Proofreading and Editing

Proofreading and Editing - DIY?

If you’re a writer, you know the importance of proofing and editing your work…or should. Creating the very best story you can is your first task as a writer. Proofreading and editing are a secondary but essential part of that job.

Many think “proofreading” and “editing” are interchangeable terms. They’re not. While both are part of the revision process, each focuses on different aspects of writing.

Editing deals with content, clarity, style and structure. That sounds pretty straightforward, but given the same manuscript, editors often disagree on their recommendations—the result of personal taste and interpretation. Editing, therefore, is somewhat subjective.

So who should edit your work? You could certainly ask family members and friends for their opinions but, considering a relationship is at stake, are they more likely to be candid or kind? You may want to look for a professional editor to “kick you in the shins”, so to speak. Your ego might get bruised, but your writing will benefit, and your personal relationships will still be intact!

If you go with professional editing, don’t close your eyes and throw a dart at a list of editing services. Ask others about their experiences and make an informed decision before choosing your editor. Also, be aware that rates vary. Some editors charge per word, others may charge in some other fashion. Occasionally time constraints and other factors affect the cost as well. Do some checking.   

Compared to editing, proofreading is the more objective process. Proofreading consists of a methodical search for punctuation and grammar errors, misspellings, typos, and missing words. The process is tedious but crucial. Presenting a carefully proofed story, essay, or book says the writer takes pride in his/her work and respects the readers.  

If someone points out that 1 + 1 = 3 is incorrect, there should be no cause for hurt feelings. The same should be true of proofreading catches. For that reason, getting help from friends and family shouldn’t put those relationships at risk as editing does. But—and it’s a big butt (Ha!)—make sure the person you ask for help is qualified to do the job. (Yous guys don’t want no grammar mangler doing the job, know what I’m sayin’?) If you don’t have a qualified person tucked away somewhere, spending the money for a professional proofreader is a sound investment.

Like editing, the prices for proofreading services vary greatly. Some proofreaders charge per book, others per page and/or turnaround time. As in the case of editing, researching the cost and asking for recommendations is helpful.

Keep in mind that language and punctuation rules are continually evolving. What your proofreader calls an error may be your idea of “personal style”.  It’s your call, but remember that you’re paying for the professional input. Creeeak! (That’s the sound of the fence you’ll be straddling while you decide whether to go with their opinion or your own.)

It's been nice "talking" with you. If you’d like to add your thoughts or comments, please do!

Ray's Back!

The process of publishing Detective Ray Schiller's newest case has been almost as harrowing as the case itself, but he's back! The stakes are high and they're getting still higher. In Shadow Tag, Ray's out to finish what he started, if it doesn't finish him first. 

I'm not sure if he got that characteristic from me, or if I got that from him, but doggone if I haven't felt the same way while trying to get Shadow Tag published. And, frankly, I'm not quite done yet. It's available in e-book format right now, but I'm still waiting to get the "print" file from my formatter.

With this novel, my first mistake, if you want to call it that, was deciding to use a few lines of song lyrics in the book, which I mentioned in another post. Since then I've learned that the fee for using the lyrics only covers "X" number of copies whether they're sold or downloaded for free. Beyond that number of "sales", the use of the lyrics must be re-licensed. Holy cow, Batman! Oh, well. But I offer that tidbit of information as a heads-up to other writers.

The licensing process itself, however, took me beyond my self-imposed Winter publication deadline.Okay, shooting for Spring didn't seem too bad, but then my computer went on the offensive, and my well-documented technophobia (a.k.a techno-ignorance) saw another season slip right through my fingers like a greased banana. Then...a virtual miracle--to me, anyway. I'll bet I'm the last person to know this, but someone else can actually fix your computer problems, and even download your files and "what-have-you" by remote control. And, almost by accident, I found one of those computer wizards. Thank you, God! (I'm not swearing; that's a genuine prayer of gratitude.) 

                 Book 1                           

                       Book 2

On another happy note, the actual downloading of this novel went more smoothly this time around than last. It gives me hope that the whole process will get easier with each new project. (Shhh. Don't rock my boat.)                   

So, now...with renewed faith in the universe and my place in it as a high-technology failure, I'm holding my head high, shoulders back, and working with enthusiasm on Ray Schiller's next case while I wait awhile longer on my final formatting file so I can publish the print version of Shadow Tag. I guess Ray can use a brief rest, because his next case promises to be the most difficult and personally trying of all.

If you have comments about your own experiences with publication, etc., I'd love to hear them. Please feel free to share. Maybe sharing stories will serve as sort of a mini support group. And, honestly, what Indie author can't benefit from that?

All the best, and take care!
Marjorie


                                                                                                                                                 

  It's About Time! ...a heads-up to other writers                 

         Just a brief note today to say hello and thanks for stopping by. While my blog has been getting little or no attention from me of late, I hope to remedy that very soon.          

         Over the past months, I committed myself to forcing my protagonist, Detective Ray Schiller, into harrowing new situations in Shadow Tag, the second book of the series. Of course that means I was also committed to devising resolutions to the precarious situations thrust upon him by yours truly.

http://amzn.to/JQqo5y

       Ray charged out of the starting blocks in Dear Crossing in April of 2012. My self-imposed deadline for the release of Shadow Tag was this past winter. (Yes, the one that officially ended only days ago.)  Am I disappointed? You bet!

      Still, I'm not too far behind schedule at this point. The writing has been completed, but much of what happens now is in the hands of someone else. That, my friends, is the subject of the "heads-up" portion of this blog.

       What's the hold-up? It's this: I chose to use a few lines of lyrics from an old song. In order to do that, an author needs permission. To get that "print license", you must furnish the necessary information: the exact title, composer/arranger/author name(s) and product code number, the complete copyright notice, your name, the number of copies, and a brief description of your intended use of the song.


Simple, right? Not exactly. After doing the necessary research, I contacted EMI, who sent me to Universal, who sent me to Hal Leonard--all music publishers. Hal Leonard sent me back to Universal, who sent me back to Hal Leonard. Nice folks...every last one who dealt with my request! I really mean that. They couldn't have been nicer.

As things stand now, though, I'm only several days into what could be up to a three-week waiting period. The cost, at this point, has been $100, and that doesn't guarantee permission. (Sigh) Am I sorry I chose to use the lyrics in my novel? Nope! For my purposes, they're perfect. I hope I get to use them.

The moral of the story is this: if you want to use lyrics, be prepared to spend some money, do the research, and have the patience of Jobe. Most of all, tackle the "permission" end of things early on.

With any luck, next time I hope to have the book cover of Shadow Tag to show you.

Later! 

SMALL TOWN AUTHORS: Meet Marjorie Doering - this week's featured autho...

SMALL TOWN AUTHORS: Meet Marjorie Doering - this week's featured autho...: This week's featured author is Marjorie Doering who lives in Birchwood, a small town with a population of 528 in Northwest Wisconsin. ...

So Simple You'll Be Kicking Yourself!

It's clear I'm an inconsistent blogger at best. Not a good thing, I know. I'm just taking a short break from editing Shadow Tag, the second in my Ray Schiller mystery series, to share something I should have shared ages ago.

http://amzn.to/JQqo5y

Short and sweet, it's the "I" vs. "me" issue.

a) Steve went to the store with Mary and I.
b) Steve went to the store with Mary and me.

a) He gave Mary and I cash and a list of items.
b) He gave Mary and me cash and a list of items.

a) Mary and me came back with no change.
b) Mary and I came back with no change.

If you're not sure, here's the solution: When deciding whether "I" or "me" is the right choice, forget nominative and objective case, prepositions and all the rest. All you really need to do is forget Mary! I don't care if Mary is "Miss Universe", or if the items are gold ingots, or even if they came back with a million dollars. Get rid of Mary ... or Tom, Dick and Harry or anyone else who might be tagging along.

It's the simplest solution to a too-frequent problem. Just take the other/others out of the equation temporarily. You'll see what I mean below.

a) Steve went to the store with I.
b) Steve went to the store with me.

a) He gave I cash and a list of items.
b) He gave me cash and a list of items.

a) Me came back with no change.
b) I came back with no change.

Could it get any easier? I don't think so!

Once you've callously ditched any and all companions and made the proper choice, go ahead and invite Mary and the whole Tabernacle Choir along again if you like, but you can finally move on with confidence. Don't you wish they'd have taught you that little trick back in school? Now that you know, you can either snicker at others still struggling with the I/me issue, send them here, or make a friend for life and share this tip yourself.

Thanks for stopping by!

There It Is Again!

THIS IS A TEST!  Don't say I didn't warn you. What follows may sound like meaningless chitchat, but don't be fooled. There's a purpose behind it, so soldier on and read to the end. Okay? Okay.

First of all, let me say that I've been very busy lately so I haven't been blogging with the kind of regularity that I'd hoped to achieve. On the other hand, I did call this A Non-blogger's Blog for good reason. By now it's obvious that I'm not a disciplined blogger. I add blogs on a hit-or-miss basis as time allows.

http://amzn.to/JQq05y

Last week I was away for five days, visiting my family in the Milwaukee area. While I was there, I did a little multi-tasking by donating copies of my novel to several librarians that wanted a copy for separate libraries in three nearby towns.

All right! Enough already! 

At this point, I'm willing to bet you're scratching your head, wondering what point I'm trying to make. Here it is. Lately I've noticed a prevalent, four-letter word creeping into a lot of writing where it doesn't belong. That word is "that"! (Yes, I meant for the last sentence to be ironic.) It often goes unnoticed, much like poison ivy when you pull down your pants in the woods to... Well, never mind; you get the idea.

The word "that" certainly has its place, but it's not to be peppered around willy-nilly. Check out the second paragraph again. This time leave out each "that". Didn't miss a single one of them, did you? Used as they were, each was nothing but a pointless, extra word. It seems they like to crop up everywhere. Did you notice them on your own? Check your writing for those sneaky, little critters and boot them out; they won't be missed. And, like Scrooge McDuck, you'll be pleased to find you even save a little ink.

One last thing. Find "that" in the third paragraph. Something is definitely needed there, but it's not "that". When referring to humans, use "who". It's an easy rule to remember.

"That" definitely serves a purpose, many in fact. My Webster's Ninth New Collegiate Dictionary even dedicated a five full inches of space explaining its uses. So, when it's needed, use it. When it isn't, don't. It's easy to tell the difference.

And that, as they say, is that!

Feel free to comment! If you want to target some other overlooked issues, grab a comment box and have at it!

Tags and Beats. Huh?

     Dialogue is a vital part of most stories. Whether it brings the story to life or bores readers half to death is dependent on how the writer handles it. Done well, it fleshes out the characters and advances the storyline. Done poorly, it falls flat.
     Naturally, there's a lot of territory to cover when it comes to dialogue, and we'll get to those areas another day, but for now, let's limit this discussion to speech tags and action beats. What the heck are those? They're those nifty little "identifiers" found outside the quotation marks that help the reader keep track of who's saying what. They serve the same basic purpose but in different ways.
     Speech tags are brief and to the point--he said/she said, and the like, being examples of the most common and unobtrusive, which is their claim to fame.
     Action beats identify the speakers by describing non-verbal communication taking place during the dialogue exchange. In addition, when done right, beats help set the scene--a definite plus.
     It sounds simple, but either can go seriously wrong as in the following sample.

     "Ron!" Clay shouted loudly. "Where do you think you're going?"
    
     "To Dave's place," he grumbled. "I'll be back in an hour."
    
     Clay looked at his stepson. "You're not going anywhere until you mow the lawn," he snapped angrily.
    
     Ron shook his head. "The grass can't wait an hour?" he asked defiantly.
  
     Clay's arms were crossed. "You can get away with that crap with your mother, but not with me."

     Look at the verbs used in place of "said." While an occasional variation may liven up a scene, in general, they're better saved for action rather than speech tags. They sap the strength of the dialogue and do nothing to help the reader visualize the scene. In fact, in the case of a conversation involving only two people, speech tags can often be eliminated without causing any confusion at all.
     Check the adverbs in the sample's speech tags. They weaken the dialogue. The emotion should come through in the character's words and actions, not in an explanation. It's the age-old case of "show, don't tell."
     Beats require careful use as well. If they're used randomly and without purpose, they're a waste of time and ink, not to mention being a source of irritation. On the other hand, when action beats are used to complement and strengthen the dialogue, they become the writer's ally. A word of caution. Focus on the most important actions in the scene. Don't flood your prose with shrugs, smiles, and other generic actions that don't enhance the scene.
     Here's a revised version of the conversation with improved tags and beats:

http://amzn.to/JQqo5y

     "Ron! Where do you think you're going?" 
    
     "To Dave's place. I'll be back in an hour." Eyes diverted, he chanced a step toward the door.    
    
     Clay placed himself between his stepson and the exit. "You're not going anywhere until you mow the lawn."
   
     "The grass can't wait an hour?" His hands fisted at his side.     
 
     "You can get away with that crap with your mother," Clay said, "but not with me."
    
     In an excerpt as short as this, you might even expect to find fewer beats and tags, but it should give some idea of how dialogue can be enhanced rather than encumbered by action beats and speech tags.
     Well, I'm off to make sure I've followed my own advice. Happy 4th of July, everyone, whatever country you call home.