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The Inevitable Author—That Horrible Four-Letter Word: EDIT - by Kathleen Cook

Over the course of my editing career, I’ve had several clients say they absolutely hate me. They keep paying me, for some inexplicable reason, but they keep hating me nonetheless. I’ve come to the conclusion that it isn’t me, it’s the four-letter word that they hate: EDIT.

Admit it; you hate it, too. You’ve just finished your beautiful, 300-page novel, and along comes some know-it-all editor who wants to cut your lovely prose down to 250 or even, God forbid, 200 pages! Doesn’t she know how HARD you’ve sweated to find the perfect turn of phrase, the perfect set of sentences that all string together like dazzling pearls adorning Athena’s neck?

First-time authors, particularly, often find themselves loath to accept an editor’s advice. They receive their manuscript back hoping for (actually EXPECTING, but they’re too modest to use that word) joyous praise. Instead, they get a redlined shell in return.

What do you do? First, you cry. That’s a given, unless you’re a tough, 6’4” football player. They don’t cry... okay, yeah, them too. After the good cry comes the fury and the angry retorts. “If she were any good at her profession, she would have deciphered the nuances that I tied together throughout the book. She would have understood what I was aiming to achieve, like any NORMAL reader would have! Instead, she’s destroyed half my punch lines and two thirds of my buildup to the grand finale. Doesn’t she realize how impor-tant those were? She’s obviously BRAIN DEAD.

What happens after the fury? If you’re lucky, you haven’t yet written your editor, to tell her that she’s a complete moron. If you aren’t lucky, don’t send that sheepish apology just yet, and don’t worry about it. She’s heard it all before and she knows you didn’t mean it. (Well, okay, maybe a few clients do, but she never hears from them again. Once you write back, believe me, she’ll understand. For now, just wait.)

The next step is to have someone else read the new version. It could be a friend, a lover, a spouse. See what they think. If they’ve slogged through the first version, pay attention to what they say about this one. If you’re obviously upset, they’ll probably mollify you with, “Well, I can see that she’s left out a lot of GREAT stuff, but actually, this isn’t as bad as you think.” If you manage to veil your anger, they’ll probably show a great deal more enthusiasm, such as, “Wow, that really rocks!”

Once you’ve received that feedback, no matter how much you disagree with it (yeah, I know; you’re still angry), then set your manuscript aside for 3-4 days. I would say a week or two, but I know darned well you won’t last that long. I couldn’t, either. After those few days, try to “whitespace,” to clear your mind of the old version and let go of all the things that are no longer in the book. If you can’t do that, wait until you can, at least somewhat.

When you finally muster the courage to bid a fond adieu to those missing pages, read through the book from start to finish with new eyes and an open mind. Think of yourself as a busy, harried mother with work and kids and limited time to enjoy a novel. Does this version move along at a faster clip and get to the point more succinctly? Do you understand the characters, the plot, the objective as well as you did before, and it is still enjoyable and read-worthy?

The most important thing for new authors to remember is that taking 10 sentences to say what you can say in two is never a good idea, unless you add truly spectacular visual imagery, or vital plot and character enhancement. When I say, “vital,” or “spectacular,” I’m not talking about, “She walked into the beautiful, opulent and gorgeous red doors that stood seven feet high by five feet wide, with solid hardwood three inches thick and great insulation from the sounds within, and entered the great hall.” Rather, I’m talking about, “She walked through the massive crimson doors, astonished by their myriad carved flourishes, and entered the great hall.” In half the words, you convey more and tire the reader less. No reader will ever care whether the door was seven feet or eight feet high. They hear the word “massive” and that’s enough.

Don’t read your old version again right away. Let it fade into oblivion for at least a month and read the new version on “final draft” mode so that you aren’t distracted by what your old manuscript once held. After you’ve spent a month warming up to the new version, then go back to the old, pre-edited one (not the markup but the totally original one) and read it from start to finish, or at least for several hours without stopping. This is when you’ll discover, “Oh, gee, was I really that long-winded? Readers will tire of this excess!”

Once you get to that point, it’s time for the sheepish apology. It needn’t be long or heartfelt, but rather a quick, “You know when I called you a brain dead moron last month? I told you I never wanted to hear your name again, and that you must have gotten your editing expertise in the third grade? Uh, can we just forget that whole thing and start from scratch?”

Trust me, your editor will have a smile on her face and put the whole incident behind her, and so should you... until the next time you need to employ that “dirty” word! As you gain expertise in the writing process, those incidents will happen less and less, and soon, you will learn to welcome your old friend, EDIT! :)

Kathleen Cook wrote and edited self-help and educational articles for a major publisher before launching Brighter Stars Editing Services. The author of several books, Katy studied journalism at Rio Salado in the 1970s and now offers her talents to both new and experienced authors. She enjoys seeing new writers succeed and provides extensive comments and advice on all phases of the writing and publishing process.

The mother of four grown children, Katy enjoys parenting, reading, gardening, organic cooking, and perpetual education in subjects from Stonehenge to Python. Her areas of expertise include memoirs, historical fiction and nonfiction, spirituality (Christian, Buddhist and Pagan), mystery, and sci-fi/fantasy. Ask about her introductory special from Brighter Stars Editing Services

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Five Laws of Time Management for Writers by Kebba Buckley Button

Kebba Buckley Button, MS, OM.

     

Is your sense of time as clear as the clock in this photo? Do you ever run short of time, with tasks you still need to get done? Do you ever wonder where your day has gone?

Do you sometimes feel as though time may be your enemy? You are not alone! But time can become your friend: you can tame it. Read on for fresh views of how to make the most of your time. And you may be surprised at the suggestions. Apply these 5 Laws of Time Management for Writers, and you’ll be living in a whole new world.

Law No. 1: You control your time each week.
Picture your week. Literally. Take a piece of paper at least 8 ½ x 11, and draw yourself a diagram of your week, with 7 rectangles in a row. Label them with the days of your week, the way you picture your week. Your rectangles might start with Sunday on the left and Saturday on the right. Each rectangle represents 24 hours of that day. Now block out time for sleep in each day’s rectangle. You might block out 8 hours, which includes tooth brushing, alarm setting and such before bed. That leaves you 16 hours for everything else each day. Now block out time for meals, showering, exercising, and grocery shopping. Try, for example, 2 hours per day for this group of basics.

Now, in this example, there are 14 hours still left in the day. Can you fit banking, work, church, meditation, getting gas, and relationships all into the rest of the day? Sure you can! Seven days times 14 hours per day is 98 hours every week! Now, from this perspective, you’re absolutely rolling in time! The timescape stretches out before you, bound only by your free choices as to how to allocate your hours.

Law No. 2: You control your deadline agreements.
Even if you work for an organization, you regularly make agreements about what you will do and when you will have it done. You have actually been doing this most of your life. Being aware of the hours you have available can make you more clear about what agreements you can make about writing projects, childcare and elder care, volunteering, and participating in blog challenges and contests. So how much time does each potential commitment take? Estimate the effort needed, ask about the hours expected and look at your day blocks. Now you can see if a certain project, contest, or commitment will fit comfortably in your week or month.

Law No. 3: When you are not in the mood, a timer is your best friend.
Stephen Covey said, “The key is not in spending time, but in investing it.” When you are not in the mood to write, you can waste a lot of time because you are in resistance. And you can beat resistance by tricking it! Set a reasonable 1-hour goal, set a timer for 50 minutes, and tell your mind-body system you can NOT work for more than that before you quit for 10 minutes. Suddenly, your system will gear up at the lack of time. Suddenly, you will be racing to get the most done that you can, before that timer goes off.

When you hear the ding/the harp/the tone, immediately stop and walk away for 10 minutes. Roll your shoulders, dance, or wiggle about. Grab a fresh cup of tea. Then, at the 10 minute mark, sit down, set the timer for 50 minutes, and tell your mind-body system, “Sorry! Not a minute longer!” Your resistance cells will jam up in a panic to make the most of the next 50 minutes. Enjoy!

Law No. 4: Any spills must absolutely be prevented.
Since we’re managing time, imagine how much time would be wasted if your tea spilled into your laptop’s keyboard and ruined the hard drive behind it? Imagine how much time you would have to work, to earn the money to replace the laptop? That would probably be an unacceptable waste of your resources. So from now on, no fluid containers go within arm’s length of your computer or papers, unless they are spill-proof. If you’re reading this right now, and your mug is not spill-proof, put it on the floor immediately. And research the cost of Logitech’s new spill-proof, washable keyboard.

Law No. 5: Environment determines productivity.
If you don’t already have your best environment figured out, try figuring it out right now. Think of sound, activity, air temperature, lighting, electrical outlets, and wifi. Some like a very stimulating environment, at home, slouching on the couch with a laptop, while children, cats, and the TV are playing actively all around. Some find the time investment worth-while to drive to a nearby coffee shop or library, to settle in a quiet corner and plug in for the afternoon. If you choose out-door seating, be sure you use sunscreen, no matter how cool the day. If you have a quiet spot or office at home, you can control the sound, temperature, airflow, and lighting. And no one will hear your timer going off every 10-50 minutes.

Incorporate these 5 Laws of Time Management into your thinking and practice, every day, every week, and notice your world change. Soon, you’ll have much less time stress and much more productivity. You’ll also be enjoying your non-work hours more. And please report on the progress you’re making.
 

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Kebba Buckley Button is a stress management expert. She also has a natural healing practice and is an ordained minister. She is the author of the award-winning book, Discover The Secret Energized You, plus the 2013 book, Peace Within: Your Peaceful Inner Core, Second Edition. Her newest book is Sacred Meditation: Embracing the Divine. Both that book and Peace Within are available through her office. Just email books@kebba.com. ● For an appointment or to ask Kebba to speak for your group: calendar@kebba.com .

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