CalandraEsdragon
  • Home
  • Wizard's Destiny
  • Warhorse of Esdragon
  • Extras
  • About the Author
  • Paintings
  • takeupthequest

Editing is NOT Proofreading

7/8/2015

1 Comment

 
Editing is NOT Proofreading

 

Mary Tudor loved her half-baby sister.

His eyes rolled across the kitchen, muttering.

Roxanne’s heart trashed against her ribs.

Albert rubbed his chin with furrowed brows.

 

   The above examples all appeared in indie-published novels. Identifying details have been changed so as to avoid slapping any author in the face, but I assure you, those highlighted words are the only words I changed in those sentences. All of them are grammatically correct sentences, but the picture they make in a reader’s mind is surely not what their authors intended. And every one of these problems can easily be fixed by any author. All it takes is will and the desire to put your very best effort out there. (And in fact, if you are ever putting out something you know is not your best effort—shame on you!)

    No one is making you write. No one is making you publish. These are choices, and the ability to self-publish is in the hands of the authors in ways it never was before!

   With great power comes great responsibility. So, no fair whining about what you can’t do, because you can in fact do anything you choose to do, and no one can write and edit your story better than you can. No one!

 

 

 

copyright Susan Dexter 2015

1 Comment
Michael Harlan
12/13/2015 07:03:59 pm

Well, I seem to have stumbled upon the author's website itself! I was just thinking about a trilogy of books I read way back in the late eighties and a search under 'Ring of Allaire' led me here.

Anyway....

I often make similar comments to writing. I'm always reminded of some professor who kept saying, "It's ten percent inspiration and ninety percent rewrite." Which may have been an indirect paraphrase of Edison's "One percent inspiration and ninety-nine percent perspiration," but which is always the case.

It seems to be a trend with a lot of the fiction I read to believe that spelling and grammar are all that's important in proofing a story. They don't seem to realize that structure is just as important.

To catch problems like you've shown, I recommend reading out loud. One of the simplest ways to proof your work and the only sure way to make sure a 'conversation,' indeed sound like conversation.

Just my two cents.

~mdh

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    Author

    Writer of epic fantasy with a wry twist. Fond of horses, dogs, cats, canaries, falcons and draft cider. Dedicated multi-tasker, I also paint with chalk pastels.

    Archives

    December 2024
    October 2024
    January 2024
    November 2023
    October 2023
    July 2023
    June 2023
    May 2023
    November 2022
    September 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    July 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2018
    June 2018
    December 2017
    September 2017
    July 2017
    October 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    September 2015
    July 2015
    April 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    February 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013

    Categories

    All
    Book Signings
    Canfield Fair
    Conventions
    Fiber Art
    Food
    Loved Ones
    Love Stories
    New Title
    Writing
    Writing Contests

    RSS Feed

Proudly powered by Weebly