THE EDITING PROCESS
Welcome to my blog about the editing process! Copy editing can be a confusing stage for authors who are new to writing (as well as those who have been at it for a while!) - and my aim with this blog is to throw some light on how copy editing works. I answer questions about what to expect during the process, provide tips for reducing your editing costs, offer support for how to approach the technicalities of punctuation, dialogue, overwriting (and underwriting), as well as demonstrate how fiction editing can be kind as well as supportive. If you have any questions, or would like to know more about me and what I do, please do get in touch. Warmest regards, Manda
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When your Point of View Character is Absent
When you are writing a novel from one character’s point of view, it’s important that everything being said on the page has been experienced by that character. We can only smell what they smell, see what they see, hear what they hear. If you suddenly start describing something that happens…
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Pacing and Flow: Editing Tips to Keep Readers Engaged
Have you ever read back through your manuscript and felt something wasn’t quite right? Possibly your dialogue drags, or perhaps a scene that felt great when you were writing it now feels too short, with missing details. You’re probably bumping into issues with pacing and flow. If you want to…
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Compelling Characters
Creating compelling characters is one of the most crucial aspects of writing fiction. You want to write characters who leap off the page, characters who you’d like to meet in real life, characters who truly resonate with your readers. But this is not easy! The Heart of Your Story: Why…
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Final Self-Editing Tips for Fiction Authors
When you’ve finished the first draft of your novel, you might like to review my final self-editing tips for fiction authors. There are twenty-four tips in total. Below are the last four – including the most important one! See part one and part two for more suggestions. If you take…
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More Self-Editing Tips for Fiction Authors
If you’ve just finished the first draft of your novel, and reviewed my original list of 10 self-editing tips for fiction authors, please read on for the next 10. (There are 24 tips in total, and 24 is the best one of the lot…) Of course hiring a freelance editorial…
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Self-Editing Tips for Fiction Authors
If you’ve just finished the first draft of your novel, now it’s time to look at my list of self-editing tips for fiction authors. The better your manuscript is before you send it to a fiction editor for some professional attention, the better your final, published book will be. Authors…
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Character Names
Writing a story gives you the freedom to create wonderful, imaginative characters – but have you thought about character names? Character names might need to reflect the setting of your novel. For example, a novel set in Victorian London will have different names from a novel set in contemporary New…
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Writing Flashback Scenes
Writing flashback scenes can be tricky – particularly when a novel has been written in the past tense. In this article, I outline my three top tips for ensuring that your flashback scenes work, and that your readers don’t get lost along the way. Past Tense in a Novel Many…
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Writing Sex Scenes in Fiction
Let’s talk about sex! Writing sex scenes in fiction can be daunting – but they should be treated just the same as any other scene, and deserve the same level of careful attention. Are sex scenes necessary in your novel? Clearly, not all novels contain sex scenes. Some genres expect…
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What to do while your manuscript is being edited
(Part two – Self Publishing) Marketing, ISBNs, Blurbs, Front Matter What self-publishing tasks can you be getting on with while your manuscript is being edited? Once you’ve handed your manuscript to a copy/line editor, it’s really important that you don’t touch it again until the manuscript is returned back to…
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What to do while your manuscript is being edited
(Part one – Traditional Publishing) Researching Agents, Book Summaries, and Marketing What should you do while your manuscript is being edited? Once you’ve handed your manuscript to a copy/line editor, it’s really important that you don’t touch it again until the manuscript is returned back to you. Having multiple versions…
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A Trustworthy Book Editor Is Not Hard To Find!
Finding a trustworthy book editor shouldn’t be difficult, but I know a lot of authors are concerned about being scammed. They are worried that an editor is going to take their money and do a runner, or do a poor edit, or just not provide them with the service that…
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I’ve written a book – what do I do now?
I’ve written a book – what do I do now? You’ve written your novel (congratulations!), and are wondering about the next steps. Is it ready for proofreading? Does it need to be edited? Should you self-publish? Should you approach a publisher? Actually, how do you approach a publisher? How many…
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What is a SAMPLE EDIT?
When a new author first contacts me, pretty much the first thing I offer them is a SAMPLE EDIT. But what is a sample edit, and why is it necessary? Does it cost money? Will it benefit the author? What is a SAMPLE EDIT? Most copy/line editors will offer a…
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How to Self-Edit a Novel
There are a few things an author can do to self-edit a novel and tighten up a manuscript, even if they are intending to use an editor. It may well reduce the time an editor needs to spend on a manuscript (which, in turn, may reduce the fee), but, more…
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MS Word Track Changes Webinar
I’ve produced this MS Word Track Changes Webinar to help authors demystify the editing process. I’m aware that many authors will not have come across MS Word Track Changes. Before I became an editor, I considered myself to be an expert in MS Word, but I had never used the…
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Kind Fiction Editing – part 1: What is it?
What is Kind Fiction Editing? It’s kind to you (the author), but tough on your manuscript! It’s possible to edit a manuscript and provide detailed, honest, sensible feedback in a kind and supportive way. Does kind editing mean going easy on your manuscript? Absolutely not! Writing a book can be…
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Kind Fiction Editing – part 2: Editing adapted to suit you.
I believe that editing can be kind as well as honest, and in this second blog about Kinder Fiction Editing, I explain how I have adapted my editing process to suit the differing needs of the authors I work with. Also see part one of Kind Fiction Editing – Is…
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Kind Fiction Editing – part 3: Is my writing good enough?
Are you worried about handing over your manuscript? Do you think your writing might not be good enough? Are you concerned that an editor will judge you and your writing? Are you wondering, “Is my writing good enough?” In this final part of a three-part series of blog posts about…
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What Are Beta Readers?
(And Why Should All Novelists Use Them?) Find out what Beta Readers do, how much they cost, and where to find them! What is a Beta Reader? Put simply, a beta reader is someone who will read your book before it is published and give you their opinion. Generally, they…
