We were discussing revisions and editing the other day and I think I need to clear something up. I do revisions on my own work. I cut and move, and throw away and re-write when I'm doing revisions. I look for the problems.
When I edit, I'm editing some one else's work. And usually that is a WIP that is almost ready to query. It's pretty much polished. I read along until I find, what I like to call a "grey area" that I think the author should take another look at. I let that person know what it is that I've found and it is up to them to take my suggestion or not.
I do not edit my own work and couldn't even if I wanted to. After writing it and then re-reading it 600 times through revisions, I totally hate it and never want to see it again. I always ask someone else to edit it. They can always find the double and's and blatant tpyo's that I've missed 831 times.
That's all I wanted to say.
Okay, I'm done here for the day. The Small One's school Christmas Party is this morning at 10. Woo-hoo what fun! Someone should outlaw cupcakes at this time of year. Especially at 10:30 in the morning.
5 comments:
Nice post, Anne. That's an interesting distinction, and I never thought of it that way before. I find that I often struggling with being able to view my own work as if someone else had written it. Maybe that's the wrong approach. I'll have to think about that.
You make an interesting distinction between editing and revisions that I sometimes forget about. But I think you've got a point about missing typos as such after a long revision process. I know, for me at least, sometimes the tiny things slip into a blur after looking for so long at the whole. That's why I love my betas.
Thanks for stopping by you two.
Davin: I find it interesting that you've never thought of the distinction before. You are so brilliant I figured you had heard everything. Thanks for letting me know I did a good job. It means a lot coming from you.
Dominique: My last ms. went through, honest to God, 6 MAJOR revisions, and every single time I missed the stupidest typo's and word errors and when I finally caught them I wanted to kill myself. I mean really, I know the difference between through and threw and boy howdy if I didn't miss that one all six times. UGH.
Well I certainly know that if I had money to hire you as an editor, I totally would. Between you and my friend Annie(funny you have similar names), my friend Jessica, and Davin and Scott, Monarch is going to be freaking awesome by the time it's ready to go.
I absolutely love your term of "grey areas" - it really, really resonated with me.
Well I certainly can't call them mistakes, it's not my work, I don't know what's in your head, I don't know where you're taking the story. Hence, 'grey areas'. It seems a non-descript term yet describes so much. It's a little fuzzy, not quite right, just a little bit off. You know. Besides, I like the color grey.
And whenever you want me to edit something, all you have to do is ask. I'd be more than happy to read whatever any of you guys write and give suggestions. I kind of like it. Makes me feel special. And no payment is needed. Just a read thru of my work at some point or other.
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