So Your Book Just Got Edited…

[ursulav]

Enough people made vaguely interested noises in the editing process that I thought I’d talk about it a bit. It’s definitely the tedious, grim, discouraging bit of the process, but it occurs to me that you, O Prospective Author, may find it even more traumatic if nobody tells you what to expect!

First, two caveats. I’ve had…I think…twelve books

Comments

[stormteller]

Hmm, this sounds a lot like what I already started to do. I got about a third way through my manuscript, did a quick read-through to refresh my memory, and realised a bunch of things were contradictory or nonsensical or somehow problematic. I've since been faced with the dilemma of whether to finish the thing and then edit, or edit as I continue to write (I've chosen the latter for now. I hate editing, but too many things rely on the early portion of the book for me to leave them as messed up as they are). I keep a separate document for issues I specifically need to address, with dashes to let me know how far I've come with them. I've never done real editing, but I've had friends look over my writing and give feedback, and this sounds like the same thing done more expertly.

[singingnettle]

Given that this is pretty much the way I edit, and that I have worked independently for a lot of years...it's nice to know I still do it the way editors you define as "competent" do it.

I always wonder if the smiley faces or the equivalent are condescending...nice to know that at least some writers will actually find them to be factors in not feeding the thing into the virtual shredder. Or feeding the editor into a shredder.

[abb3w]

Don't be absurd. Have you looked lately at the pricing for shredders capable of handling major mammal bones? Oh, yes, there are some out there, but you're talking six figure price tags. Maybe A-list authors like Steven King can afford them, but most B-list and lower types are still stuck with the giant black cauldron, hog farm, premium cutlery plus flesh eating beetles approaches.

[singingnettle]

You win the Internet.

[dornbeast]

Aww. No love for the classic pit of quicklime, or the environmentally friendly piranha tank?

[wilhelmina_d]

Awesome, very helpful post. Thank you!

[ladywind]

Non-sequitur: "Javelina Parachute" must now become either a band or an album name.

[djinnthespazz]

"...a javelina parachute..."

Ouch.

[edthetallguy]

I was wondering how you attached the javelina to the harness.

[sprrwhwk]

Carefully, with a tranquilizer gun and a long stick.