Saturday, April 11, 2009

Photoshop . . . um, Saturday

How to Edit a Book in Three Simple Steps By. Inner Editor

So, you just finished a book, eh? I bet right now, you are feeling something along these lines.

Well, ~News Flash~ your book is far from perfect. You need to whip that sorry piece of kilobytes into shape! But, never fear, Inner Editor is here to help.

Step 1The first thing you need to do is iron out the plot. Make sure it's consistent. Make sure that Mr. Sprinkles, who you killed off in Chapter 3, doesn't show up in Chapter 27. (In fact, just cut out Mr. Sprinkles altogether.)


Step 2Comb through that baby until every typo and unnecessary word is gone. Be relentless with yourselves.


Step 3Find yourself a good Beta. Make that, several good Betas. And be sure to LISTEN to what they say.


And remember . . .


Inner Editor is always watching.

11 comments:

Kiersten White said...

Inner editor has such pretty eyes! She can watch me any time she'd like!

Seriously, line editing Instinct and I want to vomit, I'm so upset with myself.

And how did you get Einstein to beta for you??

Courtney said...

Those were great pics renee! Email me!

Natalie Whipple said...

Oh, editing. Sigh. Nothing like a hardcore line edit to make you feel like crap.

And yes, you have freakishly beautiful eyes. Why do all my friends have gorgeous eyes? Sheesh.

Sara Raasch said...

Haha, love that Einstein is your beta ;) Not sure how good a beta he'd make though...

Anonymous said...

Hello!! Gorgeous eyes!! That plot hole is freaking me out. I hope I don't have any that big. If so I might need a crew of writer friends to help me fill it. As always, Photoshop Friday...erm Saturday, brings joy to my writer heart.

Michelle D. Argyle said...

Oh my goodness you are funny!!!! Thanks for sharing this. You're brilliant. And great advice. :D

Renee Collins said...

Kiersten-Hmm. I actually meant the eyes to be creepy. Oh well. :)

And, I hear you about the line edit. Natalie looked over my first chapter. I'm sitting here, wondering if anyone in the world could possibly use more superfluous comma's than me.

Courtney-Thanks! I will. :)

Natalie-After getting your fantastic line edit back, I think you are possibly an Editing God. I'd take that over freaky eyes any day. ;)

Sara-lol, true. Einstein and YA fiction probably don't mix. :)

Candice-Don't you love that pic? Right now, it's ringing all too true for me. *shudders*

Michelle-Thanks. :) And , I guess it wasn't so much advice, as my own editing plan with this new book. But, I'm glad you liked it!

Terri Tiffany said...

Loved Inner Editor! How do you do that with pictures?? Glad you are in the editing stage:))

Jessie Oliveros said...

So I'll need ice picks and chain saws? Got it.

Kasie West said...

LOL! Loved this edition. And please don't watch me right now Inner Editor, I'm trying to write and I can't with you looking over my shoulder all the time, it's very distracting. Although, I'm with Kiersten, when I'm not writing, you're always welcome, you do have killer eyes. :)

Renee Collins said...

Terri-Thanks :) And, I took a close up pic of my face with my webcam, and then cropped it down to just the eyes.

Jessie-Correct. Or, in my case, a bulldozer.

Kasie-*Still watches* *creepy music*