Editing on the Cheap

Professional editing can be expensive. It's worth the investment, but sometimes you just don't have the dough.

When money has been tight, I've used friends and family to help me edit. What am I saying? Money is always tight and I'm always using them to help me edit. They do require direction though, so I give them some easy-to-use editing marks:

! = liked this section

? = don't understand what's going on

:-) = like this character

X = this is where I took a break

I would continue, but I think I may abandon my old list for this one on Bookpublishing.today.com.

I hope my friends and family are somewhat artistic, because they are a little more challenging. But on the bright side, they should have a whole lot more fun.

If you've got some to add, please share!

di

Writers Need Thick Skins

Hi,

I just finished a critique of a writer's work. I get paid to do it, so I take it seriously — reading through the manuscript thoroughly, taking notes, point out what's working, and lastly pointing out areas that could be improved.  

Once I'm finished writing the critique and it's ready to go out, it's extremely difficult to push the "send" button.  I've gotten enough critiques of my own work to know that any critique, even ones you've paid for, are hard to receive.  But if we're going to write for a mass audience, receive them we must. 

Here's my humble advice for anyone getting tough feedback:

• Remember it's only one person's opinion.  You don't have to agree with it.

• If the critique makes you mad, let yourself get mad. But then get down to business and see if any of it is worth considering.

• If it's overwhelming, put it aside for a while. Over the next few days, those points that resonated will probably surface.

• If something was confusing, feel free to ask the person critiquing to explain the point more fully.

• If all the critique is negative, ask the person to tell you what's working. 

Critique is tough. We've all been there. As professional writers though we're going to hear critiques in one form or another for the rest of our careers. (Ask Stephen King.) We might as well get used to it now.  

Di