For the last month I’ve been trying to edit one of my short stories and it’s been a tough go. The problem is that at every session I start at the beginning and edit as I read. All of this is done from the word processor. I still haven’t edited the full story yet.
So today I decided to go old school, literally, and I printed my shot story on paper and will edit it on paper. This of course will mean that I only change what’s really required. And really i can only do some much editing on paper. And will also be able to read the whole thing. I can also do this on the bus. I used to edit this way back in high school.
My next search will be to determine how to edit a novel.
4 responses so far ↓
nymeria87 // May 2, 2008 at 3:32 pm
This is actually exactly how I’m going to edit Light as well. Once the first draft is done I’ll print the document (it’ll probably be about 400 pages thick though…which calls for a binding - yay for Kinko’s ;)) I’m using double space Courier 12pt so I’ll have enough space to edit by hand.
Once the changes are transferred into the Word document you automatically revise those changes again, so you have 2 edits in one go so to say. I hope this method works for you! Let me know how it’s going
Don // May 2, 2008 at 3:46 pm
Yup, spend lunch and edited about 1/3 of my short story and it works so well. You’re limited to what you can edit, so you forced to focus on tightening the story instead of rephrasing a sentence over and over.
As for a novel, Kinko’s sounds like a good idea. We don’t have those here, but we do have something similar.
I’ve already thought that when I do finish the 1st edit to my novel, I’ll self-publish maybe 20 copies and have people read it. Then do my second edit based on their input.
nymeria87 // May 3, 2008 at 8:58 pm
Well instead of going into self-publishing, you could just go into said copy shop and make a couple of copies for people to proof-read and critique. Like I said, not a fan of self-publishing, but that’s just me
Glad this method of editing is working out with you
Terry Finley // May 3, 2008 at 9:31 pm
I start from the beginning and try to edit.
I do better when I print the story on paper
and look at it. Thanks for sharing.
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