I just want to take a moment and say... I finally have my name in print!!!!
The book I edited for a friend has gone on sale on amazon and barnes and noble.
Okay so its not my name on the cover and its not my book or my story but still I have been named as the editor and for me that is enough. For the moment.
For those who are interested in taking a look its 'Golden Arrows' by John Chelson.
Showing posts with label editing. Show all posts
Showing posts with label editing. Show all posts
Friday, 24 June 2011
Thursday, 10 March 2011
Editing, Ponds and Fond Farewells
Well my moments, hours, days and weeks spent editing a friend's novella are over and I'm incredibly sad that its come to an end despite knowing it was time to bid it a fond farewell.
I loved it. Truly loved it. I liked taking it apart and analysing it down to the smallest detail - should he use this word or is that one more fitting? Does this paragraph belong here in chapter 6 or should it come much earlier on chapter 3? Would so-and-so have used that phrase? Is that reaction right for them? Doesn't that bit of speech sound more like so-and-so and not so-and-so? *Big heavy sigh* It was fantastic and its over.
I'm well aware that I put far more hours into it than a profession editor would have done, this is only natural considering I am not a professional editor. Plus, I was keenly aware that I was being handed a new writer's 'baby' as well as their fragile ego. I remember the first time I had to hand over a piece of creative writing...I felt sick to the pit of my stomach, my palms were sweating, I was obsessed with my reception, my heart hammered in my chest...I felt like my jugular was exposed to the baying hounds of hell as I waited for their feedback.
How much did I earn for my substantive editing of his novella? I'm not really sure, but I believe about $120. The reason I'm vague about it is I offered to do it for free. Not out of the goodness of my heart but rather because I'm all for encouraging people to follow their dream, especially if it involves creative writing. I will bolster and encourage and support any creative endeavour, particularly writing as there's where I have experience so it wouldn't have mattered what he offered to pay me - I'd have still turned it down. I was still rejecting the idea of payment right up until two hours ago when I emailed over my final notes. Even now, skint and out of work as I am, I'm toying with the idea of donating it to the USO. After all its not like I had that money to start with...and I did get far more out of the experience than payment can really express.
I'm quite interested in looking to do it on a regular basis and I have to say I do have some proof reading lined up for September (academic essays) but that's September and its academic which isn't nearly as diverting or exciting. I've briefly searched the net and as per usual there is a mine field of websites all professing to be the oracle on how to become an editor and all you need do is purchase their book for $16.99 or whatever...yeah right. Not helpful.
Today I dipped my foot in that pond, tomorrow I may decide to dive in and go for a swim (or drown) as I wade searching for useful pearls of wisdom.
Oh well, may be if he likes what I've done and the changes I've suggested he'll refer me and my editing skills to others or even use me again...Please keep your fingers crossed for me.
I loved it. Truly loved it. I liked taking it apart and analysing it down to the smallest detail - should he use this word or is that one more fitting? Does this paragraph belong here in chapter 6 or should it come much earlier on chapter 3? Would so-and-so have used that phrase? Is that reaction right for them? Doesn't that bit of speech sound more like so-and-so and not so-and-so? *Big heavy sigh* It was fantastic and its over.
I'm well aware that I put far more hours into it than a profession editor would have done, this is only natural considering I am not a professional editor. Plus, I was keenly aware that I was being handed a new writer's 'baby' as well as their fragile ego. I remember the first time I had to hand over a piece of creative writing...I felt sick to the pit of my stomach, my palms were sweating, I was obsessed with my reception, my heart hammered in my chest...I felt like my jugular was exposed to the baying hounds of hell as I waited for their feedback.
How much did I earn for my substantive editing of his novella? I'm not really sure, but I believe about $120. The reason I'm vague about it is I offered to do it for free. Not out of the goodness of my heart but rather because I'm all for encouraging people to follow their dream, especially if it involves creative writing. I will bolster and encourage and support any creative endeavour, particularly writing as there's where I have experience so it wouldn't have mattered what he offered to pay me - I'd have still turned it down. I was still rejecting the idea of payment right up until two hours ago when I emailed over my final notes. Even now, skint and out of work as I am, I'm toying with the idea of donating it to the USO. After all its not like I had that money to start with...and I did get far more out of the experience than payment can really express.
I'm quite interested in looking to do it on a regular basis and I have to say I do have some proof reading lined up for September (academic essays) but that's September and its academic which isn't nearly as diverting or exciting. I've briefly searched the net and as per usual there is a mine field of websites all professing to be the oracle on how to become an editor and all you need do is purchase their book for $16.99 or whatever...yeah right. Not helpful.
Today I dipped my foot in that pond, tomorrow I may decide to dive in and go for a swim (or drown) as I wade searching for useful pearls of wisdom.
Oh well, may be if he likes what I've done and the changes I've suggested he'll refer me and my editing skills to others or even use me again...Please keep your fingers crossed for me.
Friday, 25 February 2011
Fainting Lecturers, Editing, Talent and other Problems
As I mentioned before (see here) I'm editing a friend's (well kind of friend's ) novel and its a LOT of work and its tough!
I don't mean that his writing is poor, or he hasn't a plot or his grammar and punctuation are all over the place and I therefore spend all my time correcting these lot of work. I know if any of my lecturers were reading that I AM editing someone else's work for grammar and punctuation...they would stare at me incredulously and probably faint. Punctuation hasn't always, if at all, been my strong point. But BUT that is only where my own writing is concerned, I don't seem to have a problem recognising punctuation errors in other people's work. Probably because I'm not that great at proof reading my own work, that's to say I have an aversion to it. Tutt tutt I know.
Any way, moving on from my own failings...John's punctuation and grammar is nearly perfect and I am unbelievably jealous, of course I would be! I am not worried about his punctuation and grammar though, my main concern is that I feel like his lack of confidence and belief in himself as a writer is making him hold himself back. His writing is good but I don't see or feel enough of him in it. I can sense his excitement, his thrill at giving his imagination free rein and being led by it...but he never quite takes that final step of letting go of his control completely and giving himself over to his talent. He holds himself aloof and its really frustrating.
What seems to be the pattern is that I read a few pages, perfectly good pages plot wise, but they don't fill me with wow. Then suddenly its there! The wow factor, the thing, the prose, the style, the flesh to the bones of the characters, the humour, the empathy! Its all there and I can't turn pages quick enough. Unfortunately it doesn't last though. I think what happens is that he gets tired, quits for the day and decides to continue in the morning. The problem is with picking it up again at a later time means he has to get warmed up all over again.
I know from experience how normal this is and that not everyone is like me - obsessive to the point of losing days at a time when I'm in the zone and my creativity is flowing - but its frustrating. The more I think about it the more I struggle to know the right way to tell John this, to explain to him that there is a great deal that works in his story and for a first novel to a first time writer ...I haven't read better. BUT he needs to relax more, he needs to let go of his inhibitions and let the story - the characters - lead him on their journey. John needs to look through their eyes, feel what they feel and speak with their tongue...and then we can worry about the minor details of presentation (direct speech, punctuation, grammar etc)
How do I tell John this without bursting the fragile bubble that is his confidence? I remember how scary it was to hand over a piece of writing to another for criticism and guidance. I can still feel the lump of apprehension sitting in the pit of stomach, the cold clammy sweating of my trembling hands, the lightheaded dizziness, the hours of preoccupation as I waited for my peers reaction to what I had to say and my writing. I remember it all very well.
Well, I need to decide how I'm going to delivery my feedback to him soon, and very soon because I've finished reading it (not with making notes, I'm never finished with this), and correcting the punctuation and grammar. Plus, I can sense he is getting fidgety in anticipation of my feedback.
Any ideas people???
I don't mean that his writing is poor, or he hasn't a plot or his grammar and punctuation are all over the place and I therefore spend all my time correcting these lot of work. I know if any of my lecturers were reading that I AM editing someone else's work for grammar and punctuation...they would stare at me incredulously and probably faint. Punctuation hasn't always, if at all, been my strong point. But BUT that is only where my own writing is concerned, I don't seem to have a problem recognising punctuation errors in other people's work. Probably because I'm not that great at proof reading my own work, that's to say I have an aversion to it. Tutt tutt I know.
Any way, moving on from my own failings...John's punctuation and grammar is nearly perfect and I am unbelievably jealous, of course I would be! I am not worried about his punctuation and grammar though, my main concern is that I feel like his lack of confidence and belief in himself as a writer is making him hold himself back. His writing is good but I don't see or feel enough of him in it. I can sense his excitement, his thrill at giving his imagination free rein and being led by it...but he never quite takes that final step of letting go of his control completely and giving himself over to his talent. He holds himself aloof and its really frustrating.
What seems to be the pattern is that I read a few pages, perfectly good pages plot wise, but they don't fill me with wow. Then suddenly its there! The wow factor, the thing, the prose, the style, the flesh to the bones of the characters, the humour, the empathy! Its all there and I can't turn pages quick enough. Unfortunately it doesn't last though. I think what happens is that he gets tired, quits for the day and decides to continue in the morning. The problem is with picking it up again at a later time means he has to get warmed up all over again.
I know from experience how normal this is and that not everyone is like me - obsessive to the point of losing days at a time when I'm in the zone and my creativity is flowing - but its frustrating. The more I think about it the more I struggle to know the right way to tell John this, to explain to him that there is a great deal that works in his story and for a first novel to a first time writer ...I haven't read better. BUT he needs to relax more, he needs to let go of his inhibitions and let the story - the characters - lead him on their journey. John needs to look through their eyes, feel what they feel and speak with their tongue...and then we can worry about the minor details of presentation (direct speech, punctuation, grammar etc)
How do I tell John this without bursting the fragile bubble that is his confidence? I remember how scary it was to hand over a piece of writing to another for criticism and guidance. I can still feel the lump of apprehension sitting in the pit of stomach, the cold clammy sweating of my trembling hands, the lightheaded dizziness, the hours of preoccupation as I waited for my peers reaction to what I had to say and my writing. I remember it all very well.
Well, I need to decide how I'm going to delivery my feedback to him soon, and very soon because I've finished reading it (not with making notes, I'm never finished with this), and correcting the punctuation and grammar. Plus, I can sense he is getting fidgety in anticipation of my feedback.
Any ideas people???
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