The Monster In Your Closet

Otherwise known as...

Self Editing.

{{{{Eewww}}}}, shivers rush up and down my spine just at the thought of the task. Granted, we all write our books in our own unique way whether it’s blowing through the plot and padding later or shaping each chapter to its most comprehensive form before moving on to the next chapter. All the different methods work to get the story down on paper, but editing is the final hand-rub finish you want to give your book that glossy glow before you declare it worthy for editor/agent viewing.

Disclaimer – I’m about to talk a good story, and I really wish the following steps came second nature to me. They don’t. Editing to me is like a weight control diet. I know I need to cut back on calories, pass over the gravy, deny the home-made fudge, but do I do it? Depends on the mood.

Editing hits me the same way. Whether I want to trim the fat from my waist or the baggage from my manuscript, I need to keep the rules in my frontal lobe. Then it’s up to me whether I take them or break them.

Back in 2004, Mick Silva gave a great workshop at the ACRW conference on Self-Editing. I have his 5 Commandments of Editing staring at me:

Thou shalt begin with big changes and progress to small, never the other way around.
Thou shalt make thy information as compelling as possible.
Thou shalt never give in to self-indulgence.
Thou shalt honor a trustworthy second opinion.
Thou shalt write these rules on the tablet of thine heart.
Oh Mick knows what he’s talking about. Trust me, I listen to conference workshops on my MP3 player almost every night as I walk the dog : )

So, Commandment Number 5 I’ve gotten a firm grip on only because when something is posted over my monitor, it’s tough to ignore it : ) Number 4? I hope everyone has a confidant you trust to read your most precious possession with a critical eye and not a critical tongue. And that aforementioned trusted confidant will smack you silly if you dare to use your fiction platform for self-indulgence as stated in Commandment 3. Needless to say, without Number 2, what’s the point of writing a novel?

Which brings us to Commandment Number One. The hardest one of all to keep. It’s not for lack of trying, mind you. It’s just keeping all the intricate details of an entire book in perspective isn’t natural! (OMG! Did I just whine?)

Okay, give me a moment for self-composure. There, that’s better. Now, where were we?

Make big changes and progress to small, never the other way around. Let’s dissect it, shall we?

Outside of the entire body of work, chapters are biggest chunks of information. Look at them first. Can you clearly define an element of conflict in each chapter? Is there a concrete reason for each scene or does it stall out because the sentiment is boring? What about action and dialogue to propel the plot forward and enhance the pacing? Do your characters run the show…or do you? Have you utilized scenes and sequels? Does your chapter end with a hook?

Human nature keeps us reading “just one more chapter.” Do each of your chapters entice the reader to move on because they have to find out what happens next?

After studying the overall content of the chapter, move on to paragraphs. Do you stick with one thought in each paragraph? Nothing worse than two trains of thought competing for space in 3 to 5 sentences. And speaking of 3 to 5 sentences, is there sufficient white space on the page or does the paragraph indent at the top and pour words relentlessly down to the bottom? I don’t care how sweeping your description or poignant the introspection, snip that gigantic paragraph into a digestible segments! Quick thoughts and dialogue keep the reader engaged! Does the paragraph keep a consistent point of view? Are you explaining too much? Too little? Showing? Telling?

Paragraph breaks keep the eye moving along. If too much ink flows across the page, the eye/brain becomes overwhelmed. Word count and page count are important, but keep in mind black and white space, and jagged right margins, keep the eye from straining.

Heavy stuff here, huh? And oblivious folk think writing a novel nothing more than sitting in a field of clover and scribbling words in a journal. Silly nonsense. Take a moment and catch your breath. Grab a Danish – I brought cheese and fruit – and pour a tankard of coffee.

Okay, ready? Let’s move on to sentences. Comb through the paragraph and look for run-on sentences and fragments. The rules have slackened a bit in regards to fragments, especially if you need to stay true to your character. Keep in mind, 250 pages of fragmented thoughts and dialogue is overkill. Same way with clichés. Use sparingly; use wisely for maximum impact. Do you detect long passages of passive voice? Are your sentence lengths varied? Are you up-to-date on the latest punctuation tactics??

Speaking of punctuation, consider enrolling in a brush-up English class. Kathy Ide offers an excellent online class called PUGS. You’ll be surprised what you can and can’t do with a comma anymore : )

We’ve worked our way down from chapters (largest changes to make) to paragraphs to sentences and now finally, words (smallest changes to make). Word choices make or break the overall success of your novel. You’ve worked so hard to craft clever characters and intriguing plots, don’t let the smallest denominator cause your downfall. Have you kept adverbs and adjectives to a minimum? Have you taken it easy on all the –eses of fiction? Research-ese, Christian-ese, medical-ese, and a host of other traps? Always allow characters to be themselves, but in a context that doesn’t make the average reader feel they need Merriam-Webster as an armchair companion. Hey, I’m all for educating our readership, just do it in a manner where they feel they’ve learned a new word because they grasp its meaning from the situation usage.

So, have I missed anything? Please share your ideas and tips on self-editing with us. If you refer back to my disclaimer at the beginning, you’ll remember this all works in theory, but it’s a theory I need to turn to time and again, LOL!

If you’ve stuck with me to the end of this dry subject, I applaud your fortitude! Leave your email address and I’ll have a drawing for a bar of Rocky Mountain Chocolate to whet your appetite until my novel, Rocky Mountain Hero, debuts January 2011!! Winner will be announced in the Weekend Edition!