Describe your editing process. Who edited your book? What was your relationship with your editor like? What could each of you have done to improve it? What might you do differently in the future?
My editing process consisted of:
Giving my book a cool-down period of six weeks then printing it and hitting it HARD with a red pen for additions.
Hitting it HARD with a red pen again for subtractions.
Again to tweak language and take out erroneous words.
Passing it to Crystal Lee for outside editing.
Hitting it with her suggestions and edits in tow.
Thanking her for her beautiful insights.
Formatting for all platforms.
Hitting the printed version with a designer's eye for hangy things :)
Uploading and clicking publish.
Crystal Lee edited my book. It was a great working relationship because we think alike in terms of writing. It was easy to veto or re-word items based on her feedback. I knew she wouldn't take it personally. We had a deep understanding that everything passed to and fro were suggestions and not concrete laws.
To improve, we could have had a better way to communicate. We only used e-mail. haha!
I don't think I'd change a single thing. Her view may be very different but we worked well together, I thought. My books are better products because I took the time to have someone read them and give me an honest opinion with feedback before I released them to the masses. Yassa is priced at $9.99 and it's damned well worth every penny. You'll take a piece of the book with you; of that, I am certain. Everyone does.
That's all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!!
Jo
Again to tweak language and take out erroneous words.
Passing it to Crystal Lee for outside editing.
Hitting it with her suggestions and edits in tow.
Thanking her for her beautiful insights.
Formatting for all platforms.
Hitting the printed version with a designer's eye for hangy things :)
Uploading and clicking publish.
Crystal Lee edited my book. It was a great working relationship because we think alike in terms of writing. It was easy to veto or re-word items based on her feedback. I knew she wouldn't take it personally. We had a deep understanding that everything passed to and fro were suggestions and not concrete laws.
To improve, we could have had a better way to communicate. We only used e-mail. haha!
I don't think I'd change a single thing. Her view may be very different but we worked well together, I thought. My books are better products because I took the time to have someone read them and give me an honest opinion with feedback before I released them to the masses. Yassa is priced at $9.99 and it's damned well worth every penny. You'll take a piece of the book with you; of that, I am certain. Everyone does.
That's all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!!
Jo
The commitment to self-edit first I believe is very valuable. The idea of a cooling off period is also a good one. I've never given it quite that long but I do try to do my editing at least a full day after the original draft. It's amazing how coming back to the work with a fresh mind allows you to see it differently. A trick I learned from an editor for my non-fiction was to read sentences out of context, to read the work backwards. Interesting dance that happens throughout the process.
ReplyDeleteI make myself wait 6 weeks. It's SO hard! Thanks for the advice and the blog love :)
DeleteYou are so fortunate to find someone to help with your edits who worked so well with you! :) I am still working through my first edits before I can even consider having someone else look at my writing.
ReplyDeleteShe really was amazing. Never be afraid, just throw it out there :) Thanks for the comment. Hugs!
DeleteReading your work backwards - how interesting. In exercise classes the instructor will sometimes have us do moves in an unusual way (jumping jack arms with cross country skiing legs, for instance) because our brain gets used to us doing things in a certain way. This would be another way to get your brain to work differently. I love it!
ReplyDeleteAgreed. I have never done that either. May try it. LOL Thanks for the comment :)
DeleteOoh, I love all of these ideas, and thanks, Jo. You are a truly generous and tender soul. I enjoyed going through all of your edits on my story as well, and felt exactly the same way. I think we were meant to find each other and be there for support, an extra set of eyes and ideas. I value your editing, your artistic abilities and most of all, your friendship. You're a bright star, and Yassa deserves tons and tons of love like you!
ReplyDeletecrystalleeauthor.com
Crystal Lee
Everyone needs someone sometimes. Thank you for your lovely comment!!
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