Comments for Tales to Tide You Over

Comment on The Stages of Editing by Alex Fayle

Alex Fayle — Wed, 08 Sep 2010 17:46:47 +0000

I’ve been teaching English as a second language and over the past few years have learned so much about grammar and have been able to apply it to my writing and really play with shades of meaning that way. (I think of it as a painter learning the technical details of perspective. They can do it from instinct but it generally comes out better if they have the “facts” helping that instinct).

Comment on The Stages of Editing by Alex Fayle

Alex Fayle — Wed, 08 Sep 2010 17:44:12 +0000

It really helps as well having written (and ghost written) as a copywriter. I got paid to give the client what they wanted, not my precious lifeblood.

Writing fiction is not that much different except the “client” is an editor in a publishing house.

Comment on The Stages of Editing by Karen Cioffi

Karen Cioffi — Wed, 08 Sep 2010 12:35:55 +0000

I love your 7 stages of editing. And, I love Ginger’s analogy of editing in the comments!

Comment on The Stages of Editing by Karen McGrath

Karen McGrath — Wed, 08 Sep 2010 12:32:40 +0000

Cyrus, don’t worry! I teach grammar by supplying my children with good literature to read – we’re homeschoolers – they pick it up automatically. You’ve been learning English all of your life. Even reading bad writing can teach you what not to do.

And Margaret’s right. You’ve made it to an editor proving you have command of the tools of language, enough that your story was selected above many others to go out into the world and shine. You’re ok, there.

Comment on The Stages of Editing by Karen McGrath

Karen McGrath — Wed, 08 Sep 2010 12:24:45 +0000

It sounds like you will be an excellent editor, Barbara. First and foremost, the story belongs to the author. The house has to maintain publishing standards. Authors generally want to tighten up their manuscripts. And most editors don’t fall into the bizarre category.

Comment on The Stages of Editing by Karen McGrath

Karen McGrath — Wed, 08 Sep 2010 12:19:50 +0000

Yes, that happens. At Muse the editors stay with their authors on other works because it’s less confusing. The time it takes to update another editor on the author’s strengths and weaknesses is better spent editing. The author benefit for the reasons you mention, Ginger.

I also don’t think the rules of writing are etched in stone and every editor has their pet peeves. You want to stick with the rules as much as possible but a good content editor will let you know when it’s ok to break with them. Like fragment sentences for example. They generally are frowned upon but they work well in fiction if not overused.

Comment on The Stages of Editing by Karen McGrath

Karen McGrath — Wed, 08 Sep 2010 12:11:37 +0000

Good points, Alex! It’s true, editors are not editing the authors, just the content. And you bring up something important, you’ve been through it a number of times. It’s much easier to deal with the more you have your work edited. You reach a point where you want the edit to help you clarify your communication.

Comment on The Stages of Editing by MarFisk

MarFisk — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 23:29:57 +0000

Ah, but think of it this way…once you make it to an editor, you’ve proved you know the grammar etc. well enough to get an offer. And then you know that everyone goes through the same stages, so you’re in good company .

Comment on The Stages of Editing by Cyrus Keith

Cyrus Keith — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 22:53:42 +0000

I’m nervous enough as it is. This so not helping!

Mainly because I KNOW I should have paid better attentiomn in English class. LOL

Comment on The Stages of Editing by MarFisk

MarFisk — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 20:38:14 +0000

Well I’m glad you found my humble home .

On the editing, that’s actually what I like about receiving edits as opposed to crits. Crits open up possibilities that you then have to sift through and figure out what’s the best route to follow. With edits, you still have to implement, but it’s the “this is the direction we want” that makes the process that much easier. Well, as long as the change isn’t something you can’t live with.