Tag: revising
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Episode Whatever of How to Work with Your Editor
I love when writers push back on my suggestions and questions. That’s when I know they have grasped the truth of their own story. They know what their characters would do or not do. They know how much their reader needs. When you know something is not working, say so to your editor. “I don’t think […]
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How to tell the truth
Truth-telling starts with you, in the moment. The novelist Carol Shields advised, “After writing, ask yourself, ‘Is this what I really mean?’” There’s an adage in writing: first thought best thought. Is it possible to over-edit your work, to edit the truth out of it? Sometimes. The first draft can contain a messiness that is […]
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Don’t delete your manuscript
Sometimes your manuscript is just not working. You might feel like deleting your file and beginning from scratch. Don’t. Your manuscript already has a lot working in it, but you might not know how to find it. Here are some alternatives to scrapping your draft and starting over. Take a break from your manuscript. Go […]
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What to do when your intro just isn’t working
In the coming weeks, I’ll share tips for self-editing. To start us off, here are two ideas to consider when your introduction isn’t working. 1/ In medias res: In medias res means “in the middle of things.” An action scene or a scene that sparks curiosity can quickly pull the reader into the narrative. In […]
Amanda Lewis 