I promised you 6 More Editing Tips in yesterday’s blog: here they are!
No, not just more Zombie Turkeys, but more editing tips that I’m using for the sequel My Undead Mother-in-law.
The first 3 of 6 More Editing Tips
- First, go through editorial comments from your advance readers – If you don’t have advance readers reviewing your material, get some. You really need feedback.
- Next, review all your characters. Are they believable? Do they behave and speak consistently?Are you showing their traits or telling them? Review your character’s dialogue. Does each have a distinctive voice and personality?
- Then examine your use of the word “had”. Had is a very passive word. It frames everything in a passive context. Read the sentence again without ‘had been’ at the end. Can you just use a past tense verb?
The Next 3 of 6 More Editing Tips
4. Next, review your adverb usage. Generally, these are words ending in ‘ly’. These words can be crutches used to tell information instead of showing your characters in action. Use strong action words. See if any adverbs can be replaced by descriptive words.
Instead of: ‘”I love you,” she said warmly.’
Her eyes opened wide, she breathed, “I love you.”
5. Then review all your verbs for passive tense. Look for every use of “is”, “was”, “were”, “am”, “are”, “been”. It’s OK in dialogue, if it’s natural for the character, but in describing your action, you need strong action words.
Instead of: “The ship was sunk by the cannon blast.”
Try, “The cannon blew a hole in the ship’s hull and it sank like an anvil.”
6. Finally, review your subjects for disembodied body parts. See Disembodied Thieves by the Write Practice. The folks at the Write Practice cover this tip well
Finally, What Else Have You Got, Andy?
To close the blog on editing, here’s another post from my Facebook page:
[…] editing this week and I love to share what I do, how I do it, and the tools I use with my readers. Here’s the second tip post and here’s the […]
[…] Finally, I finished my first draft! That meant I had to edit it now. I document all the details right here, in 6 Editing Tips. But that wasn’t good enough. I had to continue the thought with 6 More Editing Tips here. […]