tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-507167840242313545.post2151205943064708457..comments2023-10-15T03:20:42.697-04:00Comments on Blog of Author Michelle McLean: Things I have Learned in the Editing TrenchesMichelle McLeanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08730366330276974943noreply@blogger.comBlogger15125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-507167840242313545.post-39687230390127028922009-08-15T13:00:46.891-04:002009-08-15T13:00:46.891-04:00I found your link over at b.j. anderson's. Gre...I found your link over at b.j. anderson's. Great post! I can relate to all of these editing headaches. I'm on a 'really' and 'definitely' kick this week.. Debhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01603891627784763004noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-507167840242313545.post-50514115023095865012009-08-15T11:45:48.811-04:002009-08-15T11:45:48.811-04:00I totally get you with the show vs. tell. That'...I totally get you with the show vs. tell. That's my biggest weakness. When I started writing, I loved the phrase "she/he felt," which has "telling" written all over it. Showing is a lot harder, because you run out of good ways "show" things. I'm lucky enough to have two good critique groups that help me with this, but it's still difficult sometimes.<br /><br />And then there's adverbs... *sigh* I'm kind of on th same page as you with that issue. I wish they weren't a taboo; I like one once in a while. I'll slip them in occassionally and hope nobody notices. ;)Katiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06851403823244758904noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-507167840242313545.post-8344482332946489152009-08-15T07:44:30.860-04:002009-08-15T07:44:30.860-04:00I am retraining myself with the adverb problem. I ...I am retraining myself with the adverb problem. I am also working through my WiP and removing the word 'already',I have found so many they are jumping out at me now.<br />Interesting post,thanks.Glynis Peters https://www.blogger.com/profile/01175378917872403609noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-507167840242313545.post-89451424465447602372009-08-15T01:28:16.125-04:002009-08-15T01:28:16.125-04:00:) it's so good to know that other people are ...:) it's so good to know that other people are going through the same things! <br /><br />Repetition is my main fault - some phrases are so delicious they sneak into sentences without you realising it. Apart from reading critiques one thing that has really helped me is reading it all out loud. It gives a very different experience than reading on a page. <br /><br />I'm podcasting my first novel as an audiobook and although I thought I had finished editing, hearing it read out by someone else has helped me make some more revisions.worldofhiglethttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09395655800027831396noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-507167840242313545.post-85279549107819937412009-08-14T23:24:33.167-04:002009-08-14T23:24:33.167-04:00Great post. I definitely struggle with these as we...Great post. I definitely struggle with these as well. I just blogged about my adverb abuse today. And the "I" issue is so hard when writing first person.Roni Lorenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02719679344024635326noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-507167840242313545.post-25936335412639142882009-08-14T17:53:19.758-04:002009-08-14T17:53:19.758-04:00Ooh, repetition. That's my big fear. I always ...Ooh, repetition. That's my big fear. I always feel like I'm using one word too often, but everyone who's read my stuff said they didn't notice. <br /><br />And I think head hopping is something a lot of newbie writers do. I did, and it bit me in the rear big time.Kathryn Hupp-Harrishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03776391661543060879noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-507167840242313545.post-14101725306491609852009-08-14T12:25:13.316-04:002009-08-14T12:25:13.316-04:00Point #2 is something that lots of folks overlook,...Point #2 is something that lots of folks overlook, I think. Saying "I saw" or "he saw" is an almost invisible way of telling, but it's still telling. Rewording the sentences to *show* what the character is experiencing is eons more powerful.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13832782604769370695noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-507167840242313545.post-59319951653598184752009-08-14T10:38:17.390-04:002009-08-14T10:38:17.390-04:00ugh - those pesky adverbs!ugh - those pesky adverbs!Shelli (srjohannes)https://www.blogger.com/profile/17123227845032402600noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-507167840242313545.post-37655511171245205562009-08-13T15:21:14.466-04:002009-08-13T15:21:14.466-04:00Fabulous advice! One thing my agent ALWAYS busts m...Fabulous advice! One thing my agent ALWAYS busts me on is cliches. So now that's something I'm hyper aware of (smooth as silk, sharp as a tack, ect.)Cole Gibsenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08384758019054580574noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-507167840242313545.post-45037050200938713752009-08-13T13:05:47.951-04:002009-08-13T13:05:47.951-04:00Oh my gosh, you are not alone! I've actually ...Oh my gosh, you are not alone! I've actually blogged about this a few times, because I felt like there were so many things I was learning as I edited.<br /><br />My big naughty repeat word was "realized." Everyone was "realizing" things left and right, instead of things just happening, which killed the action. <br /><br />It's fascinating what you can learn from people calling out your bad habits. Critique partners are nothing short of Godsends.Rebecca Knighthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15214077952378770753noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-507167840242313545.post-22641795132181849822009-08-13T11:43:46.098-04:002009-08-13T11:43:46.098-04:00Everything I tell you is stuff I've learned fr...Everything I tell you is stuff I've learned from someone else. So yeah. We all learn along the way. That's the goal, to get better, write better, be stronger. Keep at it! You're awesome!Elana Johnsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05877856005992028912noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-507167840242313545.post-23220195476817296162009-08-13T10:34:08.688-04:002009-08-13T10:34:08.688-04:00I learn so much critiquing/editing other people...I learn so much critiquing/editing other people's work, as well as looking at my own with fresh eyes. I think, like physical exercise, consistent writing and editing will make us stronger.<br />First drafts are full of place holders and padding, but that's okay because the initial job is to lay out the story, not get distracted by scenery or be halted by grammar. And I'm hoping the more I do this, the cleaner my writing will become. And I really benefit from blog discussions such as this.Tricia J. O'Brienhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05993110400088806252noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-507167840242313545.post-33237366177337519392009-08-13T10:26:35.214-04:002009-08-13T10:26:35.214-04:00Excellent post! Sometimes I edit so much I get sic...Excellent post! Sometimes I edit so much I get sick of my own story! lol. "I" too try not to start any sentence with the word "I". (Note I began and ended that sentence with the word 'I').Tanahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10518718614911804428noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-507167840242313545.post-91430508829562855452009-08-13T10:01:51.536-04:002009-08-13T10:01:51.536-04:00This is great stuff. I still struggle with the ad...This is great stuff. I still struggle with the adverb problem, even though I'm aware of it. I'm getting better at the POV and show versus tell stuff though. Thanks for walking through this for us. It's always helpful to be reminded of what we should be doing.Erichttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07823808700523297184noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-507167840242313545.post-69387874400922166262009-08-13T09:29:39.212-04:002009-08-13T09:29:39.212-04:00Thanks for sharing. These are all things I need t...Thanks for sharing. These are all things I need to work on!Susan R. Millshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09578747592345750650noreply@blogger.com