tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6001825743960552008.post7761649563286068979..comments2024-03-27T18:06:04.484-04:00Comments on Murder by 4: Self-EditingMarta Stephenshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14126647102399666578noreply@blogger.comBlogger16125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6001825743960552008.post-26364989683485159412011-05-01T13:06:52.131-04:002011-05-01T13:06:52.131-04:00Thank you! This helps me so much. I am an extremel...Thank you! This helps me so much. I am an extremely young novice in the writing realm (on my way to high school). This is something that definitely refer back to. Although I will ask about a problem of mine. I often try use ... or ; to imply that:<br />Ex:The blood was AB negative to be exact…my favorite.<br />Side note: For some reason I feel the need to use this. Also when I use this in my essays my teacher never says anything to me about it.Jazminehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00097222171315851670noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6001825743960552008.post-88760103262405541892009-05-30T23:20:17.946-04:002009-05-30T23:20:17.946-04:00Great list, very usefull for self editing any type...Great list, very usefull for self editing any type of writen material <br />thank you for all the help<br /><br />-James CleariverAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6001825743960552008.post-58670842862416350882008-03-20T11:56:00.000-04:002008-03-20T11:56:00.000-04:00I have two giant lists, too, and will compare with...I have two giant lists, too, and will compare with yours and add anything that isn't in the comments or original list. Might be a few days, but I'll get there! Wonderful job, Marta!Aaron Paul Lazarhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06117814221437165664noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6001825743960552008.post-17357321098551432542008-03-19T21:28:00.000-04:002008-03-19T21:28:00.000-04:00Wow so many great comments and items to add to the...Wow so many great comments and items to add to the list. <BR/><BR/>Another thing to look for are contractions or rather, the correct form of the word. When I’m working on a scene, I’m thinking plot and dialogue, not necessarily spelling. One trick I've found helpful when I get to the proofreading stage is when I use contractions, I don't read the contraction but the actual words. That way, if I accidentally use "it’s" instead of "its" the mistake jumps out at me.<BR/><BR/>The passive is a tough one ... rates up there with the "show don't tell" thing. I don’t know that I’ll ever stop working on getting these right only because they’re so easy to slip into.<BR/><BR/>Absolutely, SW on the action verbs! Dropping your weight into a chair creates a much more vivid picture than sitting down. ;)Marta Stephenshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14126647102399666578noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6001825743960552008.post-53681221112671303982008-03-19T20:30:00.000-04:002008-03-19T20:30:00.000-04:00Great post. I re-read King and Browne prior to the...Great post. I re-read King and Browne prior to the final edit of every manuscript I've prepared. I always find something I thought I knew, but hadn't done as well as I should.Dana Kinghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01350344882342624735noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6001825743960552008.post-33468366410021192862008-03-19T19:34:00.000-04:002008-03-19T19:34:00.000-04:00I enjoyed your article and the list of constructio...I enjoyed your article and the list of constructions to avoid. Good reminders for all of us.Pat Bertramhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07029664976723092097noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6001825743960552008.post-85302751739924312562008-03-19T19:24:00.000-04:002008-03-19T19:24:00.000-04:00These are all great examples of what we should be ...These are all great examples of what we should be aware of in our writing, Marta. A great list to print out and keep by my elbow as a reminder, especially for the polish draft.<BR/><BR/>I've attended numerous writers conferences and must say, the pet peve agents/editors have is the overuse of passives (especially "was").<BR/><BR/>And your concise explination of ellipsis, em dashes and interruptions are a must for beginning writers to be aware of. These elements scream out to professionals in the industry: NEWBIE. <BR/><BR/>Excellent article. Thank you so much for sharing your expertise.Deborah J Ledfordhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05355005669347635364noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6001825743960552008.post-1402704606983126802008-03-19T18:20:00.000-04:002008-03-19T18:20:00.000-04:00Great post, Marta. I've printed it out for future ...Great post, Marta. I've printed it out for future reference. <BR/><BR/>Cheers,<BR/>KarenKaren Harringtonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13425141684712829990noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6001825743960552008.post-14684609373665602042008-03-19T17:32:00.000-04:002008-03-19T17:32:00.000-04:00Oh yeah...absolutely. Certain phrases and things f...Oh yeah...absolutely. Certain phrases and things fit a story no matter what the rule is or the grammaterian says.Julie Ann Shapirohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06613501007582494658noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6001825743960552008.post-20356420207366502982008-03-19T16:33:00.000-04:002008-03-19T16:33:00.000-04:00I too have been told to edit backwards but persona...I too have been told to edit backwards but personally, I can't see doing it. If it works for some ... great, but as I stated in this article -- you can't -- shouldn't delete all of them, some “forbidden” words are essential depending on the sentence structure.Marta Stephenshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14126647102399666578noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6001825743960552008.post-23813024341543301962008-03-19T14:33:00.000-04:002008-03-19T14:33:00.000-04:00Great tips. Of course, I cringe reading this. Tha...Great tips. Of course, I cringe reading this. That last final edit can be so grueling. The good news is the list does become intuitive after a while. <BR/><BR/>One tip I'll add is to never edit backwards. A professional editor said at one of the writers conferences to edit backwards. It sounded like a fresh way to see one of my novels when I couldn't look at it anymore. It caused all sorts of other problems...way too many ing words instead of ed words. It became a huge headache to fix. I remember my agent said after that mess..."kill 80% of the gerunds...(ing) words and I had to chuckle as to have they ran amuck.Julie Ann Shapirohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06613501007582494658noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6001825743960552008.post-25470023311343391672008-03-19T12:48:00.000-04:002008-03-19T12:48:00.000-04:00Thanks all for checking in. :) Glad you found it h...Thanks all for checking in. :) Glad you found it helpful. <BR/><BR/>As hard as some of these there were to remember (show, don't tell was always a hurdle for me), however, I find the more I write, the more these types of instructions become automatic for me. <BR/><BR/>I keep this list next to my other reference books. It never hurts to refresh my memory.Marta Stephenshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14126647102399666578noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6001825743960552008.post-5431961309824841852008-03-19T12:14:00.000-04:002008-03-19T12:14:00.000-04:00What a wonderful teacher you are, Marta! I have sa...What a wonderful teacher you are, Marta! I have saved this list and will refer back often as I self edit....you have simmered a course in writing down to these wonderful basics...I'm off to edit my work!pathttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06922220649400289117noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6001825743960552008.post-51924776710850472722008-03-19T12:04:00.000-04:002008-03-19T12:04:00.000-04:00That is a fantastic list. I can't think of anythin...That is a fantastic list. I can't think of anything else to add, but I'll definately take a few things away with me. :DJames Goodmanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08807865320537867045noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6001825743960552008.post-25678819711892379582008-03-19T11:12:00.000-04:002008-03-19T11:12:00.000-04:00thats. oh man. those words kill me. i have to go t...thats. oh man. those words kill me. i have to go through and delete all my overused thats in every piece of work i do. also, some people use that instead of who or which- easily confused but still worth checking in your work.Kim Smithhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13933746166088034102noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6001825743960552008.post-83946265464031742382008-03-19T11:06:00.000-04:002008-03-19T11:06:00.000-04:00Excellent list! This is all amazingly good advice....Excellent list! This is all amazingly good advice.<BR/><BR/>Since the question was raised concerning additions to the list, I'll throw this in:<BR/><BR/>Directional words (up, down, over, across, etc.) - like other "no-no" words, they shouldn't be banned from your writing, but should definitely be used sparingly.<BR/><BR/>Example: "She sat down on the couch." Here, 'down' adds excess to the sentence, and it would read better as: "She sat on the couch."<BR/><BR/>While the second is more acceptable, this sentence can be made even better with a stronger verb:<BR/><BR/>She plopped on the couch.<BR/><BR/>She slumped on the couch.<BR/><BR/>She threw herself on the couch.<BR/><BR/>Each conveys a different attitude for the character (cheerful, depressed, angry), and follows that most difficult of maxims for writers: show, don't tell.s.w. vaughnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09102544611773720262noreply@blogger.com