“Bell’s prose is elegant and wonderfully readable in this artful guide.”—Publishers WeeklyThe Artful Edit explores the many-faceted and often misunderstood—or simply overlooked—art of editing. The book brims with examples, quotes, and case studies, including an illuminating discussion of Max Perkins’s editorial collaboration with F. Scott Fitzgerald on The Great Gatsby. Susan Bell, a veteran book editor, also offers strategic tips and exercises for self-editing and a series of remarkable interviews, taking us into the studios of successful authors such as Michael Ondaatje and Ann Patchett to learn from their various approaches to revision. Much more than a manual, The Artful Edit inspires readers to think about both the discipline and the creativity of editing and how it can enhance their work. In the computer age of lightning-quick composition, this book reminds readers that editing is not simply a spell-check. A vigorous investigation into the history and

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“A strong new entry for the reference shelf of anyone who writes to be understood—or would like to.”—Pittsburgh PressIn the first part of this useful book, the author shows how to solve common problems of writing. The reader will learn how to recognize common problems of writing. The reader will learn how to recognize words and phrases that should be cut; how to shorten cumbersome sentences; how to arrange the elements of pairs, series, and compound subjects and predicates; how to recognize and rectify mismanaged participles; and how to be on the lookout for the better word.The second part of the book consists of more than 1500 recommendations for cuts, changes, and comparisons that editors make to produce writing that is concise and

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The essential guide for all writers. With over 700 examples of original and edited sentences, this book provides information about editing techniques, grammar, and usage for every writer from the student to the published

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Learn the basic “grammar” of editing films and videos in Grammar of the Edit! This book shows you in no uncertain terms (independently of software) what you absolutely need to know to edit your video production. Whether you are just learning how to edit or you need a refresher, this book gives you a basic toolkit to understand the basic terms and the common practices of editing to help create a coherent and meaningful story or visual presentation. This book concentrates on where and how an edit is made and teaches you how to answer the simple question: ‘What do I need to do in order to make a good edit between two shots?’ Grammar of the Edit begins with an explanation of the basic rules of visual construction that will allow you to arrange your footage logically. The book takes you from the basic vocabulary of editing, to knowing when to cut (and why), to transitions, and finally to good working practices. Designed as an easy-to-use reference, each topic is covered succinctly and is

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Proofreading can make the difference between a mediocre and dismissed manuscript and a standout book. Skimping on the proofreading can result in a series of embarrassing errors. A few simple steps and a lot of patience can make proofreading pay off in the book printing long run.

Proofreading is not simple or easy. Nor should it be done quickly. Proofreading should be ongoing throughout the entire book process. “I’ll fix that later” is unadvisable when it comes to errors because you may not catch them later. Starting with editing the initial draft and until approving the page proofs—exactly why they are called proofs—proofreading is an integral step in producing a quality book or shorter piece of writing.

While authors must always take responsibility for their own work, hiring a good proofreader is essential because as authors, we know what we have written or intended to write; because the words are in our minds, we may not pay attention to what is actually on the page; we think we know what we put upon the page. Consequently, a close proofread needs to be done, and even after hiring a proofreader, an author should do his or her own proofread of the final book.

Here are some simple tips for making the proofreading process more effective—note I did not say easier or quicker because easy and quick only result in missing errors.

Paper vs. Screen

In the days before computers, everything was proofread on paper. You pulled the piece of paper out of the typewriter, got out your red pen, and went to work. Today, editing is much easier on a computer screen—no more pesky white-out and trying to realign the page with the typewriter keys to retype a word and not have it a half line above the rest of the sentence—if you don’t know what I’m talking about, trust me, you’re lucky to be too young to remember.

Because word processing has made revision much easier, editing is best done on the computer rather than on paper, but proofreading on paper still has a number of loyal followers. I honestly don’t think it matters whether you proofread on paper or on the computer except for the final printing when you want to make sure the book (provided it is printed on paper and not an e-book) is laid out properly on the page and the mechanical and computer process of printing or laying out the pages did not mess something up in the process.

Advantages exist for paper proofreading if your eyes cannot handle the strain of a computer screen for an extended period of time. On paper, individual letters look sharper as do punctuation marks. Even so, your corrections later must be transferred to the computer, so proofreading on paper is more time-consuming.

Proofreading on screen is what I personally prefer so here are a few simple steps to make that process effective:

1. Font. Please, leave the fancy fonts to the book layout people. There is no reason for a manuscript to be written in different fonts or font sizes. Choose only one easy to read font and size—Times New Roman 12 is standard. Fancier fonts tend to blur letters together or have scripts where some letters are almost beyond recognition. Fancy fonts are sure to give you typo problems simply because they are hard to read.
2. Use the magnifying glass. Perhaps not literally, unless you’re proofreading on paper, but instead of reading the manuscript at 100% view, increase it so it fills the screen—150 or 200% is advisable. Of course, you don’t want it so large you have to scroll back and forth, but the larger the print on the screen, the easier on your eyes and the more likely you’ll spot the typos.
3. Turn on the Invisibles. Invisibles are all the spaces you can’t see on the page. Every time you hit the space bar, which is between every word, your computer program will leave a little dot between the words. It will make a little paragraph symbol when you hit “return” to start a new paragraph. The invisibles can make a world of difference. I’ve seen printed books where one paragraph looks like two because no one caught the invisible paragraph break accidentally inserted. People are especially notorious for hitting the space bar after periods multiple times when it should only be hit once. Reading with the invisibles turned on will cure you of the habit, and it will make layout easier and less likely to have issues. Depending on your computer program, invisibles might also be called “hidden text” or “non-print characters.” Go to your word processing program’s “Help” and do a search for these terms to find instructions for turning on the invisible characters. Seeing invisibles on the screen takes some getting used to, but without them, what you can’t see can hurt you.

Read Slowly and Multiple Times

Nothing in proofreading is more important than simply reading slowly. Yes, it can be a tad boring, but an error-free manuscript is worth it. Here are useful tips to help you adjust.

1. Read Out Loud. I recommend reading out loud during the editing as well—you will be surprised by how you can improve tone and style simply by reading your manuscript out loud—you will catch nuances of rhythm you would not have caught earlier just by listening to yourself. I also believe your brain is forced to concentrate more closely on the page when you read out loud, which means you are more likely to catch errors.
2. Read backwards. No mirrors required. Don’t switch to reading left to right. Instead, start at the bottom of the page and read each line or sentence forward. That way, you won’t get lulled into the rhythm of the sentences and instead will be forced to see what is on every individual line. This process is time-consuming so you probably won’t stick with it for long, but it is good because it teaches beginning proofreaders to slow down and pay attention.
3. Look at every word and every letter. Paying close attention to each word and letter is vitally important. Many authors rely too much on spell-check. Spell-check will not catch words that are correctly spelled but in the wrong place. I wish I had a dollar for every time I’ve seen the words in the left column below substituted for words in the right column:

   Brain                Brian (I don’t know many people named Brain)

   Lightening         Lightning (there is a difference)

   Dairy                Diary

   Mediate            Meditate

   When proofreading, words with more than one vowel, two of the same letter together such as “occurrence” and “titillate,” or five or more letters really need to have each letter analyzed. As we become adept readers, the brain’s memory quickly recognizes a word simply by glancing at a few of the letters, the result being that we may not see a wrong letter in a word. For exmpl, yu cn prbaby undrstnd th meang of ths sntce evn thogh its misplld.

Finally, always get a second opinion. Proofread your work. Then give it to someone else to proofread. Don’t expect the other person to make it perfect and then consider the job done. Look at the mistakes the other person finds and learn from them. If you find you are making a recurring mistake, such as typing “dairy” for “diary,” you’ll learn to break yourself of the habit and watch for it more closely next time you do your own proofreading.

Proofreading, just like anything, requires practice. The more time you dedicate to it, the better you will be. You may never get into the Proofreading Hall of Fame, but at least, no one will think you can’t spell or write.

Irene Watson is the Managing Editor of Reader Views, where avid readers can find reviews of recently published books as well as read interviews with authors. Her team also provides author publicity and a variety of other services specific to writing and publishing books.

Writing a book can be a lonely experience, and you don’t want to completely isolate yourself during the writing process. It’s important to get feedback, especially while you’re developing an idea. Not only does this help motivate you, it also helps you catch issues and address concerns on the front end rather than trying to overhaul a manuscript after it’s already complete.

It’s not difficult to find people to provide regular feedback. Here are a few ways of locating people willing to give you critiques:

1.     Start by asking fellow authors. Though it’s nice to get a variety of opinions, authors within your genre are best. Not only do they know who the competitors are, they also have a better understanding of what works and what doesn’t within your genre.

2.     Put out an all-call on social media. Put out a post asking for people to read your work. You’ll be surprised at how many will respond!

3.     Ask colleagues. Ask people at work or others in your industry. This is especially good for nonfiction authors, as people in your industry represent your reader.

4.     Locate a formal writers’ group. There are many writers’ groups already established by genre and location. Check with local groups such as the Writers’ League of Texas or with genre-specific groups such as Sisters in Crime—or go to Writer’s Digest and other forums to find groups in your area.

But getting someone to read your work is only the beginning. In order for the feedback to be useful, you need to keep the following in mind:

1.     Distance yourself. It’s not a critique of you. It’s an honest opinion about your work, so don’t take it as a personal affront to you or your abilities as a writer.

2.     Maintain veto power. You don’t have to accept every suggestion or change made. It is ultimately your work, and it should reflect you and be something you are proud of. If you truly want to keep something, then keep it, but do consider the reader’s reasons for suggesting changes.

3.     Recognize patterns. If more than one person says the same thing about your work, take notice. If on every critique you hear that your characters are flat, you may have to accept that your characters are flat and strive to correct it. If several people say a passage is confusing, you may want to consider rewriting it. The point here is to improve as a writer.

4.     Respect their opinions. Show the one who critiqued you the same respect you expect by acknowledging and thanking them for their time and feedback.

5.     Have them focus on the big picture: Most readers are apprehensive about critiquing because they feel you want a complete copyedit. Unless they’re an editor, ease your readers by instructing them to focus on feedback related to the overall feel and goal of the book. Have them point out what works and what doesn’t work in relation to plot, narrative arc, usefulness of information, and style rather than addressing issues such as misplaced commas and word usage.

Remember, you don’t want to write in a vacuum. Despite all of your genius, in order to truly understand what your readers want and how to give it to them, you need to engage them from the beginning. Not only will it make you a better writer, your advance readers will have a vested interest in the final project and will do everything they can to help you succeed.

Shennandoah Diaz is the Business Development Assistant at Greenleaf Book Group, a publisher and distributor supporting independent authors and small presses. Diaz develops educational materials for authors in addition to managing Greenleaf’s social media, writing case studies and white papers on the publishing industry, and coordinating Austin Publishing University.

Proofreading can ensure communication while its lack has the power to embarrass. While most proofreading errors are simply spelling typos, poor grammar, or one wrong letter in a word, any of those mistakes can turn a serious sentence into a joke, or worse, a cause to blush, even to lose business.

Proofreading errors seem to be more and more prevalent in our world. Most of the time, they simply result in a typo, but sometimes they can be hilarious, or worse, downright embarrassing. Reliance on spell-check is not enough. Everyone needs a second set of eyes to proofread his or her writing, and the proofreaders should have a good grasp of grammar. Here are a few rather embarrassing examples of proofreading errors that will make you and your proofreader want to double and triple check your writing.

Spelling errors and wrong words are often the most prevalent mistakes writers carelessly make. One of the more common ones I often see is:

Mediate/meditate

I can’t tell you how many times I have seen people recommend “mediation” when they meant “meditation.” They are really quite different things, almost contradictory.

A friend who used to work in advertising told me about a couple of times when typos in a local newspaper caused not only embarrassment, but also the loss of an advertiser.

The first error was an advertisement for an event at a restaurant. This particular restaurant often held events for different groups and organizations as well as providing entertainment from local bands. Of course, bands are notorious for having creative (aka misspelled) names. On this occasion, the restaurant wanted its ad to include that it would host on June 26 the “Red Hot Ladies.” The graphic artist and the proofreader both assumed the Red Hot Ladies was a band. In fact, they joked that maybe they should go check out the event.

Fortunately, the advertiser caught the error on the proof before the ad went to print. It was actually the Red “Hat” Ladies who would be gathering at the restaurant. Somehow, I don’t think this well known group of senior women who wear red hats would have appreciated a bunch of saliva-dripping men showing up to watch them perform. Then again, those outgoing ladies might not have minded, but I suspect their audience would have been disappointed.

Another mistake in an advertisement my friend told me about actually did go to print. A furniture store was having a sale, including offering 40% off on Grandfather Clocks. Somehow, the add was printed to say “Grandfather Cocks.” I can tell you the furniture store was not happy; it pulled its advertising from the newspaper. I wonder though whether some of those Red Hat Ladies might have shown up for the sale.

Mistakes in grammar can make for equally embarrassing results. Even the grammar experts often have to stop and think about the use of “lie” and “lay.” Consider the double meaning that could be interpreted from this sentence:

He laid his mother on the bed.

What exactly is happening here? Is he setting his mother down, or is he having intercourse with her? Actually, while most likely it’s the former, the latter could also be interpreted, although hopefully the context of the larger paragraph would clarify.

I once had an English professor who explained the difference between lay and lie by saying, “People never lay except when they get laid.” In other words, I would never lay on a bed. I would lie on the bed. But why then is the sentence above correct? Because the mother is not herself lying on the bed, she is being laid on the bed. That is, she’s being carried and set down. Similarly, we would not lie a pillow on the bed, but we would lay a pillow on the bed. In the past tense, we would say “He laid the pillow on the bed.”

If that explanation still leaves you confused about when to use “lie” or “lay,” it is often best to pick another verb to use, so depending on what you meant above, you could say:

He set his mother on the bed.
or
He ~~~~~~ his mother on the bed.

Even a missing word or the context of the word in a sentence can result in a misunderstanding. Of course, I need not tell you that numerous jokes result from misunderstanding a sentence due to context. Here is quite a hilarious one:

A priest checks into a hotel and says to the clerk, “I hope the porn channel in my room is disabled?”
The clerk replies, “No sir, it’s regular porn, you sick jerk.”

Had the priest said, “I hope you have disabled the porn channel” he would not have been embarrassed by the misinterpretation.

If I haven’t offended anyone yet, here comes my favorite example, on the importance of proper capitalization. I can’t tell you how many times I see people confused about when to capitalize the adjective preceding a relative’s name. For example, which of the following here is correct:

When my Mother got home, she spanked me.
or
When mother got home, she spanked me.

Actually, neither is correct. In the first case, “mother” should be lowercase, and in the second, it should be uppercase. Why? Because in the second case, “mother” is being used as a name, just as you would use Dad, Grandma, or Brother, but if you use “my dad, our grandma, his brother,” then you are referring to a relationship rather than specifically to a person.

And then there are names. Add a name after Grandpa or Aunt and you could have a problem. See if you can figure out the difference between what is meant and what could be implied by this sentence. Note that “uncle” should have been capitalized here as well as the uncle’s name:

When he got back to the barn, I helped my uncle jack off the horse.

Need I say more? Proofread. Proofread. Proofread. Ask Uncle Jack to help you.

Irene Watson is the Managing Editor of Reader Views, where avid readers can find reviews of recently published books as well as read interviews with authors. Her team also provides author publicity and a variety of other services specific to writing and publishing books.

Yeah, I know.  Revision is a complex, recursive thing, and it doesn’t really fit neatly into steps.  You can’t help but fix spelling errors at the same time you’re looking at larger issues of plot and character.

Nevertheless, if you make an effort to take your revisions one level of complexity at a time, you’ll find it yields dividends to your writing.

We’ve already covered the “afro-pick” level of revision (big stuff) and the “pocket comb” level (medium stuff). Now it’s time to break out the kind of comb you use when your first-grader gets head lice.  Yes, I mean the nit-picky comb.

Here’s how to get nit-picky with your revision…

Start with the read-aloud:

Make sure your story flows tripplingly off the tongue (this is especially vital for picture books).  And pay careful attention to ensure that you haven’t inadvertently left out any words.

Hunt down homonyms:

Spellchecking software often doesn’t distinguish between sound-alike words (they’re/their/there), so it falls to you to double-check to make sure you chose the right word.

Trim the fat:

See if you can find shorter ways to say things.  Remove all unnecessary words.

“Tom moved slowly and in a depressed manner towards the colorful peacock.”

“Tom trudged toward the peacock.”

Eliminate echoes:

When you repeat words too closely together, it creates an echo effect, which distracts the reader.  All of the editors I’ve worked with hate echoes.  Revise to eliminate or replace one iteration of the word.

“Agent Belly tossed back his curls.  ‘Don’t get smart with me.’

I stepped back, avoiding his eyes.”

“Agent Belly tossed his curls. ‘Don’t get smart with me.’

I stepped back, avoiding his eyes.”

Remove unnecessary modifiers:

Again, part of the tightening process.  Most adverbs can be eliminated by using a stronger, more descriptive verb.

“Squatted down” becomes “squatted.”

“Said noisily” becomes “shouted” or “cried.”

Eliminate redundancy:

Once in a great while, repetition can work for effect.  Otherwise, just junk repeated words or phrases.

“’I know you did it, I know you did it!’ said Kathy accusingly.”

“I know you did it!” Kathy snapped.

Supercharge your verbs:

Use action verbs and don’t be satisfied with the first verb that comes to mind.  Break out the thesaurus for a change.  Add some color.

“Spoke” becomes “whispered,” “growled,” “whined”

“Flew” becomes “soared” or “glided”

“Walk” becomes “stroll” or “ramble”

Check on grade-level appropriateness:

If you’re writing for kids, the Children’s Writer’s Word Book is a good way to check this.  It lists synonyms by grade level.  Also, most word-processing programs can tell you the grade-level of your writing.

“Inscribe” would work for 5^th graders, but “sign” would be more appropriate for 1^st graders.  Know your readers and what they can handle.

Vary sentence rhythm:

This makes for more pleasant, varied reading.  Mix long and short sentences, use parallelism for effect.

“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.  Heck, who am I kidding?  My life stank.”

When you take time to break out the nit-pick comb, you’ll find that not only is your story lice-free, it’s ready for an editor to enjoy.

Bruce Hale is the author-illustrator of over 25 books for young readers, including the Edgar-nominated Chet Gecko Mysteries and Snoring Beauty, one of Oprah’s Recommended Reads for Kids.  He is a popular speaker and storyteller, having presented at conferences, schools and libraries across North America.  Subscribe to his free e-newsletter of writing tips at: www.brucehalewritingtips.com.  Or check out Bruce’s books at www.brucehale.com.

“How the heck do I write really, really, really good dialog?” she queried quizzically.

“You don’t know?” quoth he.

“Nay,” she stated sadly, “and it’s really bumming me out.”

Dialog writing holds pitfalls aplenty.  There are so many ways we can stumble (witness the example above), it’s a wonder we ever get it right.  But the effort is worth it.  Well-written dialog sings from the page, bringing characters to vivid, three-dimensional life.

So what’s the trick to crafting killer dialog? Do some people have an ear for it while others don’t?

It does help to have a good ear, but anyone can improve their dialog skills. This month and next, we’ll plunge into the mysteries of writing about talking.  Here are three tips to get you started:

1. KASS (Keep Attributions Simple, Stupid)

Really, 85 percent of the time, all you need is the basic “he said,” “she said.”  I know it sounds boring.  I know it’s more fun to crack open the thesaurus and load up on “exclaimed,” “asserted,” and “denounced.”

But this doesn’t help clarity, it just gets in the way.

Attributions should be like water — clear, simple, and bland.  They should set off the dialog, not distract from it.  Yes, “he said’s” may seem dull at first, but there are other ways to create variety without dipping into the thesaurus.  We’ll explore those next time.  For now, just remember this: simple is good.

2. Different characters talk differently

Seems obvious, right?  Not necessarily.  I can’t count how many manuscripts I’ve read where every character sounds exactly like the author.

Remember, each character has a different background, family, attitude and origins.  Tailor their dialog to reflect that.  Make one character verbose and Southern, and make another one tight-lipped.  Give them exclamations (“Jiminy Christmas!” vs. “No frickin’ way!”) appropriate to their background.

And if you’re consistent, readers will picture your characters big as life — plus, they’ll never have to wonder who’s speaking.

3. Brief is better

Whoever said “brevity is the soul of wit” was on the right track.  But they should’ve just left it at “brevity.”

Next time you’re at a party or a mall or a workplace, listen to the way people REALLY talk.  They speak. In fragments.  They start a thought and get — that reminds me, have you seen my glasses? — sidetracked. They trail off halfway through a…

It’s not our job to record dialog like a journalist, with each “um” and “uh” and rambling thought intact.  It’s our job to craft an artful representation of how people talk.  That means trimming all unnecessary words to keep dialog lean and to-the-point.

If you want clues on how it’s done, read a movie script.  See how compact and info-packed dialog can be.  See how much can be said with a single word.

And one last tip: Leave the “quoth he’s” for 18^th century poets.

Bruce Hale is the author-illustrator of over 25 books for young readers, including the Edgar-nominated Chet Gecko Mysteries and Snoring Beauty, one of Oprah’s Recommended Reads for Kids.  He is a popular speaker and storyteller, having presented at conferences, schools and libraries across North America.  Subscribe to his free e-newsletter of writing tips at: www.brucehalewritingtips.com.  Or check out Bruce’s books at www.brucehale.com.

Say you’ve finished the first, grueling draft of your story, and you’re taking a well-deserved breather.  Congratulations!  Now begins the real work.

How to approach the revision of that initial messy draft?

First, get a perspective check.  When you’re too close to your manuscript, you’ll experience story myopia.  Both the faults and strengths are out of focus, and you can’t edit properly.

So leave some time between draft and edit — 2-3 weeks, if possible.  Then get started.  Revising is recursive.  You’ll find yourself going back and forth between big stuff and little stuff, between plot holes and line tweakings.

But if at all possible, discipline yourself to do the big stuff first.

Why big stuff first? Well, there’s no point in correcting spelling if you’re going to edit out the word anyway.

When I was a teen in the ‘70s, everyone had big hair, and I, with my curly white-boy ‘fro, was no exception.  Like many, I used a wide-toothed Afro pick to shape my shaggy locks.  It helped catch the big stuff, like twigs, dustballs, and small rodents in the hair.

So go through your draft with an Afro pick, looking for these six big things:

1. Gaps in logic:  If your character is a regular kid throughout most of the story, then she suddenly starts practicing magic without explanation, it’s jarring.  You’ve taken a logic leap and not brought us along.  Make sure key developments are properly set up and foreshadowed.

2. Missing/inconsistent motivation:  All actions and dialog must be motivated.  Go through the story looking at your main character’s actions and dialog.  Ask yourself, would this character really do this or say that?  If your answer is “no,” then revise.

3. Theme:  Does your book have one?  How can you bring it out even more?  In my story Key Lardo, the theme of putting yourself in someone else’s shoes emerged — but I didn’t see it until the second revision. [Tip: In picture books, your theme may be as simple as a catchy refrain you can repeat throughout.]

4. Linkages: Linkages make your story stronger.  When I first wrote PIRATES OF UNDERWHERE, I made the main character, Stephanie, a math whiz.   But she didn’t use that skill to resolve the main problem in the story.  In revising, I fixed that and added mock math problems to open certain chapters.

5. Loose ends, unresolved threads:  Are there any promises made that don’t get fulfilled?  Does one character figure strongly in the beginning, make a threat, and then disappear for the rest of the book?  Don’t leave the reader hanging.  Tie up any loose ends.

6. Overall flow:  Does the story have momentum, or does it get bogged down here and there?  Often the problem is exposition chunks – like where you take a whole page to explain the history of the corset, thus bringing your story to a screeching halt.  Make your exposition chunks smaller, and scatter them throughout.

Of course, that first, Afro-pick revision only catches the big stuff.  To discover the smaller inconsistencies and problems in your story, you’ll have to make another pass with a fine-tooth comb.

But that’s a topic — and a hair care task — for another time.

Bruce Hale is the author-illustrator of over 25 books for young readers, including the Edgar-nominated Chet Gecko Mysteries and Snoring Beauty, one of Oprah’s Recommended Reads for Kids.  He is a popular speaker and storyteller, having presented at conferences, schools and libraries across North America.  Subscribe to his free e-newsletter of writing tips at: www.brucehalewritingtips.com.  Or check out Bruce’s books at www.brucehale.com.