GUYS – sorry if this landed in your inbox in 2017, I did not mean to repost it, my bad.
***
Editing is a bitch. I’ve written about the differences between editing and revising before. But my dear friend Ali recently taught me one of the best, most practically useful lessons I’ve ever learnedd when it comes to editing.
See for a long time, I wrote linearly and then when I finished, went back to the start and edited.
That’s good. But no matter how many times I did it, I still found a shit-tillion mistakes. Which resulted in a sort of crazed, goggle-eyed, fuzzy haired – I’m going to commit arson on my manuscript – type look. It wasn’t pretty, my hairs curly enough thanks.
So, I listened to Ali and started tweaking the method to suit me. I’m going to share this editing trick with you, and hopefully, it will help you to clean up your scripts too.
The fundamental problem with editing is that we know our stories. We know our stories as well as we know how to breathe. It’s in-our-blood fundamental. Which means, we’re not subjective.
Getting any kind of objectivity over your manuscript is like trying to use your dominant hand, to cut off your dominant hand! It’s awkward, it’s uncomfortable, and quite frankly, fucking painful.
There are a gazillion suggestions of how you can get objectivity:
- Take time away from your script
- Put your manuscript in a different font
- Print it out
- Read it out loud
All great tips. All tips I’ve used with varying success. But I was still making one fundamental error. I was still reading my manuscript in a logical, front to back order.
FAIL of capital proportions.
But Ali said: read backwards. Now I needed a bit more meat to that bone. If I actually read word for word backwards, I wouldn’t be able to edit a thing. It would read like turd. So here’s what I did.
- Started with chapter one like normal
- But started at the END of the chapter
- I read each individual paragraph forward in the normal way. But I started from the first word of the last paragraph in that chapter
- So the first thing I read is the last paragraph of a chapter
- Then I read the penultimate paragraph
- Then the paragraph above that
- I worked backwards till I reached the first paragraph of my chapter
Why does this work?
You’re forced not to read the story. You can’t. Because the story isn’t being played out for you any more. It’s disjointed, out of order, nonsensical and completely new to you.
You’re not able to lose yourself in your story, because what you’re reading isn’t a story any more. It’s just paragraphs of words.
Voila, you have objectivity.
I was skeptical at first, I didn’t see how I could pick up on any mistakes when I wasn’t reading ‘the story’ how could I get a feel for flow or pace or anything for that matter?
Boy did I have to eat some extra sugar coated humble pie.
Never, and I do mean never, have I been so effective at picking up my own mistakes. It was like the fucking holy grail itself landed on my lap and let me guzzle super charged editing juice from its glorious cup. I mean, just look at the state of those pages. AND I ACTUALLY THOUGHT MY MANUSCRIPT WAS OKAY BEFORE! Wrong.
Wrong.Wrong. Wrong. Fucking Wrong.
You don’t have to print the pages off like I did, honestly, hand editing has taken me an inordinate amount of time. But much to my frustration, that’s just what works for me. I changed the font, read backwards and annotated. I have used enough sticky posts to wall paper the Earth’s crust, but that’s enabled me to write myself notes and questions where I’ve found plot holes, consistency issues, mistakes or character questions.
Here’s a non exhaustive list of the kinds of mistakes this method has enabled me to pick up despite not reading the story in a logical order:
- Characterisation problems
- Character consistency
- Plot holes
- Timeline errors
- Punctuation and grammar faults like: commas, apostrophes, capital letters, missed words, repeated words
- Over use of identical metaphors and similes
- Over/under exposition
- Over/under foreshadowing
- Sentence flow and pace
- Word order and sentence structure
Give it a go. Let me know how you find it and whether it works for you too. What editing tricks have you got up your sleeves? What’s the best trick anyone ever taught you? Let me know in the comments.
If you liked this editing tip, why not sign up to get even more juicy writing tips, straight to your mailbox?
Thanks for this Sacha really needed some advice as I’m editing! Unusual approach, I shall have to try it and see if it works for me.
I’m so glad it was well timed. Well in solidarity my friend as editing is killing me ?
Know the feeling, this is my least favourite part of writing, but it has to be done…
I know, sigh. Wish I could just magic though!
Me too!!!
Reblogged this on K Y R O S M A G I C A and commented:
Currently editing and this gem of a post from Sacha Black caught my eye. Shall be trying this unusual approach.
For some reason, I only just saw that you shared this, thank you Marje, really appreciate it 😀 do let me know how you find the process
Will do Sacha. At the moment it seems to be taking forever…..
Yeah, me too. Me too. That’s why I set a really ambitious deadline to at least force me into moving!
Do not be disheartened I’m in the middle of a total re write of 50,000 words of my 87,000 word manuscript. You just have to keep swimming ?
It was. Lots of tears and wine, and then I just got on with it! Through the backbone now, about 20k to go although some of that will be thrown completely as it doesn’t fit any more
A great writing tip. I know I struggle myself with editing (and actually finishing my novels… but that’s for another day) so this was definitely a great tip! Great blog 🙂
Thanks so much, I hope it actually works for u though too ?
Won’t know until we try right? #writerwoes
Haha exactly but I suspect it will work like a charm ? let me know ?
Mos def’
Wow! Never thought of editing in this unusual way. Thanks for this tip.
Glad u like the idea, try it, let me know how it goes 🙂
I sure will 🙂 am doing some editing for a friend, so this tip is timely 🙂
Good luck with it ?
I have to say THANK U so much for this tip, tried it and at first it was hard getting used to it, but once I got in the flow, it just made editing quite effective! ? Thanks Sacha.
Yay, so glad to hear that, it’s been a life saver to me 😀
This was the trick which worked for me too. As you say, you can’t get lost in the story so your eyes are opened to all your glaring mistakes… which aren’t glaring the normal way around. I just don’t bother with printing out anymore. Takes too long to transcribe all the corrections.
Well I learnt from the best…. And I’m so grateful you taught me too, it’s changed my writing beyond recognition. ?????
Yaaay! Win-win! Looking forward to reading your book… well, I’m one of the privileged few who’s had a taster. So when will you do the Friday Fiction???
Oh bloody hell! I keep forgetting, when your back force me! X
Reblogged this on The Writing Chimp and commented:
Great editing tip and reminder 🙂
Thanks Georgina, I appreciate the kind share.
Welcome 🙂
Thank you! I’m going to try this method and see what happens. 🙂 xx
Well let me know how it goes 🙂
I’m with everyone else – wow! Am editing at the moment so will give it a try (and I’m a printer-outer, like you) ?
Do you find it takes a crazy amount of time to edit Helen? I’m so frustrated by that. But I don’t know I could do it any other way ?. Glad you like the concept though. Ali is a genius
Oh yes – like, six months per book at least, once I’ve done my edit, then Lucy does structural, then more changes until I get to the finished MS. But it’s just so important to get it right. I’m in structural at the moment for Under Stone, but will take a break in July to do Camp NaNo again for Silver and Black in the hopes of getting the first draft finished. Then back to Under Stone, aiming to get the first round gone by September. It’s such a long process, isn’t it?
so so so long. I just plotted out the next two years of my life tonight. I am a bit horrified at how much work there is to do. Basically see you the F later social life. ugh.
Yep, pretty much! Still, you must be buzzing after your flash fiction win? I know what you mean about planning out your life, though – I have the next five years of books waiting to be written. Looking forward to the writing part – not so much the editing!
oh wow 5 years! yeah ok, thats long! lol. I mean I have 14 in my head wanting to be written but I daren’t plan past the next two years or I’ll be totally overwhelmed!
Yes, well, I’ve got my next three Ambeth books, plus Silver and Black and A Thousand Rooms on the go – the rest are just ideas at the moment, so will see what happens. I hope I’m writing for a long time! 🙂
I have no doubt you will be ??
You and me both, I think ?
Reblogged this on Anita Dawes & Jaye Marie.
Thanks my lovely, hope you had a nice weekend
well, I did, but the rest of the world didn’t… kind of spoilt mine…
Oh 🙁 hugs xx
I haven’t tried this but I can tell readers why it works. It forces writers into a different area of the brain. They lose their connection to the narrative elements that make the story flow (right brain) and enter a left brain analytical space that provides more critical awareness. I am hyper critical of my own work, but always looking for a new tool, and this one is one I will explore.
Yes that is an excellent point. I was having a chat with Lucy recently on this. Apparently first drafting uses the right brain and editing uses the left, so I suspect you have an excellent point with this. Let me know how you get on using it 😀
I print out too, and tend to read it aloud, but this method sounds like more fun, so will give it a try!
I want to try reading aloud, but I think if I did, I would literally take an eon to finish my book. I do often read out passages though when I come unstuck
One trick I’ve learned, thanks to my formatting guy, is to change both devices and spaces.
I write on a netbook or a laptop, using the same software on both, and so I settle into a certain frame of mind when I see that interface. This is where I make new words, where I organize my thoughts, where I put my changes. It’s my creative zone, so when I see it, I know to let the world fall away and listen to the voices in my head.
That is NOT where I read or edit. I do that on a tablet, where I can highlight and add notes and take screenshots – the green version of printing it and papering the planet with Post-Its. I sit in another room, a comfy chair, softer lighting… a completely different environment. It’s my technical zone – changed as much as I can from my creative space, so I can cultivate the habit of looking at the words critically there. Then, when I’m done, I go back to the laptop to transcribe the notes and update the book-in-progress, which then goes back on the tablet…
It’s not a pure division, of course. It can’t be. But it helps.
During my final edit pass on my new book, which was at least three months after I stopped writing any piece of it, I made something like five notes per page. Little things, mostly – a word here, a comparison there, some clarity where I got lost – and they may have taken me half an hour or so to transcribe on the laptop. I’d been over the chapters several times before, but there were still So Many Notes. It was worth it, though, and consciously making it a Final Pass forced me to be even more brutal. Is that REALLY how I want to express that thought? What is it that sounds clunky here, and is there a reason for it? (In one place, there is. The awkward phrasing is a clue.) If there’s any doubt, don’t proceed until you put it under the microscope and make sure, because you’re never coming back.
One more thing. When you’re editing romantic or sexy scenes, stay focused. Don’t let yourself get swept up in the emotions. (I’ve read so many stories where I can SEE that the editor got carried away like that, because the punctuation went to hell.) Imagine ugly characters, take a cold shower, whatever it takes – but keep your attention out of your pants and on the words.
I think that is sound advice, changing device and space. I also spent a lot of June editing on my lunch breaks at work – which was a totally different space. I found it really hard to start with and now I have shot myself in the foot as I see it as my editing space! So going back to free writing will be hard! lol to your romance scene comment, that made me giggle.
A really odd way to do it, but I can see how it works. As someone who gets caught up in the continuity of the story, this would probably keep me focused exclusively on the grammar and spelling. Thanks.
It is an odd way of working but one that’s really like, life changingly brilliant for me! If u try it I hope you find it works for u too ?
I’ll definitely best this post in.mind!!!!
😀 Well let me know how you get on if you use this trick 😀
Let me actually finish writing a fiction a book…. Then I’ll definitely try it and let you know!!! I fear it will be a while before I get to try though!!!!
Sounds like it was a beneficial process for you, Sacha. It is always good to find something that works. I must admit I have heard the suggestion to read the manuscript backwards before, but I had never “got” how it works. Thanks for the clarification. Best wishes with your manuscript.
Well, I didn’t know either till I gave it a go! lol.
it really has ben beneficial especially for someone like me who doesn’t do detail, and struggles to edit. It’s made my life so much easier. 🙂
It’s great when we find things that make our lives easier! Amen to that! 🙂
I have used this reading backwards method before, but I have sneaky wondering eyes with a mind of their own and they creep ahead to read forwards, so I had to resort to using a ruler to force me to stick to the sentence in question and cover most of the page to come.
haha, darn though eyes of yours! The ruler is a well good addition though. Love that idea thank you 😀
Tahnks, sounds good, Sacha. I’ll try it when I reach that stage (probbaly several months from here). I’ll print it out because I really can’t edit on screen.
Well I hope you find it a useful trick. I know the feeling though, I do want to try and edit on screen but I am not sure if ill ever be able to
See, what I mean about not being able to edit on screen? Didn’t even notice I’d typed Tahnks!!!!
lol, it happens! :p
Changing the format is a huge help. It always amazes me how many typos magically appear between the soft copy and the hard copy. It makes you wonder if the gnomes who steal the occasional sock from the dryer also enjoy adding erroneous words to pages. Or is it gremlins?
But really anything you can do to mix it up from the way you first wrote it helps. Unfortunately, even then I still have to beg for help from masochistic friends and loved ones to look for errors or holes as I’ve learned I am just not wired to see flaws in my babies until it is almost too late.
haha, I am NEVER wired to see errors in my babies. Like I don’t even know what half the errors are, someone really should have taught me grammar at school! :p. on a serious note, you’re right. It is all about getting it in a different format than what you have been staring at for hundreds of hours. Oh god, does that mean I am stuck printing it out forever more…. NOOOOO I need efficiency!
It was crazy just how many errors popped out at me just switching it from a word doc to another processing program on a totally different computer.
But yes, you are SOL!
SOL?
Shit outta luck. Am I trendy or am I not trendy for knowing that, that is the question.
LOL I vote trendy, mostly because I nearly spat water over my laptop laughing!
Excellent! Now get some sleep.
I know right, I’m wired. Too much coffee. Plus just planned out the next two years of my writing life! Feeling both daunted and buzzy
Ah yes! Know the feeling well. Had an awesome writing day myself.
Reblogged this on Don Massenzio's Blog.
Thanks Don, really appreciate it.
My pleasure
Thanks, Sacha, will be trying that one out!
I hope it helps, let me know how u go 🙂
How cool is this.
hehe, glad you think so, I hope you find it useful.
Started using it immediately!
Is it working?
It’s a good trick. A copy editor at my job told me that’s how she edits articles when she’s too familiar with them.
No way? Well that’s super encouraging ? I am glad to hear it’s a well trusted method
It’s torturous, but you are so right that it works, Sacha, and it’s well worth the effort 🙂 Great advice!
Thanks Diana, glad you agree, it is KILING me. But I just keep swimming and low and behold I broke 37K edited, so it will get there in the end, even if I am old and grey by the time its done! lol
You can still write until you’re old and gray 😀 In fact, you’ll have more time too!
I can’t wait for that day ??
I do love your vocabulary Sach . . .’shit tillion’, I’m still LOLing. But seriously, I’ve read this advice many times, and now I’m actually going to try it as I’m in rewrites on my newest book. It probably works because like you said, we’ve read our story 100 times, and we tend to overlook certain words, knowing what they will say.
Personally I like to do rewrites on the computer going through the book a few times with changes, then I print out a copy to read again and mark up. It’s amazing how we see things differently on paper to the screen too. 🙂 Great post as always! xo
Lol, shit-tillion made me giggle too. OOOh, ok, so I want to know how you find it. These methods I find don’t work for everyone, but it’s always good to try 😀 YEP, see, I am trying to decide whether I should attempt to rewrite online, part of me is desperate for the speed and efficiency, and the other part of me is terrified it won’t work as well. Sigh.
I’ll be reading my 2nd shit draft later this week, lol. I will be printing it out and trying read backwards and let you know how that goes. I find that after a couple of rounds of rewrites on the ‘puter, I must read on paper, it gives me a whole different perspective. I start finding things I don’t like that somehow get overlooked on the big screen, lol. With 2 colours of highlighters in hand, I go on a tear, for yet another round of rewrites. 🙂 Lemme know!
yeah I agree about paper giving you a different perspective. At the moment I am trying to figure out how to make it more efficient though, sigh.
I’ll let you know how my reading backwards goes! 🙂
I’ll give it a go. All advice is welcome. Even batshit insane advice like this 🙂
ahaha, well I like to do batshit crazy, its how I feel most of the time :p, let me know if it works for you
Have to finish something first 🙂
I’ve heard about this but never tried it. Must just get with the program and try it! Thanks for the poke. 😀
hehe, well let me know if it works for you 😀
Will do.
Yes, yes, yes!!!! Awesome tips! I totally get that and I am flabbergasted about the simplicity and the result! It is so logic!
I know right, I can’t believe I didn’t think about it before! Usually the simplest thing is the answer! I hope u find it useful 🙂
Oh, for sure! It is such a smart and simple way! Thank you for sharing that tip, Sacha!
This is the most unusual method I’ve heard yet, but I think it’s just crazy enough to work lol! Thanks Sacha!
lol, thanks Jade, I hope (if you use it, you find it helpful 😀 )
Thanks, I’m looking forward to trying it.
Well I hope it works, let me know how u find it ?
Great tip! I will try this when I get to the editing stage.
Thanks Annabelle, I hope it works for you, let me know how u get on 🙂
Reblogged this on Kate McClelland.
Thanks so much Kate 😀
I’d say that’s a very comprehensive list. Thanks!
Well I just hope it works!
How is your manuscript coming? I know. I feel you on the daunting feeling. I have to say, I partly regret the fact I printed and hand edit, but to be honest, I don’t have a choice, it’s just what works. but it is daunting and it is a massive hole, but as Dori said, just keep swimming, before I realised it, I’d edited almost 40K!
Wowza, that’s quite the wait, I’d be chomping at the bit!
Ah gosh, thank you Sally. <3
It looks like a forensics team has ladie the bodies out in that pic 🙂
Sounds advice Sacha.
lol, I know right? Feels like I gave the script a forensic examination too with all the crossing out !
I already do the reading aloud (especially with dialogue. I couldn’t imagine not), but I may give the new font trick a try! I never in a million years would’ve thought of the backwards thing.
I usually do what I call a “two day” edit where I go through a particular part on the first day, mark the end of that, and re-do it the next. If I still find a ton of errors the second day, I may do a third. I liken it to combing the tangles out of hair. The first swipe might not do it; the second one normally does, but a particularly convoluted piece needs more work.
I’m actually about to start an edit of my latest work right now lol, so this post was perfect to read 🙂
I like that hair analogy thats wicked and so true. Well, I hope if you try it, it works for you, cause I have found this method invaluable
I’m actually on the third edit of my first chapter, and there may be a forth. This lock of hair is quite a doozy 🙂
lol, I honestly think I have done 6 major re-writes of my first chapter and I think I am on my 19th edit! outrageous isn’t it!
It’s worse when you’re a perfectionist and change a word ten times lol. It’s just practice for when I reedit my original paranormal romance I suppose. Looking forward but not looking forward to that if you know what I mean. I want the results but not the momentous amount of time it will take.
Haha, I’ve been known to do that, but I’m so desperate to finish now that I am losing my perfectionist ways in favour of letting an editor do that! And yes! I really do. Editing is so bitter sweet. But the feeling at the end is 100% worth it.
Yes I will try this because I`ll try anything to make editing a better process. seriously this sounds great, thanks Ali and thanks Sacha for posting.
Glad you think so, I hope it works for you because it’s been a life saver to me 😀
I`m trying it already and so far so good 🙂
omg best news ever. So glad to hear its working for you 😀
Reblogged this on firefly465.
Thanks for all the share Adele <3
🙂
hahaha! You crack me up. Brilliant tips. Will try reading backwards.
Let me know if it works for you 😀
Reblogged this on Silver Threading ~ Fairy Whisperer ~ and commented:
Sacha Black has some excellent tips on how to edit your own manuscript. See if this works for you! ?
Ohhh and for sharing this one too, aww big love to you today <3 <3 <3
Thanks, Sacha. I think I’ve tried it once or twice. What works best for me (but it’s very personal to me) is translating my book. As I write in English and Spanish, I always end up having to translate from one to the other. And it’s like reading extremely slowly and disjointedly. It definitely picks up inconsistencies and plot holes like a charm, although after reading your post it occurs to me that perhaps I could alternate the corrections between the two versions… 😉
Wow, I am so in awe of you being able to write in both languages it’s amazing.
Ooh, I like the working backwards idea! I’ll have to give that a go.
Let me know how you find it 😀
I will! I’ll try to do it this summer. My problem with editing is that I never know what to look for.
Interesting. Im going to ponder that, see if I can think of anything. Out of interest, what DO you look for now when you edit?
I keep a list of things to look out for as I write the story because there are certain things I know I’ll have to fix. I also have a few lists of different questions to answer while you edit. Of there’s story structure, character development, pacing (that’s the main problem with my Camp NaNo novel at the moment), but whenever I read over my manuscript my brain just finds typos instead. Then before I know it I’ve read through the whole manuscript by just “proofreading” second draft material.
Well it sounds like your list is really comprehensive. Hmm. I wonder if you need to attack editing differently? Maybe take sections (out of order) and not read it front to back. Or if looking at pacing try a different method to analysing it. What about using a chapter summary method and plotting out a paragraph for each chapter and then assigning a ‘pace/tension’ level to each paragraph – that will then show you whether your pace is right. Just an idea.
I do have a summary for each chapter laid out that’s something I could definitely do. There are so many different methods I need to try because the way I do it now simply isn’t getting me anywhere, lol.
Thanks for the ideas!
I’ve heard about reading backwards to edit. Now I need to finish a damn manuscript and try it. SO glad it’s working well for you. ?
Just keep swimming Brentyn. Just keep swimming.
This is probably the best post I have ever read on editing. The suggestion is genius. Since you cannot get into a “reading” you can pay more attention to the content. Thank you for sharing this.
Well this is probably the best comment ever! hehe, glad you find it useful I hope it works for you 😀
Awesome, this is just the tip I need! Soon I’ll be finished revising my WIP and will have to start the ugh editing phase. I will try using this!
Haha that’s how I felt about editing too, but not after this method, it SAVED my sanity! Good luck 🙂
I think it will save mine too! Thanks! 🙂
Fab, I hope it works for you 😀
I’ll certainly be giving this a go once I finished the first edit. ?
How is it going?
Only just finished the first edit. And now I’m wondering if I should include all 10 parts of The Truth App, or just the first one? I’m going to do a second edit next week and may expand some of the stories. Once that is finished I’ll start reading backwards.
how have you edited so fast?!?!?!?!?!?! :O what amazing trick have you got up your sleeve!?
I spent a whole five days editing. Remember, they are only short stories, so it’s only just under 20,000 words so far. However, if I add in the other nine parts of The Truth App then that will take the total to near 28,000. Plus, I’m now going to look at expanding some of the other stories.
I’ve cut my time on Blogging by over 90%. No new posts since Monday, so the number of comments to reply to has also gone down to a trickle.
Still impressive.
Once I put my mind to something, I’ll crack on with it. Seems I’m not the only one taking a Blogging break to work on a project. Just like those two weeks over Christmas and New Year, the Summer months seem to be when many Bloggers cut back on blogging or take a break from it. At this rate, I should be back in August.
Apparently you do! Can’t believe how fast you are powering through your edits. So impressed with you 😀
Hm. Very interesting and definitely worth a try. Thanks for sharing! 😀 xx
If you use it I hope you find it useful
Thank you.