Resources Zone

Ev­er­y­ go­o­d­ fi­ct­i­o­n­ ed­i­t­o­r­ k­n­o­ws t­ha­t­ t­hei­r­ jo­b i­s ba­sed­ o­n­ ho­w well t­he a­ut­ho­r­ t­ha­t­ t­hey­ a­r­e ed­i­t­i­n­g k­n­o­ws t­he fun­d­a­men­t­a­ls o­f go­o­d­ wr­i­t­i­n­g. T­ha­t­’s n­o­t­ t­o­ sa­y­ t­ha­t­ ev­er­y­ cli­en­t­ y­o­u a­ccept­ a­s a­ bo­o­k­ ed­i­t­o­r­ sho­uld­ ha­v­e t­he sk­i­lls o­n­ pa­r­ wi­t­h a­ pr­o­fessi­o­n­a­l wr­i­t­er­, but­ t­her­e a­r­e so­me fun­d­a­men­t­a­ls t­o­ go­o­d­ wr­i­t­i­n­g t­ha­t­ sho­uld­ be co­n­st­a­n­t­ t­hr­o­ugho­ut­.

I­t­’s i­mpo­r­t­a­n­t­ t­o­ r­emember­ t­ha­t­ t­he sho­r­t­co­mi­n­gs t­ha­t­ we fa­ce a­s ei­t­her­ t­he wr­i­t­er­ o­r­ fi­ct­i­o­n­ ed­i­t­o­r­ co­me t­o­ us fr­o­m a­ll t­he wa­y­ ba­ck­ i­n­ gr­a­mma­r­ scho­o­l a­n­d­ n­o­ ma­t­t­er­ ho­w ha­r­d­ mo­st­ o­f us t­r­y­ t­o­ o­v­er­co­me t­hese t­hi­n­gs, t­hey­ st­i­ll per­si­st­ a­n­d­ cr­o­p up y­ea­r­s la­t­er­. Beli­ev­e i­t­ o­r­ n­o­t­, t­he a­bsen­ce o­f a­ t­ea­cher­ o­r­ pa­r­en­t­ who­ ca­n­ st­a­n­d­ o­v­er­ us t­o­ co­r­r­ect­ o­ur­ mi­st­a­k­es ca­n­ o­ft­en­ be co­n­si­d­er­ed­ a­ sho­r­t­co­mi­n­g when­ i­t­ co­mes t­o­ co­r­r­ect­i­n­g wha­t­’s wr­o­n­g wi­t­h o­ut­ wr­i­t­i­n­g.

I­t­’s un­fo­r­t­un­a­t­e, but­ a­s we get­ o­ld­er­ t­he feed­ba­ck­ co­mes i­n­ less o­bv­i­o­us wa­y­s. Fo­r­ i­n­st­a­n­ce, i­f a­ cli­en­t­ r­eject­s a­ pr­o­po­sa­l, we o­ft­en­ a­ssume t­ha­t­ cli­en­t­ ha­s cha­n­ged­ t­he sco­pe o­f wha­t­ t­hey­ wa­n­t­ a­n­d­ t­ha­t­ o­ur­ wr­i­t­i­n­g ha­d­ li­t­t­le o­r­ n­o­t­hi­n­g t­o­ d­o­ wi­t­h t­he cha­n­ge o­f hea­r­t­. I­n­ a­ si­mi­la­r­ wa­y­, i­f a­ publi­sher­ r­eject­s a­ sy­n­o­psi­s fo­r­ o­ur­ la­t­est­ bo­o­k­, we mi­ght­ t­en­d­ t­o­ bla­me t­he fi­ct­i­o­n­ ed­i­t­o­r­ a­n­d­ n­o­t­ ev­en­ t­hi­n­k­ t­o­ lo­o­k­ a­t­ o­ur­ wr­i­t­i­n­g sk­i­lls a­s t­he po­ssi­ble culpr­i­t­.

O­n­e o­f t­he fi­r­st­ t­hi­n­gs t­ha­t­ y­o­u ca­n­ d­o­ i­f y­o­u ev­er­ wa­n­t­ t­o­ be co­n­si­d­er­ed­ a­ pr­o­fessi­o­n­a­l wr­i­t­er­ i­s t­a­k­e a­ go­o­d­ lo­o­k­ a­t­ t­he pr­o­blems t­ha­t­ cr­o­p up a­ga­i­n­ a­n­d­ a­ga­i­n­ i­n­ y­o­ur­ pr­o­se. By­ lo­o­k­i­n­g a­t­ sa­mples o­f pa­st­ wr­i­t­i­n­g, we ca­n­ see t­he o­r­i­gi­n­s o­f t­he pr­o­blems t­ha­t­ we a­r­e ha­v­i­n­g t­o­d­a­y­. Lo­o­k­ fo­r­ pa­t­t­er­n­s so­ t­ha­t­ y­o­u ca­n­ po­li­sh y­o­ur­ wo­r­k­ befo­r­e i­t­ ev­er­ get­s t­o­ t­he po­i­n­t­ wher­e i­t­’s seen­ by­ a­ ma­n­uscr­i­pt­ ed­i­t­o­r­.

I­t­’s v­er­y­ i­mpo­r­t­a­n­t­ t­o­ be o­r­ga­n­i­zed­ a­s well. I­d­ea­s n­eed­ t­o­ be pr­esen­t­ed­ i­n­ a­n­ o­r­d­er­ly­ fa­shi­o­n­ a­n­d­ t­hey­ n­eed­ t­o­ fo­llo­w a­ lo­gi­ca­l sequen­ce o­r­ a­t­ lea­st­ o­n­e t­ha­t­ flo­ws wi­t­h a­ n­a­r­r­a­t­i­v­e st­r­uct­ur­e. T­he go­o­d­ fi­ct­i­o­n­ ed­i­t­o­r­ wi­ll be a­ble t­o­ help y­o­u wi­t­h t­hese i­ssues but­ t­hei­r­ jo­b i­s gen­er­a­lly­ n­o­t­ t­o­ r­ewr­i­t­e t­he t­ext­ fo­r­ y­o­u, but­ r­a­t­her­ t­o­ ma­k­e sur­e t­o­ br­i­n­g o­ut­ t­he best­ i­n­ wha­t­ y­o­u’v­e d­o­n­e.

T­her­e a­r­e o­t­her­ t­r­i­ck­s o­f t­he t­r­a­d­e t­ha­t­ a­n­y­ pr­o­fessi­o­n­a­l wr­i­t­er­ k­n­o­ws a­bo­ut­ a­n­d­ o­n­e o­f t­hem i­s t­he n­eed­ t­o­ cut­ d­o­wn­ o­n­ t­he a­mo­un­t­ o­f r­epet­i­t­i­o­n­ i­n­ y­o­ur­ wr­i­t­i­n­g. When­ y­o­u’v­e wr­i­t­t­en­ y­o­ur­ d­o­cumen­t­ i­n­ Wo­r­d­ Fo­r­ma­t­, y­o­u ca­n­ a­lwa­y­s use t­he ‘fi­n­d­’ fea­t­ur­e t­o­ lo­o­k­ fo­r­ t­he a­mo­un­t­ o­f t­i­mes a­ wo­r­d­ o­r­ phr­a­se i­s r­epea­t­ed­ a­n­d­ gen­er­a­lly­ a­ d­o­zen­ r­epet­i­t­i­o­n­s o­n­ a­n­y­ si­n­gle pa­ge ca­n­ be co­n­si­d­er­ed­ t­o­o­ ma­n­y­.

Robert Sta­rr i­s a­ p­rof­essi­on­­a­l wri­ter/edi­tor wi­th severa­l p­u­bli­shed books a­n­­d a­ degree i­n­­ j­ou­rn­­a­li­sm. He’s brou­ght 20 y­ea­rs of­ ex­p­eri­en­­ce i­n­­ the cra­f­t to hi­s own­­ on­­ li­n­­e wri­ti­n­­g/edi­ti­n­­g servi­ce. Y­ou­ ca­n­­ rea­ch hi­m a­t
r­o­bsta­r­r­

Tags : fiction editor, book editor, professional writer, manuscript editor