One of the Mistakes A Fiction Editor Should Catch

Over the years that I've been a fiction editor, I've noticed several mistakes that keep happening with authors who are starting out in their careers. The first is the use of the 'ly' modifier. More often than not, the 'ly' modifier is nothing more than lazy writing, a quick way of writing something that requires little effort. Consider this example.

"Johnny was seriously mad."

The modifier 'seriously' tells the reader about Johnny's emotional state, but it's always much better to show that same reader what mad looks like.
So, the sentence is vastly improved with a rewrite that goes like,

"Johnny's fists were curled at his sides."

The exact wording is up to the writer, but any good fiction editor will pick up on the difference.

Johnny Was Angry

I was just working on a novel for a writer down in Texas and I noticed something that happens a lot in books that bears mentioning. Often writers will 'tell' the reader what the character is feeling rather than 'showing' them.
In other words, it's much better to write, "Johnny threw a dish across the room." Writing "Johnny was mad" is accurate enough, but it doesn’t supply any kind of mental image.

Web Content Editing

You need to have a good eye for all copy when you're an editor and this is especially true when working with Web Content. There are always considerations about keyword placements and the research that needs to go behind these critical elements of the whole picture, and you need to be sure your links point to interior pages that compliment that anchor keyword or phrase.

More Opportunity

Along with the fiction that I usually do, I've been asked to edit a monthly newsletter for an aftermarket car repair finance company here in Canada. Although it might sound like a real departure, I'm finding the layout portions to be exciting.

Starting The Edit Off The Right Way

There's always the preliminary work before you start any job. Especially when it comes to the kind of copywriting that you want to be professional, and certainly when you're trying to edit you own copy as more content writers are, you really need to take a step back and do a little research that will save you time when you're self editing.

First off, most editors need to know if the document answers the questions that it set out to. If it's so far off the mark that you can't even tell what it's really about, then more than likely you'll need to send it back for a rewrite. Especially when you're dealing with business copy, you'll want to be able differentiate between fact and opinion as well.

Editing is all about polishing what's already there, but you need to be clear about what it is that you're looking at. Finally, you need to decide is there is a balance before you start or if there is too much or too little information.

Being A Text Editor in This New Age

Lots of things have changed since I started out as a journalist years ago and one of them is the way that a text editor on the Internet works their trade. When I started, we used pencils to mark all the edits that we needed to make, but there's no doubt in my mind that the track changes used today with the Word program is a much more efficient way for manuscript editors to work.
I've done editing jobs( both fiction and nonfiction) for people as far away as Australia and Puerto Rico and the Internet makes it easy and enjoyable. I started online as a manuscript editor with two of the bigger online companies but I know the decision to go out on my own brings a more immediate relationship for my clients.

Accolades From Writers

Rob Starr is the editor my first novel, Under the Fifth Sun (StoneGarden Publishing, March 25, 2008). I am now writing my second, and did not hesitate to engage him again. Rob has a keen eye not only for precision and style but also possesses a tremendous sense for flow, clarity, and continuity. He is highly capable and adaptable to any form of written communication, and works with great efficiency. Rob has never failed to impress me with each round of editing. I have never been disappointed with the quality of his work and his professionalism, and neither will you!

Jeffrey Osburn