How I Edit; What I Do
I'm making this page about editing because, I am in the middle of editing a book, and today I took a break to go chat on a forum with some fellow writers, a few of whom were also there taking breaks from editing a book and before long we got into the conversation of various drafting and editing processes, and began to compare each others' techniques. Next thing I knew I was on my blog writing a post about editing, and than before I knew it I was here on Squidoo making a lens on editing, and this is it.
The first draft:
Step #1:
Write like crazy.
My first draft is just me writing like crazy until I get to the point that I say: It's done! When I start writing I don't let anything stop me, not spelling nor grammar nor irrational scenes of weirdness. I just write and write and write. It is better to get it all down, uninterrupted, and edit out mistakes later.
Draft number two:
Step #2: Spell check!
My second draft is quick and easy and very, very simple and starts when I run my manuscript though my word processor's spell-check and grammar check, which gets out most, though not all of those mistakes in about a half an hour.
A time to rest.
Step #3:
Waiting to Forget.
Than I put it aside of a week or a month or even 3 months, and start writing my next book. This allows me to forget what I wrote, to some extent, so that when I move on the the next stage of editing, I can look at it anew.
The third draft begins:
Step #4:
Reading for Relevancy.
For my third draft, I open up the file and sit down and read the whole thing straight through. While I'm reading, I am making changes, checking facts, deleting irrelevant things, adding stuff I'd forgotten to put in, etc.
When paper bleeds: the fourth draft begins.Step # 5:
Show No Mercy.
For my fourth draft, I print the whole thing, up with 1" margins on all sides, and double spaces. This is when the "real" editing begins, as I sit down with a red Sharpie in hand and start making changes, deleting whole paragraphs, rearranging stuff in different orders, correcting all the spelling and grammar errors that the spell checker missed (like no/know or were/where or there/their). I also check for passive voice and make changes to correct it. I end up with papers all over the room, all bleeding in red ink.
This step can take 3 or 6 or more months.
The end is near:
Step # 6: Polishing the Final Draft.
For my fifth (and usually last) draft, I take the stake of red marked papers, and than make all of those changes on the word processor file. The last thing I do, is to run it through the spell checker once again, just in case of any typos.
It's time to edit. Do you know where your Sharpie is?
Sharpie Ultra Fine Point Permanent Markers, 12 Red Markers(37002)
Amazon Price: $8.99 (as of 12/19/2009)
List Price: $15.36
Used Price:
Release Date: 12/31/1969
Avg. Customer Rating: 
Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Twitter Storm
What do you do when editing your manuscript?
I say...
What others are saying...
Best Book To Help You Edit Is:
Writer's Little Helper
Amazon Price: $14.99 (as of 12/19/2009)
List Price: $19.99
Used Price: $0.01
Release Date: 12/31/1969
Avg. Customer Rating: 
Usually ships in 24 hours
What Wikipedia Says:
Editing is the process of selecting and preparing language, images, sound, video, or film through processes of correction, condensation, organization, and other modifications in various media. A person who edits is called an editor. In a sense, the editing process originates with the idea for the work itself and continues in the relationship between the author and the editor. Editing is, therefore, also a practice that includes creative skills, human relations, and a precise set of methods.
My writing blog:
Fetching RSS feed... please stand byReader Poll: How Long Does it Take to Edit?
- EelKat
- aka EelKat
- 1,624 followers
- 1,822 following
-
- Avon bath & body : body lotion http://shop.avon.com/shop/product_list.aspx?level1_id=300&level2_id=303&pdept_id=333&cat_type=C
-
- You can find my Etsy store here: http://www.eelkat.etsy.com
-
- I Love Peacocks! Shirt http://www.zazzle.com/i_love_peacocks_tshirt-235421298704417310
-
- My Etsy store is: http://www.eelkat.etsy.com
-
- Either write something worth reading or do something worth writing. ~Benjamin Franklin #screnzy #scriptfrenzy #playwright #writetip
About Me
Lensmaster EelKat has been a member since April 18 2007, has rated 6,108 lenses, favorited 3,185, and has created 429 lenses from scratch. This member's top-ranked page is "Publishing Methods". See all my lenses
Check out these great lenses...
-
- Publishing Methods
How should you publish your book? Self-Publishing? Vanity Press? Traditional? POD-People? The Big Five? What's the difference? On this lens I explore the different options you have as a writer to get your book published. view lens -
- Creating a Fantasy Realm
Are you writing a fantasy novel? Have you joined NaNoWriMo and don't know what to do next? Do you need to know where your characters live? Need help creating that new world? You can find help here! On this lens are some things that I do when creating... view lens -
- The Top 5 NaNoWriMo Tools
Every November thousands of writers gather together to take part in the world's largest writing contest: The National Novel Writing Month 50,000 Words in 30 Days Contest also known as NaNoWriMo. Myself, I've been doing the contest every year since 20... view lens -
- NaNoWriMo: Reaching 50,000 using EelKat's Methods
NaNoWriMo 2009 will be my 5th year at NaNo. So far I've had 4 years and 3 wins and this year I'm going for my fourth win. I failed my first year (2005) ...did like 2,000 before I got bored with my plot. I did 183,000 my second year (2006) ... kind... view lens -
- EK's Lensography For Writers
This is a list of all of my lenses for writers. Oh, and for those wondering: What's with all the waterfalls? I do a lot of my writing outside in my garden or in the forest behind my yard, and there is a brook going through my yard. Now whenever I s... view lens
(National Novel Writing Month starts: is November 1, 2009)
Muse Dolls on Etsy
You need to select some items to show.
Reader Feedback
I love comments. Like one of my lenses? Just want to say hi? Go ahead and leave comments.
You know what else I like? Links! I'm one of the few lensmasters you will find who requests links in comments! If you have a lens of the same topic as this lens (writing, editing, publishing, etc.), feel free to leave a link to it. I am constantly adding other people's lenses as featured lenses on my own.
PS: Don't forget to leave a star rating too. (See top of lens page). Thanks!
Got an idea you'd like to suggest for a lens? I'd love to hear it! I'm constantly creating new lenses and updating my old ones.
While you are here, why not check out these other lenses:
Nearly All of my lenses support The Pidgie Fund:
For info on how to make banners for your own lenses check out this site: Make your own banner at MyBannerMaker.com!
And here's some random lenses that I like:
Do Animals Go To Heaven?
The Year 2012
Poison vs. Motley Crue
Hayley Williams (Paramore)
Do You believe in aliens & UFOs?
-
Reply
- roysumit roysumit Feb 25, 2009 @ 11:15 am
- Great lens on a new and inovative topic, I presume. Contents are relevant and explained beautifully step by step. Thanks and 5*****s.
Featured Lenses
-
Publishing Methods
-
How should you publish your book? Self-Publishing? Vanity Press? Traditional? POD-People? The Big Five? What's the difference? On this lens I explore the different options you have as a writer to get your book published.
-
How to Become a Renegade Writer
-
Main stream fiction and non-fiction remains as ever, extremely popular, but outside of the main stream lays another form of writing that is not popular: renegade fiction and renegade non-fiction. It is bold, it is in your face, it is often the last...
-
What do you look for in a book?
-
Did you ever wonder why readers choose one book or author over another? Looking for more readers to read your own books? Think you might need to improve your writing skills some? Try this writing exercise to improve your own writing skills.
-
Creating a Fantasy Realm
-
Are you writing a fantasy novel? Have you joined NaNoWriMo and don't know what to do next? Do you need to know where your characters live? Need help creating that new world? You can find help here! On this lens are some things that I do when creating...
-
Creating Character Profiles
-
A character is a person about whom you write. Every work of fiction (book, screenplay, SCA persona, RPG, LARP, MMORPG, video game, etc.) has characters in it. Question is, do you as a writer, really know as much as you should about your characters? T...
-
Narration for Writers
-
Have you ever wondered what's the difference between one type of narration and another? Look no farther, I shall explain them all here.
-
Writing Advice Didn't Work for Her (or Me Either!)
-
While searching for advice for writers, I can across the home page of Patricia A. Duffy, who says that when it comes to writing, "Conventional Advice Wouldn't Work for Me. After reading her article, I have to say that basically, she has said pre...
-
NaNoWriMo: Reaching 50,000 using EelKat's Methods
-
NaNoWriMo 2009 will be my 5th year at NaNo. So far I've had 4 years and 3 wins and this year I'm going for my fourth win. I failed my first year (2005) ...did like 2,000 before I got bored with my plot. I did 183,000 my second year (2006) ... kind...
-
Why Was My Manuscript Rejected?
-
You have poured your heart and soul into your story. It is perfect. It is wonderful. It is finished at last. Now comes the hard part: publication. But you have no fear, your story is the greatest story ever written, editors will love it, they'll be k...
-
EK's Lensography For Writers
-
This is a list of all of my lenses for writers. Oh, and for those wondering: What's with all the waterfalls? I do a lot of my writing outside in my garden or in the forest behind my yard, and there is a brook going through my yard. Now whenever I s...
-
Writing Tip of the Day
-
I started blogging in 2004, and since that time one of the features added to my blog was a "Writing Tip of the Day". I never did get around to posting tips daily, but over the years several of them did show up, and a few of them are being compiled to...
-
Writer's FAQ: Story Length
-
What defines a short story from a novel? It's length? It's level of detail and development? I have had this question emailed, IMed, and commented to me more times than I can count. My answer for this originally appeared on A Writers Desk | Forum For...
-
What's on My Bookshelf?
-
A glimpse inside one author's private book collection. Find new books you haven't read before as well as books to help you write. This lens is here to answer the question: What's on your bookshelf?
-
The Self-Publishing Manual by Dan Poynter
-
The Self-Publishing Manual is the most complete book ever written on the art of starting and maintaining a full time career as a self publisher. This is the best book available for anyone seeking to start their own small press publishing house. This...
-
Need to Kill Writer’s Block? Kill a Character.
-
Need to Kill Writer’s Block? Kill a Character. Do you find you have a great story going, than suddenly without warning writer’s block stops you dead in your tracks? Writer’s block, that horrible dreaded thing, is a great boon to...
-
How To Become a Better Writer
-
While all writers are different, they all share one common goal: to become a better writer. For many, becoming a better writer is a goal which they feel is out of their reach. This, simply is not true. Everyone has what it takes to write a story, all...
editing in the news
- Video Editing « Greg Auger • fluteflute
- The topic of video editing on linux has been explored a lot lately, especially with the planned inclusion of PiTiVi in Ubuntu Lucid. I've not got much add, other than to say I currently support PiTiVi's inclusion (over for example ...
- Editing Sonicview HD TP's ? - ABA DSS - Free to Air Satellite TV ...
- Editing Sonicview HD TP's ? How do you edit or add new TP settings with the SonicView 8000 HD ? I need to add exact settings for FTA Sats that are.
- The Blood-Red Pencil: Self-Editing One Step at a Time: One Final Chore
- On your Microsoft Word toolbar there is an icon that looks like the editing symbol for new paragraph. If you click on that icon, your text will indicate spaces in your work as dots. You may have a perfectly formatted manuscript, ...
- Basic Tips on Term Paper Editing | Essay Writing Blog
- Editing is an essential part of all academic essay writing, be it simple essay writing for a school assignment, a term paper assignment or even a research paper writing. All papers need to be edited and proof read before their final ...
Find Something New To Write About With This Word of the Day:
by EelKat
I am Wendy C Allen, Doll Maker and Independent Avon Sales Representative.
I love Eels. I love Bobcat. I am a Giant Squid and a Squid Angel.
I am an...
Explore related pages
The BEAUTY & THE BEAST (A NaNoWriMo Entry For 2008)- This is my lens devoted to the most beautiful love story ever written: The Beaut...
Writing Advice Didn't Work for Her (or Me Either!)- While searching for advice for writers, I can across the home page of Patricia A...
Writing Tips: Romance- (THIS LENS IS STILL UNDER CONSTRUCTION!) What is romance? How do you know you a...
EK's Lensography For Writers- This is a list of all of my lenses for writers. Oh, and for those wondering: Wh...
NaNoWriMo: Reaching 50,000 using EelKat's Methods- NaNoWriMo 2009 will be my 5th year at NaNo. So far I've had 4 years and 3 wins a...
What People Buy & How To Get Them To Buy It From You!- PayDay came and went as usual and I was curious today, am I listing the correct...
