Big Picture editing is the movement and cohesion of each chapter and the book as a whole. No idea why, but I find it easier than a red pen. It may not display this or other websites correctly. Belinda. Let me see if I can do a bit of a psychic job on you. | @Belinda_Pollard, Wednesday Writer Resources: On Book Editing | Genre Book Reviews, Wednesday Writer Resources: On Book Editing. Well spotted, Sam. Make it the best you can, then go to paper. Thanks for a terrific and informative blog! Notify me of follow-up comments by email. So if you choose two, it would have two Word pages side by side on one page horizontally like this. and your editor are in agreement on the work that will be done. Some people put a space between each paragraph. Youre welcome Kenneth. Its almost as though the change of medium has triggered a whole fresh set of synapses in the brain. I love Studiopress themes and highly recommend them! Its a business and my livelihood, so please assume most links are affiliate links, where I receive a small percentage if you end up buying a product but it doesnt cost you any extra. Starting from scratch, I'd buy the cheapest Kindle, port the ms to .mobi, and read it on e-ink. I indent the beginning of each paragraph instead. My wife and I are on the 7th book in our A Vested Interest series and approaching 1 million words though. And every book ever published had some typos in it, no matter the strict quality control it went through. Developmental Editing will hone the storytelling aspect of your work. Im hoping that if any tiny little ones slip through they may not be noticed. The goal is to create large margins and gaps between the lines to give plenty of room for notes. sure you and your editor are in agreement on the work that will be done. Is there something like Copy-Kwik or Copy-Cop there? As it is sitting somewhere around 106k I don't want to print it at home. It changed the format so that it looked different to the document I'd been working on, and it was read-only so that I wasn't tempted to keep fiddling with it as I went through. This checklist will keep you organized and help you note observations about each craft element, what you would want to add, remove, need to fix, etc. And writing longhand or print hand is better for writing than typing on the computer. September 12th of 2017 I found your blog on the very question I needed answered. The pencil is better for the thinking process. With a printout of your manuscript, you can flip back and forth between pages 22 and 28, you can lay whole chapters out on a table or the floor in front of you, and you can get a much bigger view than just looking at a little screen. Glad the pencil works for you! I could never imagine doing it any other way! He said something like just print me off a double-spaced copy so I can leave notes., And thats how I was introduced to the idea of an editing edition.. Thats great, Florence. (This is where your pens and sticky tabs will come in handy).Phase 1 is the micro, which comes before Phase 2s macro because with the first read, when youre writing down your initial responses to the play-by-play, youre also unconsciously absorbing the bigger-picture issues of plot, character development, and pacing, planting seeds.By the time you do your second read, your brain will have made some necessary early connections, making you far better able to see clearly how those items lay out. After this last revision I need to read it on paper. Also I have bad vision so 2pgs per page or tiny font doesn't work for me. I've had it for close to 10 years, it's very basic (black ink only), and I can print out 10-15 drafts (roughly 300 pp per draft, give or take) per toner cartridge. I love the Track Changes feature. If you composed your rough draft on a computer or wrote it long-hand and then typed it, by self-editing the printed copy, youre jarring the eye to re-see the work in a new context. You need room to write on the document, crossings out, notes etc and to be sure the ink you use won't go through and obliterate the other side. You need to make sure you can read it easily in the light conditions in which you expect to be working. Does this sound excessive? I think theres actually value in those different modes, because it does challenge different parts of the brain. Its frequent typos that alienate readers. After all, from a grammatical persepctive, when the ABC cant get things right, perhaps nobody will realise!! The more I get to do this, the better I get at spotting the mistakes in professionally proofread and edited books. A toner cartridge costs 2-3X the cost of an ink-jet cartridge, but lasts at least 5X as long, so you can do the math. Im sure it does get you a very thorough result. (Hes a slightly odd-sounding dude, but he reads pretty well. Ultimately for me, the printing (which is not free!!!) Either way, a hardcopy proofing is a must. I change my color ink maybe once a year and my black twice a year. This process will explore word choice, paragraph structure, flow of narrative, language style, and readability. See tips and tricks for crafting the perfect index. Sometimes more. (n.b. Below are summaries of the most common types of editing. 1. The toner runs about $100/cartridge, but I only buy one (maybe two if I'm have a super-productive period) a year so it's worthwhile. I always print out anything tricky, even just a resume or awkward email. At the time it was just a series of essays. I tend to print out every draft also so I can edit somewhere other than the spot I write in again, it works for me , Thanks Melissa. ), But the electronic options still cant beat paper for the Big Picture editing techniques. I do this for hand-editing, so Im sure Kinkos would be able to do something similar. I havent done a full manuscript edit yet, but when I do I will likely print it out in addition to employing other methods of line editing (Pro Writing Aid comes to mind). Print this newly typed-out draft. Maybe consider printing the first chapter at home with your chosen settings and work through that first, to be sure you aren't setting yourself up for a nightmare, working on an unreadable document. An hour spent getting to grips with how the feature works, and how to view your text without change, with changes, and post change, might be worthwhile. Filed Under: Self-Editing, Writing & Editing, Belinda Pollard is an Australian publishing consultant, IPEd accredited editor, podcaster & writing coach. This is partly for cost, as it doubles the paper used, and also because the single-spaced and formatted text gives me a much better feel for the reader experience; twice as much text on a two-page spread, easier to see what is taking up too much space or too little, etc. And I don't even print on fast-draft mode (because I don't like how the results look). But its so un-environmental! The editor can I got a great little laser printer (not color) a couple years back for $50. Most copy places even offer the option to upload directly from home and pick up the print job the next day. Do that a couple times and you're money ahead. Typically sending them a few sample pages to critique will be enough to know if this is a person you can work with. About a decade ago I was finishing up a project that would eventually become a published book. Editing for authors: because every writer needs a good editor. So now my husband and I share the editing. Create your file and export it as a print-ready PDF. Required fields are marked *. . All I know is I print a lot and rarely change my ink. Get some lovely pens (colored if you plan to color-code by craft element, such as plot, character, and setting or one color if youre a purist (but even then, I recommend getting some highlighters so you can mark the sections for when you later rewrite the manuscript and need to pay attention to only one craft element at a time)). Thats fine in theory and if you are writing a 60 80 thousand word book, maybe a good idea. And thats it! That way I could commit to reading the whole thing and making notes as I went which I could use to focus my efforts when I got back on the computer. It really gives the brain a fresh look at the words. will as well. I dont. I can get at least an entire MS (usually more like 1.5 MSs) out of a $25.00 ink cartridge. professional editing. Sleep on the draft for a few nights.Then read it again, this time making notes on global issues that weave systemically throughout the book. I have 120,000 word manuscript (a memoir in 2 parts) I want to take to a Kinkos-type store to print out to edit because every time I edit on my computer I end up writing more and rewriting etc. Belinda. Now you just need to create a book for Printing Only. Make sure to allow time for several drafts. Edit: I also use very narrow margins based off epic fantasy mass-market paperback format like ASOIAF since theyre usually trying to get as much on a single pages as possible. An index helps your reader navigate your book's contents. Red ink is unnecessary since its easy to find your notes on an ebook reader. Go to Chapter 1 and youll see this: I added a couple of guiding questions. Your email address will not be published. Number the pages, double-space the text, and use a font you like in standard 12 pt. Ah yes, editing is my forte.except when Im editing my own work!! [], Your email address will not be published. Copy Editing is the simplest level of editing. I recommend the Jetstream 0.38 mm Ballpoint; its redthe only real option for editing, in my opinionand the 0.38 mm point will make finer writing on the page. made during rewrites. My Developmental 4-Step Self-Editing on Paper Process, Writing, Coaching & Copy Editing Services, Manuscript Evaluation & Developmental Feedback, Fiction Writing, Novel Writing, & Short Stories, Nonfiction Writing, Memoir Writing, & Nonfiction Editing, Business Writing Coaching, Business Books, & Copy Writing, Write Your Novel in 4 Months: Complete Program, Write Your Novel in 4 Months: Essential Program, Write Your Novel in 4 Months: Independent Program, Write Your Business or Self-Development Book in 4 Months Program, Write Your Memoir in 4 Months Weekly Mentor Program, Write Your Memoir in 4 Months Program Bi-Weekly Mentor Program, Write Your Memoir in 4 Months Independent Program, Videos: Craft, Practice, and the Writing Life, noted benefit of handwriting vs. typing in terms of retention due to something called encoding hypothesis,, to touch is to connect to something much more than to not, jarring the eye to re-see the work in a new context, this author/editor lays out the main areas you should address, Youre connected to your draft more intimately, It upsets the eye to see the work in a new context. I buy the cartridges online for about $30.00. [], [] Editing Your Book? I always get through two or three editing/proofreading editions before a book is publishable. I love using a printed editing edition for my own work. You simply dont notice the errors. And make it a decent size, about 12pt, so you are not having to peer at the page. Prepare for editing from the beginning of the writing process. Both fiction and nonfiction works Theres the technical mind; when youre looking at spelling, grammar, and sentence structure. There, balance (mostly) restored!]. That shows me where the new paragraph begins, without wasting so much paper! The Research Editor will For one serious biography I have got through four to date, as they really help me to turn my mass of research notes into something structured and readable. [Yes, I know by this point you will have used a terrible horrible amount of paper. Thank you. Every editors services will differ slightly, so make sure you But, it is still good. Came here to say pretty much the same thing. Yes, its still the same words, but getting them off your computer screen can bring a new perspective. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. While you will have taken some time away from the manuscript between writing it and beginning your self-edit, this additional layer of remove really helps provide further distance from the work, which helps you refine its development in notes you make to yourself. No email or signup required. I have a few unfinished manuscripts hiding in my desk, but I consider myself a real traditionalist: I write everything long-hand, do my first round of serious edits when typing everything to my Word program, then I print the entire manuscript and edit again by hand. This first developmental self-edit of your book is hard sweaty work. would have been wasted if I had formatted it to prioritize fewest pages. If you feel like something is missing from your editing process, try creating a printed edition to review! Or Staples with a copy center? A printed edition specifically for editing can help with bothfrom finding typos to getting a feeling for the way words look on the page. My examples are kind of silly, but you could easily ask that a reader focus on pacing during the argument scene to ensure they scrutinize the parts you need feedback on. (Note: I love this blog!) you can also sometimes find refurbished/ generic / continuous-ink cartridges that are literally a tenth of the price. Press J to jump to the feed. Australia, Copyright 2022 Belinda Pollard and Small Blue Dog Publishing. Small Picture editing is the punctuation and spelling and grammar and general flow of a sentence or paragraph. I love my HP Deskjet. I bought a nice small laser printer a couple of years ago, on sale, for $100. Keep your sources organized. You can add and adapt your editing edition to fit both your needs and your readers preferences. if youre over 40). Reading it on your Kindle I do that too, its amazing what it shows you, and Ive been planning to include it in an upcoming blog post. When youve finished your second read/note making, let the manuscript rest again. If so, what do you want to hear from your reviewers? I also use a pencil to write notes. Im planning to continue adding more free resources here to help those who cant afford a professional editor, so keep checking back. Turned out I also needed to buy a connector cable separatedly, which cost around $20. After you have your marked-up manuscript and your note to yourself, youre ready for Phase 3: retyping the whole book. New to Gorham Printing? If you hire an editor, he or she will be an essential part of your book-making team. (Especially since once you print the manuscript, all youll do is scrawl all over it or chop it into pieces). Whatever works. Competent editors are widely available. As an example, I made this version of Alices Adventures In Wonderland. To simplify this idea, you edit for both content (the technical problems) and context (how each word/sentence/paragraph) to create a complete book. . Get exclusive Publishing & Marketing tips to help you create and sell your books more effectively! We use Text Aloud for that. Another idea is to print it out in a 2-column landscape format, which reads more like a book. in the state of carefully controlled chaos, Absolute Write is a moderated, free, online community of writers, agents, editors, and publishers. How To Create And Print A Book For Beginners, 4 Steps To Perfect Page Numbering In Microsoft Word, Craft vs. If you are going out to buy a printer, compare replacement ink/toner cartridge prices as well as printer prices before choosing. Its the same principle behind the advice to read your work aloud to find complex or convoluted sentences. No matter what kind of book youve written or how long youve worked on it, your manuscript can benefit from Lawnton, Queensland, 4501 My other tip to save a few bucks is to buy a printer. Ink jets have come a long way, and I can print 2,000 pages with one thirty-five dollar cartridge. If you don't have an e-book reader then using an app might have the same effect. Not just omigosh-awful spelling errors and punctuation atrocities, but clumsy sentence constructions and repetition and *ahem* boringness. Youll need to create an account and build the project to get your printed editing copy, all of which will help get you familiar with Lulus self-publishing process. Use a serif font (with the little tails on the letters) such as Times New Roman. I think one black cartridge prints about 1500-2000 pages. I also have an ink-jet, attached to another computer, but that's mainly for when I need color copy. I recently had exactly such a deliberation with myself, although my MS is only 105K. I print ALL drafts on fast draft on black ink only and fast draft. in order to follow the development of those elements and make notes on the development of each of those items. Youre ready to buy a few copies. Get a free copy of our 2022 book publishing guide. Fast/draft on my printer at home. Belinda, [] Editing Your Book? I doubt if well ever produce a perfect book though. Honesty is a key value here! industry standards. Some authors at this point begin scissoring up the pages by scene or transferring key elements of each chapter onto index cards to pin them on the wall in order to see how to lean out and maintain a tight structure. I occasionally rewrite whole scenes on the blank backs of other pages, and I want to be able to move around and reorder things, which is much harder with 2 sided printing. She is also an award-winning author & speaker, who hates housework, but loves wilderness, dogs and chips. Its much easier to read in large quantities of text, because the little tails lead the eye into the next letter and the next. Sometimes I head to the coast for a couple of days of really intensive work. Feel free to ask my clients whether or not theyre happy with the results of such craziness. I just released my new book, A KILLER OF ANGELS and could not afford a professional editor, so I have a few typos and errors. We welcome writers of all levels of experience and ambition. Top notch advice. Not only will editing improve the readability of your book, but editing can trim your page count, which can result Since youre printing this on-demand, you could create a unique version for each reader. Nonfiction books may need work with chapter or section organization and clarity. By using the below 4-step process and FREE downloadable Fiction Developmental Self-Editing Checklist, youre putting yourself in the best possible position for success! Hi Maranna, its always hard to edit your own work (but not impossible!) We debate it often as readers, but prolonged time staring at a screen is basically part of the job description for writers! Phase Four is a very picky but exacting phase when you re-read the draft multiple times, each time looking exclusively and specifically for one craft element only (plot, character, setting, tone, point of view, etc.) I recommend Bigstock as an economical source of great images. (The poor neighbours having to listen to all that clacking). Haven't had to change it in a year! Where some authors stop at Phase Three (such as this one who holds all craft elements in mind as she re-types)*, others do Phase Four to ensure consistency in a conscious way that may not be done as effectively during the Phase Three retype. Where are you located? Print it on actual paper, seize a red pen, and you wont believe what youll see that you didnt see before. Seriously. With your editing editions in hand, I strongly recommend providing a pen to your readers too. Yes, I know you can do split screen in Word and all sorts of other fab things. All crits belong in. That will skip the majority of the retail info and metadata. Professional editors provide many different services. Some of the common refrains, like let it rest or remove all adverbs, offer good best-practices when editing. I know that sounds like a joke, but Im dead serious! Asking yourself these questions as you fill in your Fiction Developmental Self-Editing Checklist will ensure youre very connected to the evolution of the draft. Many people wont notice, some will notice and think its a shoddy job because of just those couple of errors, and others will notice and decide it doesnt matter because they love the book anyway. Editing takes time. But theres also a refreshing difference between reading printed text versus a screen. There are two really excellent things that reading your manuscript on paper will do for you. Publication can be yours- and were here to support you however you need. This is better than that. Or, for nonfiction, you can think of this as reading to streamline the story that drives your reader to keep reading. Photo credit: author Rick Wormwood, working manuscript. I was editing them in MS Word and emailing myself the most up-to-date file every day. And for a Brutal Edit of the kind Im currently doing on my own novel (107,000 words), paper just gives me so much more latitude to show it whos boss. level. That's probably the fastest, cheapest way to get your manuscript into a hard copy. require a narrative structure that encourages the reader to continue reading. It is not necessary to meet your editor in person (although some prefer this It seems to be a great add-on as a tool for another layer of editing. But the idea is to print and bind a semi-final draft of your manuscript to do additional editing. Thanks for respecting my hard work! When to Bring in a Collaborative Partner: a Writing Coach & Editor. You can unsubscribe at any time. This site uses cookies to help personalise content, tailor your experience and to keep you logged in if you register. John, I like your ideas, will trial them prior to final print,hopefully lower priner costs. If you didnt yet, download the example I linked above and open it up in Adobe Reader. Theres a texture to a pencil that you dont get with a pen, isnt there? While all authors can benefit from editing, try to Partly I just like having the hard-copy edits in cleanly bound books. Nowadays, most writers do everything on their phones and computers, but when it comes to your first developmental self-edit on your novel, printing it out and editing by hand old-school is still the best method. I hope you find this site useful. Do not take corrections personally. As a professional editor, I always do at least one run through major projects On Paper. Taking the extra step to have your book professionally edited can Keep some different coloured highlighters handy in case you want to highlight different themes. Youve got your simplified, format-light PDF. What we need to understand is that there are (at least) two distinct frames of mind for editing. I wholeheartedly support printing out a manuscript, but I feel as though the novel should be edited on the computer first. If an editor trips up on any part of your book, it is likely that other readers I often loll on the sofa with a clipboard to do a paper edit, or go outside in the fresh air. Single space? Keep in mind that every editors services will differ slightly, so make I only recommend tools and resources that I use myself, and which I think might help you. Even the most stringent quality control usually misses a couple. Learn how to format your matter for print. We do not offer any paid services, classes or workshops. By the time weve finished editing our books will have been gone through at least five times by three different people. As a pre-step to the checklist, this author/editor lays out the main areas you should address as you read through the book. Upload your PDF and select the Coil Bound option along with standard Black & White ink and White paper. JavaScript is disabled. Im planning to mention it in a future post about how to help your brain see the manuscript differently and Ill be giving you a credit, because I got the idea from you! Most images are supplied by Bigstock, and are copyright to their various creators. I agree that trying to proofread/edit on a computer screen is not a good idea. If you have only one or two in your book, I wouldnt worry too much. Do not expect your editor to rush the job.
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