Editing « Writers Anonymous

Posts Tagged ‘Editing’

Are All Aspiring Authors Like This, Or Is It Just Me?

Monday, August 30th, 2010

The fast answer is: “It’s not just you. Virtually all aspiring authors make lots of mistakes in their manuscripts.”

Last week, an author who used WritAnon’s editing service sent me this (paraphrased) question: Do all aspiring authors see this much red on their edited manuscripts?

This isn’t the first time I’ve gotten this question. However, this is the first time I’m writing a public message about it.

The short answer is yes. And it’s not limited to aspiring authors. First drafts from established authors will often have the same amount of “red” markups–changes, suggestions, or problems within the manuscript.

Theoretically, there could be someone who wrote a manuscript that was perfect in every way before they send it off to a publisher.

I’ve never seen one. If I did happen to come across a perfect submission, I’d happily tell the author that there was nothing I could do to help improve it. I’d then wish them the best of luck as they either seek another editor or choose to start querying agents or publishers.

For most writers, though, getting an experienced set of eyes is a must. Some people can get this from a talented writing group, but there are many who don’t have access to the right level of feedback. For these writers, editing services like WritAnon’s can be a valuable tool to get the right feedback they need.

What mistakes do aspiring authors make? Here’s a short list in no particular order (I’ll expand on these in an upcoming post):

Grammar, spelling, and sentence fragments
Inconsistent characters
Plot holes or inconsistencies
Dialogue that doesn’t sound like something the characters would say
Run-on sentences
Overly complex sentences (using 10 words to say what could be done in 5).
Overuse of adjectives and adverbs (not everything needs to be described in intense detail–you’ll fatigue the reader)

No manuscript of any significant length (more than a page or two) comes out of a writer’s mind perfect to unleash upon the world. Personally, I go through at least three drafts before I let anyone else read my stories. Even then, my critique group generally gets it first. Once it passes their approval, then I feel more comfortable with sharing it with the rest of the world.

Writers should not find this discouraging. The person who first said this has likely been lost to antiquity, but it still remains true: “The art of writing is rewriting.” Persevering through this challenge (and, when appropriate, seeking editing help) is what separates the aspiring author from the published author.

Take your time and work through any critiques you receive. You may not change everything that’s recommended, but you’ll often end up with a much stronger manuscript.

We’re all in this together. Keep writing!

Tags: criticism, Editing, Inspiration, writing problems
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Can a Young Writer Get Published?

Monday, January 4th, 2010

The answer is, of course, yes. Many young writers have been published, including Christopher Paolini, who started writing Eragon at age 14 (he published at 19).

Some publishers prefer not to deal with younger writers because of the additional work at the contract stage–writers under 18 cannot sign their own contracts. There is additional work to work out the how the rights to the work are assigned, and how the payments will be handled (typically to a trust until the writer turns 18).

However, there’s a good marketing angle for a young writer: if a publisher prints a manuscript written by a young writer, people pay attention. People are attracted to what’s new, and a new book by a new author still in school gets attention.

Also, you’re not required to (and I recommend you do not) reveal your age until a publisher accepts your manuscript and you move into the contract stage. There are legal considerations that must be made when the author is too young to legally sign the contract.

As with all authors, as a young writer, you want to consider hiring an agent to help you through the publishing process. They can help you understand all of the legal mumbo-jumbo associated with the publishing process, for a percentage of any money you earn (usually 10-20%). Agents will also know who is more likely to accept a submission from a young writer.

As an aside: Don’t ever pay an agent up front. All legitimate agents work on a 10-20% commission–they only get paid when your novel sells. Their job is to sell your novel, so they should only get paid when that’s successful.

Make sure that you have your parents involved as well–as a young writer, people will be looking to take advantage of your inexperience. (By the way, inexperience isn’t bad. Everyone is new at first.) Your parents (and an agent) can help you avoid many of the pitfalls that plague new writers.

Before you submit your manuscript to either an agent or a publisher, you’ll want to make sure it’s really ready to publish. This means that your work needs to be edited for inconsistencies, errors in grammar or punctuation, and overall style.

Don’t trust just yourself to find all inconsistencies and grammar/punctuation errors. Use friends, family, or (if your parents are willing to spend some money), use an editing service. I often recommend that aspiring authors take advantage of at least a sample edit in order to determine how close their work is to being ready.

Check back next week for details on the overall process of sending work in to publishers.

Best of luck as you continue your work. Write on!

Tags: Editing, Publishing, young writers
Posted in Publishing | No Comments »