Two Questions about Editing

by Ray
(Los Angeles)

Two questions:
1. Are you interested in the type of editing where one removes extra, unneeded words. Example: "I'm just really excited to start" = "I'm excited to start". I've done a fair amount of that with one author I was working with in a writing group, as publishers are often asking authors to cut and trim from what he says.

2. If so, do you want me to use the "track changes" option in MS Word (if I have that available here at home)?

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Sep 12, 2010
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starstarstarstarstar 		Uncecessary words and tracking changes
by: Anonymous

Kill the words!

I've gotten used to Track Changes. I send off a chapter at a time to the editor, then continue working. When he sends the edit back, I look at the edits. If I agree with the change (usually) I make the change in the master.
Sep 12, 2010
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starstarstarstarstar 		Why God Made Editors
by: Richard

Regarding the first question:
Yes, Absolutely; I'm willing to have that sort of help.

Very few of us writer types can edit our own stuff. More often than not when I read my own work I see what I meant to say rather than what's actually on the page. That's why God made Editors and Proofreaders, to save us writers from making fools of ourselves.

Trimming un-necessary words makes the narrative read faster and smoother and with greater clarity; and that's always a good thing for the reader.

It's all about serving the needs and wants of the reader. So, go for it!

However if it gets into more than removing or changing a word or two in a paragraph, just add a comment and say something like "this could be worded better – it's confusing" or something like that.

No – don’t worry about trying to "track changes".

I'll take your edit document and (Using an MSWord feature) compare it with the original. All difference will show up in different colors depending on what type of difference there is between the two documents. I've used it before and it works well. So, no worries, just edit away.

Write on...
Richard

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