Thoughts on Editing by Wendy H. Jones

 

I've been thinking a lot about editing recently. In fact, it's been on my mind day and night for several weeks. I eat, sleep and dream editing and eat it for breakfast, dinner, tea and supper. I'm in editing hell, for what seems like every minute of the day. 

I'm sure you get the feeling editing is getting me down. Let me put it another way. 

I've been thinking about editing recently, due to being in editing hell from sunrise to sunset, Monday to Friday - for weeks. 

Doesn't that sound much better. I'm not hammering it home but leading you gently by the hand for the same result. And it saves 28 words. Unless you are being paid by the word, and let's face it most of us aren't, the first step when editing is less is more. Another way to reduce your word count is to get rid of extraneous words. Look out for words that can be omitted without any loss of meaning. Examples of these are:

Very - very good - try using one word to describe this e.g. exemplary, terrific, outstanding

Just - I'm just giving you advice that will help you. Have the courage of your convictions - I'm giving you advice that will help. (I've also got rid of the second you)

Really - is up there with very. Instead of saying really fast, try speedy. 

Totally - you can totally remove this and still get the same meaning. Unless you are using it in speech and someone might say it. Don't overuse it or I'll totally stop reading your book. 

Literally - I will literally string you up if you use this word. No I won't. I might not even know you. 

Then - John's mouth snapped shut as he ended the conversation then, I walked out the door. Removing then and replacing the comma with a full stop not only gets rid of an extraneous word, it sounds more final. Changed walked to stormed and you've got a much better idea of mood. 

John's mouth snapped shut, ending the conversation. I stormed out the door. 

That - This is the best editing advice that I've ever been given. This is the best editing advice I've been given. Or you can even use, this is the best editing advice I've read. 

Completely - you can eliminate this word completely. You can eliminate this word. Or - she's completely off her head. She's off her head. She's nuts (even better). 

Like - in some circumstances. It's like the worst thing you can do. 

These are just some examples in order to help you get started.

Let me rephrase that. These examples will start you off. 

Which other words can you omit or change, making your writing stronger? Share examples in the comments. Let's help each other out. 

By the way, in case you're wondering, the editing really isn't getting me down. My opening was hyperbole, as an example. I am, however, editing.

About the Author 

Wendy H Jones is the Amazon Number 1 best-selling author of the award winning DI Shona McKenzie Mysteries. Her Young Adult Mystery, The Dagger’s Curse was a finalist in the Woman Alive Readers Choice Award. She is also The President of the Scottish Association of Writers, the Secretary of the Association of Authors in Scotland, an international public speaker, and runs conferences and workshops on writing, motivation and marketing. Wendy is the founder of Crime at the Castle, Scotland’s newest Crime Festival. She is the editor of a Lent Book, published by the Association of Christian Writers and also the editor of the Christmas Anthology from the same publisher. Her first children's book, Bertie the Buffalo, was released in December 2018. Motivation Matters: Revolutionise Your Writing One Creative Step at a Time, was released in May 2019. The Power of Why: Why 23 Women Took the Leap to Start Their Own Business was released on 29th June, 2020. Marketing Matters: Sell More Books was realised on 31st July 2020. Bertie Goes to the Worldwide Games and the third book in the Fergus and Flora Mysteries will be published before Christmas 2020.

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