November 2006:
Writing: nothing (sing, choirs of angels)
Editing: THE QUEEN’S BASTARD, COYOTE DREAMS
Submitting: Take a Chance (comic book); Walker Papers 4-6 proposal
Publishing:: —
December 2006:
Writing: Chance issues 5 & 6
Editing: —
Submitting: —
Publishing:: THE PHOENIX LAW, by Cate Dermody
Do you have any hints for editing?
…I’m sitting here trying to come up with something useful. Unfortunately, the very best advice or hint I have is, “Find somebody who knows what he’s doing and get him to give you a critique.”
These days my editor(s) and my agent do that for me, in part because I’m working so close to the wire that I don’t have any room to get someone else to. Outside eyes are incredibly helpful; they pick up the things you can’t see because you’re too close to it. If you really want some professional-level feedback, Judith Tarr () does critiques for, I think, $35/hour, in 4-hour blocks.
:p I wish that was more helpful. Once somebody’s looked it over and given a critique, you have to swallow pride and look at it yourself and decide where they’re right and wrong and *fix* it. It’s damned hard to do it yourself.
I’m lucky to have a good critique group that has pointed out some iffy bits that I’m working on now, and another friend who is an editor who is going to go over it next.
The words are still very fresh in my mind, but I’m telling myself that because it’s the first few chapters – I’ve seen them WAY more than the rest.
If you’ve got time to take a break between writing and editing, that helps too. I’m glad you’ve got a good critique group. Yay!
It’s so hard to find people who say something other than they like it. Most don’t get that you need honesty to make your writing better.