I didn't realize that you can buy software now that edits your novel for you until this morning, when I was cruising around for editing linkage. Next thing you know we'll have software that handles brain surgery. No, don't tell me if there is already.
While I was looking for articles and info on editing a novel, I was deluged by commercial sites run by editors for hire and writers turned book doctors. Some of them charge $25 a page, can you believe that? And no one is indicting these people? Evidently there are many mysterious but stunningly effective processes involved because they're very tight-lipped about their editing superpowers.
Some things on editing for which you don't have to pay $25 a pop:
Common Proofreading Symbols
Judy Cullins's How to Edit Your Articles as You Write -- this is about articles, but she makes some good suggestions on what to look for that can also apply to novels
Jennifer Joseph's A Few Tips on Editing a Novel
Crawford Kilian's advice on editing
Holly Lisle's One-Pass Manuscript Revision: From First Draft to Last in One Cycle
Nanoedmo
Ray Rhamey is not tight-lipped about his editing methods, but shows how he uses them on his weblog Flogging the Quill. Ray will also do some free editing in return for permission to post your work as an example.
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Ah, FictionFixer.
ReplyDeleteThe funniest part is that there was a guy in my creative writing class who would have paid for it, if he hasn't already.
He was very much into the technical side of things, and the Kincaid-whatsit readings.
Thanks, Lynn, for the mention of FtQ. And thanks for the super links to editing information. I'll be passing them along to my readers. Wouldn't you love to have that editing software for a trial run to see what it does? How can it detect nuances of characterization that a good editor or accomplished novelist will see?
ReplyDeleteI'm in the middle of a series on my blog in which readers are editing me! (I write novels as well as edit them.) I posted the opening of the first chapter in a novel my agent is shopping. I've received good insights and am rewriting. There are a couple of critique posts to go, and then I'll put up the rewritten chapter. This exercise has been a big help because no one other than my agent has read it, and he didn't offer any criticisms.
I may post the second chapter, but I don't know...it's been polished a jillion times and I don't know if I have the nerve to see crits. (But I must.)
I'm a big fan of your blog and a daily reader.
Best,
Ray