Er...Wait, It's Wednesday Already? Oh, Boy...
The caption to this image conveys well the importance of 'Keep Your Eye On Time'. The week is flying by...and I've not accomplished half the work I set out to! What happened? I'm sure I don't know. I'm still in chapter three of my second read-through.
Yes, this brings us round to the editing. Obviously, I have very little to report this fine Wednesday. That will (will, I tell you!) be different on Sunday. The front end of my week was loaded, and this girl hasn't had the mental energy to tackle any serious reading after stumbling through the door and flopping on the sofa. Green tea and bed-time have been the only items on the agenda.
Editing, for me, takes a great deal of mental energy. I've got to be in a quiet space (music without vocals in the background is nice) and comfortable. I read the paragraph or block of dialogue for flow, then re-read for grammar. The double reading takes extra time, but I find that separating the facets of editing helps my 'eye' to concentrate on one aspect of the story/writing at a time.
How do you approach the editing? Do you have a great working system you'd like to share?
Around The Blogs...
This Sunday, Komal Lewis has invited me to share on her blog. If you have a chance, stop by. Komal is currently working on her own novel, and she's an avid reader, posting reviews often. Her blog is a great place to gather reader thoughts on that book you're thinking of buying.
Deniz Bevan captured my editing mess exactly in her post from earlier in the week. Oh! Those 'marked-up-pages'....Here are a few of my own, Deniz. I'm feeling your pain/joy....
A few additional scenes added into my handy-dandy notebook.
My notes cover some pages. 
Strong openings are important...and as you can see, I've altered a number of words and phrases in my first page. Here's to getting it 'just-right'! Anyway...I thought Deniz would like to know that she's not alone in filling the pages with notes, thoughts, verb choices, and so on, and so on....
The Brazen Broads reviewed a book that I have to recommend. The Moon Coin, by Richard Due is just great! My boys loved it. If you're looking for a chapter book that will captivate your kids, this is one you should pick up.
I'll have to wrap up! I need to get my buns in gear. Wrestling meet tonight - which means cooking food and working the concession stand for the Jr. High meet, then watching the varsity match. It will be another late night. But Thursday and Friday are all mine! Er...I think, anyway.
Have a great Wednesday! ~ Nadja
Ugh, editing. I have a hard time waiting until the story is completed before editing. I read and reread so often that I get tired of the WIP. I have to force myself to spill it all out and then come back and pretty it up. Otherwise I get hung up and discourage myself. Sounds to me like you have a very good program going. Keep up the good work. Oh, and I love all your cover art.
ReplyDeleteOh, thanks for the cover love...<3
ReplyDeleteYes, I edit as I go also. This WIP has been different, since I wrote it during NaNo. I went much more quickly than I've ever gone before, therefore, the editing is more intense than my other works have been. But it's a fun story, so I'm enjoying it all in all.
I am the same - (music without vocals in the background is nice) :P Vocals totally distract me. I can't separate things when editing, if I see errors or it sounds wrong, I change it.
ReplyDeleteBest of luck for the week ahead, sound like you and I are at the same stage. :)
That's me, too...the vocals distract me, and I end up singing instead of editing/writing...lol
Deleteediting has been my bane for the last year now. good look with your workload, and don't be a perfectionist like me! it slows you down seriously.
ReplyDeletethe cover of that children's books is gorgeous!
The illustrations inside The Moon Coin are absolutely wonderful, too!
DeleteEditing isn't as much fun as writing, is it? I kind of edit as I go, so there isn't as much to do later. Also, I've been doing this writing and publishing thing for about four years, and it does get easier to have a cleaner first draft. So you have that to look forward to. LOL. I kind of like your approach to editing, though. Go through each block for two different reasons. It makes sense. Good luck the rest of the week!
ReplyDeleteNo, Lauralynn, it isn't. I usually edit as I go too, but I wrote quickly during NaNo, so the whole load is waiting at the end here...:}
DeleteI'm like LLE (^), I generally edit as I go. Also, I like to think I produce pretty clean first drafts. I rely a lot on my editors to catch grammatical errors that are non-glaring. I see my job as getting the story out as good as I'm able, and tend to have a more cavalier attitude toward grammar. (The key understanding being that grammar, to me, is only important insofar as it enables you to get the message across clearly. I don't mind shirking the rules if I feel I'm presenting a clearer/more compelling story.)
ReplyDeleteObviously, though, if I'm staring at my perfectly manicured lawn and there's a big yellow weed... I'll pull it. :-)
To ensure I don't miss errors (ahem, for the most part...ha) I grammar proof one word at a time. Not full-proof, but a good system ...
DeleteEditing terrifies me as I have never done it but it is at the forefront of my mind as I am constantly writing things I know I am going to have to radically change. Hope you have a productive few days and I look forward to seeing how you have got on on Sunday :)
ReplyDeleteSo good to see you, Em! How was your trip?
DeleteI would like to be able to thank you for the efforts you get in creating this post.
ReplyDeleteWhat??? Ha! But you can't/won't/didn't because? Hey, I'll welcome the thanks, no matter how you offer it...;}
DeleteThank you for the lovely shout out, Nadja! I hope you get back on track with your editing.
ReplyDeleteThank you for taking the time to do the guest post. :)
You are so very welcome, Komal! I hope I get back on track too...last night was productive! I finished chapter three after I arrived home from the match.
DeleteHey Nadja, just to let you know Death comes to Pemberley is definitely worth a read....I would love to know your thoughts on how P.D.James and envisaged the characters continuing their lives!
ReplyDeleteBest wishes with the editing! I go through my manuscript several times, looking for different issues each pass through. Maybe that's more time-consuming, but it's how I best work and know that my WIP is where I want it to be. It sounds like you know what works for you.
ReplyDeleteHave a lovely ROW80 week! Hope you can get a lot done by Sunday.
Help, Nadja, I can't see the photos! I tried in Chrome and in IE and they don't show up in either, even though IE made me download a new version of Adobe Flash. Waa! It's the editing genie!
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure why, but when I upload certain photos they don't show. I had problems starting in December, and they've continued since. Argh.
Deleteheh heh...just so long as the pages themselves don't disappear...right?
Like the time I had a book stolen at work... I forgot it on the counter of the washroom and when I went in the next morning it was gone! I had sooo many notes and drafts stuck into the pages, all lost :-(
ReplyDeleteAnd that, Deniz, is my biggest fear. I'm upset for you! I like to go out to local cafes sometimes to write...just for a change of scenery. But I feel a little OCD when I do. I have to check my bag over and over to make sure my 'notebook' is inside - even when I've checked five times already...
DeleteIt is bothersome enough that I sometimes choose to work on other projects while out - so my notebook won't 'be in danger'...haha. My own little bit of crazy. :}