blogspot.com/" rel="nofollow">Anna Soliveres</a>Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07244733082162554633noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-22245130943707201352012-04-11T10:46:48.624-06:002012-04-11T10:46:48.624-06:00Ha! Loved this post. I won't admit to how ma...Ha! Loved this post. I won't admit to how many of these I succumb to, but I love number one. :) <br /><br />And you're right, no one will notice the hundreds of times I use Just, even, that and (gasp!) gasped. :)<br /><br />Great post,<br />Michelle :)<br />www.michelle-pickett.comAnonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08014841868649011587noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-89566216998366063582012-04-11T10:09:41.716-06:002012-04-11T10:09:41.716-06:00Rebecca; Thanks for letting me know you enjoyed my...Rebecca; Thanks for letting me know you enjoyed my post. I now have a 'just alarm' and a 'that' siren which sound as I write. Not literally. I think.<br /><br />Kathryn; Thanks for sharing that even professional editors don't write perfect manuscripts! I now have hope.<br /><br />Karen; Waiting is crucial. I think it also gives you a better chance at emotional distance.<br /><br />Clarissa; Aw, thanks! I *love* your blog too - please know I am a constant visitor even though I seldom comment.<br /><br />December; Comedy is always funnier if it's based in reality. Or personal pain. Whatever works.<br /><br />Christopher; On the plus side, you can now say you've written a short story.<br /><br />Larry; I feel your pain. I do. I won't say why, but I do.<br /><br />Maryann; I'm sure you'll find your way out with no problem.<br /><br />Paula; Isn't it pretty? Hum a Christmas carol, it will add to the festive mood.<br /><br />Leslea; LOL!Elspeth Futcherhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10330102545384369360noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-25999233291037138162012-04-11T09:56:15.807-06:002012-04-11T09:56:15.807-06:00I end up cutting just enough justs to just make it...I end up cutting just enough justs to just make it under the radar, justly.<br /><br />Cute blog entry! But most people who need to read this won't notice they flubbed this stuff, at all. They've gone blind to things like hair color, etc.Lesleahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12911678595526238285noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-22672543023405966782012-04-11T09:33:02.849-06:002012-04-11T09:33:02.849-06:00Wonderful, I'm still giggling! When I use '...Wonderful, I'm still giggling! When I use 'Find' to highlight 'that', my page frequently lights up like a Christmas tree!Paula Martinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10040623635956769807noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-29867138175006634092012-04-11T09:13:32.403-06:002012-04-11T09:13:32.403-06:00What plot hole? You mean the one I just fell into?...What plot hole? You mean the one I just fell into? LOL Thanks for the chuckle.Maryannwriteshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09479027709233807149noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-73394990162127980852012-04-11T08:35:46.459-06:002012-04-11T08:35:46.459-06:00ROFL as my son would write.
#11. The fact that a ...ROFL as my son would write.<br /><br />#11. The fact that a character introduced by one name is later referred to by another will go unnoticed.<br /><br />Well, that one turned out to be true in the instance of a book out for over a year with thousands of copies in print. Very, very embarrassing. I should have caught that one, my editor should have caught that one, the first reader should...<br /><br />--Larry Constantine (Lior Samson)Larry Constantine (Lior Samson)http://www.amazon.com/Lior-Samson/e/B004KDPO9A/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-33924257396494655642012-04-11T08:20:11.344-06:002012-04-11T08:20:11.344-06:00Sheeesh ... this made me take a hard look at my la...Sheeesh ... this made me take a hard look at my latest manuscript ... now it's a paragraph.Christopher Hudsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03667548312923348614noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-24599359912288167242012-04-11T07:56:57.685-06:002012-04-11T07:56:57.685-06:00I'm nodding with all of this.
Becuase it's...I'm nodding with all of this.<br />Becuase it's TRUE.Decemberhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00579791487012447728noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-17205391977905191302012-04-11T07:23:11.571-06:002012-04-11T07:23:11.571-06:00These were really funny! You're the best, Elsp...These were really funny! You're the best, Elspeth.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12160669603997465454noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-31994843333600741562012-04-11T06:07:12.478-06:002012-04-11T06:07:12.478-06:00Very funny! I tend to use a lot of 'just' ...Very funny! I tend to use a lot of 'just' and 'that' and 'thing.' <br />And it is funny what becomes obvious when you start the edit about a month later. I like to let my stories simmer for a while and find loads of mistakes the second time (and third time and fourth time) through.Karen S. Elliotthttp://www.karenselliott.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-50171787729252550902012-04-11T05:23:11.889-06:002012-04-11T05:23:11.889-06:00Love this, Elspeth. Of course I am an editor, and ...Love this, Elspeth. Of course I am an editor, and sensitized to the overuse of words such as:<br />1. just<br />2. that<br />3. even<br />As are my advance readers, who perceived no evidence of overuse syndrome.<br /><br />Yet in order to boil my ms down to the final word count my agent desired, I did a mad, final dash targeting these three words, removing only instances where they weren't strictly necessary—and took out a whopping 1,000 instances. <br /><br />Amazing what evils can lurk half hidden amongst 85,000+ neighbors.Kathryn Crafthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08371458857187160425noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-67611927799578431182012-04-11T02:33:12.158-06:002012-04-11T02:33:12.158-06:00This was soo funny. I'll keep this brief and s...This was soo funny. I'll keep this brief and say my manuscript needs many, many "that"s, "just"s and the like cut. As I write them, however, they seem so ... right (wrong!).<br /><br />I'd like to think I'm learning and slowly writing less pointless fillers.Rebecca Bertohttp://rebeccaberto.comnoreply@blogger.com