tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2587083790012339479.post5352805183185290628..comments2023-06-23T09:21:12.107-06:00Comments on Fiction Matters: Welcome Guest Blogger- Maggie ToussaintBonnie Grovehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11377519561074174038noreply@blogger.comBlogger28125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2587083790012339479.post-50179949207791194232008-09-25T13:38:00.000-06:002008-09-25T13:38:00.000-06:00Good advice on cutting the final draft, Marvin. Be...Good advice on cutting the final draft, Marvin. Best of luck with all your writing endeavors.Maggie Toussainthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12011893139722870283noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2587083790012339479.post-18939651907046432362008-09-25T10:25:00.000-06:002008-09-25T10:25:00.000-06:00First time on this blog, found you from your post ...First time on this blog, found you from your post on the Write Publish Market Yahoo group. Great blog and good post! I'll be back for sure.<BR/><BR/>I've become a student and avid advocate of self-editing. Stephen King's "On Writing" helped me a lot, as well as Carolyn Howard Johnson's "The Frugal Editor." I do the King thing re: set the just finished ms aside for a good length of time (min 1 week, a month is better if you have the patience) and then get out your literary knife and CUT. Final draft should be at least 10% less words.<BR/><BR/>Marvin D Wilson<BR/>Avatar Award-Winning Author - www.owenfiddler.com<BR/>Blogs at Free Spirit: http://inspiritandtruths.blogspot.com/<BR/>Eye twitter 2 - http://twitter.com/Paize_FiddlerAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2587083790012339479.post-68661960394195747202008-09-24T14:18:00.000-06:002008-09-24T14:18:00.000-06:00Hi Jacqueline,Thanks for your comments about editi...Hi Jacqueline,<BR/>Thanks for your comments about editing. It's so tempting to just drop something in the mail. I was out today at the Sheriff's office and just learned another trivia fact about the casual uniforms. I absolutely have to splice that in my story in progress, and I've already gone through a two-week wait on that one!Maggie Toussainthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12011893139722870283noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2587083790012339479.post-89065106877542384242008-09-24T13:55:00.000-06:002008-09-24T13:55:00.000-06:00Wonderful advice! I always have to remember to set...Wonderful advice! I always have to remember to set work aside and not to send it out immediately. The edits are what mark writing as professional.<BR/><BR/>Jacqueline Seewald<BR/>THE INFERNO COLLECTION<BR/>Five Star/Gale hardcover<BR/>Wheeler large printJacquelineSeewaldhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10297564903220426857noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2587083790012339479.post-54958655774379120862008-09-23T19:11:00.000-06:002008-09-23T19:11:00.000-06:00Hi Kelly,Thanks for your supportive comments. I've...Hi Kelly,<BR/><BR/>Thanks for your supportive comments. I've searched for overused words to, using the "Find" feature. Another way to find out how often you use a word is to tell it to find the "word" and replace it with the "word". Hit "replace all". The net effect is that nothing changes in your manuscript, but you get a count total on the occurrences of that word.<BR/><BR/>Have a great week.Maggie Toussainthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12011893139722870283noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2587083790012339479.post-89788999582144675802008-09-23T17:38:00.000-06:002008-09-23T17:38:00.000-06:00Awesome post, Maggie. I, too, am a Margie Lawson c...Awesome post, Maggie. I, too, am a Margie Lawson convert, LOL. <BR/><BR/>I am also a professional editor.<BR/><BR/>But it still holds true that editing someone else's work is far easier than editing your own. I'm a big believer in reading dialogue out loud. My favorite tightening text trick is using the highlight function to find overused words, punctuation, phrases, etc. Cut distancing by hunting down words such as thought, felt, realized, noticed. Stay deep in your character's POV!Kelly McCradyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14811072775266296703noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2587083790012339479.post-70096536990918335332008-09-23T10:09:00.000-06:002008-09-23T10:09:00.000-06:00Hey Deni,How fun that you stopped by! Thank you fo...Hey Deni,<BR/><BR/>How fun that you stopped by! Thank you for the ringing endorsement, and I'll return the compliment by saying it was a pleasure to work with you.<BR/><BR/>I like the tip you had about morphing the character names into another more unusual name so that it jumps out at you. Very good tip indeed.<BR/><BR/>Have a nice day!Maggie Toussainthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12011893139722870283noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2587083790012339479.post-80460176456288377602008-09-23T10:07:00.000-06:002008-09-23T10:07:00.000-06:00Hi Christina,Margie Lawson's EDITS system helps my...Hi Christina,<BR/><BR/>Margie Lawson's EDITS system helps my writing, but it also appeals to my arts and crafts muse. I enjoy color coding my words, and looking for a pleasing balance of colors on the page.<BR/><BR/>Enjoy your week!Maggie Toussainthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12011893139722870283noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2587083790012339479.post-63860383865130737812008-09-23T10:04:00.000-06:002008-09-23T10:04:00.000-06:00Hi Old Fogey,(What a handle! It made me smile.)I'm...Hi Old Fogey,<BR/><BR/>(What a handle! It made me smile.)<BR/><BR/>I'm one of those odd ducks who has both strengths in both left and write brains. I enjoy conjuring up a story from nothing, and then I also enjoy the editing process.<BR/><BR/>I don't have any good advice for you on how to make editing more fun. Unless you were to think of it like Drivers Education. Sure you already know how to drive (or write in this case) but the Drivers Ed course is a mandated refresher/primer to get you where you need to be.<BR/><BR/>Have a great day!Maggie Toussainthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12011893139722870283noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2587083790012339479.post-43137088494038390402008-09-23T10:01:00.000-06:002008-09-23T10:01:00.000-06:00Hi MargaretThanks for dropping by with a comment.H...Hi Margaret<BR/><BR/>Thanks for dropping by with a comment.<BR/><BR/>Happy writing to you!Maggie Toussainthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12011893139722870283noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2587083790012339479.post-67521750717667992242008-09-23T08:30:00.000-06:002008-09-23T08:30:00.000-06:00As Maggie's Five Star editor, I can guarantee her ...As Maggie's Five Star editor, I can guarantee her system works :)<BR/><BR/>Here's another "trick." If your character's name is John, do a search-and-replace and change it to something like Bruce (same for Mary/Ethel). Then, when you read the ms, Bruce [or Ethel] will leap off the page, and 50% of the time you'll find you can substitute "he" or "she."Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2587083790012339479.post-81567948510630374412008-09-23T07:04:00.000-06:002008-09-23T07:04:00.000-06:00Great post, Maggie. I was lucky enough to attend M...Great post, Maggie. I was lucky enough to attend Margie Lawson's workshop at the RWNZ conference this year, and her EDITS system really struck a chord with me! (several chords in fact!!)Christina Phillipshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14394771634788090193noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2587083790012339479.post-82146532451863318362008-09-23T05:17:00.000-06:002008-09-23T05:17:00.000-06:00Nice tips, Maggie. Most of us are like the comment...Nice tips, Maggie. Most of us are like the commenter who said she loves the original writing. That's exciting. We have to learn to make editing exciting. I learned from an agent, Joshua Bilmes, who made me cut almost 100 pages and some beloved characters out of a book. I ended up with a much better book and, at long last, the ability to ask the questions: Does it advance the plot? Does it develop the central characters? If not, out it goes no matter how clever.<BR/><BR/>The other great piece of advice I got was to trust the reader. This helped me avoid being repetitious and has made my stories much leaner.<BR/><BR/>And yes, the Roerden book and the self-editing books are very helpful. So is Hallie Ephron's book on writing the mystery.<BR/><BR/>Thanks for sharing with us.Old Fogeyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18405582208713238200noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2587083790012339479.post-85977337667370422972008-09-23T03:41:00.000-06:002008-09-23T03:41:00.000-06:00Hi MaggieVery interesting and informative post.Reg...Hi Maggie<BR/>Very interesting and informative post.<BR/>Regards<BR/>MargaretMargaret Tannerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07123830410502520003noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2587083790012339479.post-22562349834138258012008-09-22T18:18:00.000-06:002008-09-22T18:18:00.000-06:00Hi Faith,I wish I could afford to give my books aw...Hi Faith,<BR/><BR/>I wish I could afford to give my books away. You'd be at the top of my recipient list. Thank you for your help editing another of my books, Seeing Red, for Freya's Bower.<BR/><BR/>Faith has a great loop for editing and several books on the subject as well. Check out her group at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/AvoidWritersHell/Maggie Toussainthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12011893139722870283noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2587083790012339479.post-51959514902654074542008-09-22T18:15:00.000-06:002008-09-22T18:15:00.000-06:00Hi Debra St. John,I didn't think any of this stuff...Hi Debra St. John,<BR/><BR/>I didn't think any of this stuff up. I just sat down like everybody else and figured out what helped. There are so many good books on editing and so many great resources that everyone should be able to find a system that works for them.<BR/><BR/>The trick is to take the time to figure it out...Maggie Toussainthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12011893139722870283noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2587083790012339479.post-30589147413842248992008-09-22T18:13:00.000-06:002008-09-22T18:13:00.000-06:00Anne Carrole,Margie Lawson's system is what finall...Anne Carrole,<BR/><BR/>Margie Lawson's system is what finally applied direct first aid to my weaknesses. Taking the story a layer at a time helped me see the places that needed strengthening.<BR/><BR/>And yeah, I agree with you, that don't-look-down first draft is great fun to write.Maggie Toussainthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12011893139722870283noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2587083790012339479.post-27960170764054644552008-09-22T18:10:00.000-06:002008-09-22T18:10:00.000-06:00Hi Judy Griffith Gill,I'm always in a rush to fini...Hi Judy Griffith Gill,<BR/><BR/>I'm always in a rush to finish a story, which makes no sense. After spending months to frame out the story, you'd think I could pace myself, but there's an internal clock that ticks away and makes me ready to put it all behind me. Taking that time out is necessary so that you can have a cool head for another read-through.<BR/><BR/>Thanks for stopping in.Maggie Toussainthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12011893139722870283noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2587083790012339479.post-42111116084827371592008-09-22T18:07:00.000-06:002008-09-22T18:07:00.000-06:00Hi Judith,I'm glad you liked the edit-being-a-four...Hi Judith,<BR/><BR/>I'm glad you liked the edit-being-a-four-letter-word thing.<BR/><BR/>Thanks for stopping by.Maggie Toussainthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12011893139722870283noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2587083790012339479.post-83444243964356980292008-09-22T18:06:00.000-06:002008-09-22T18:06:00.000-06:00Hi Morgan,There's so much to keep track of, I have...Hi Morgan,<BR/><BR/>There's so much to keep track of, I have to do much more than once!<BR/><BR/>Thanks for stopping by.Maggie Toussainthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12011893139722870283noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2587083790012339479.post-16087535350125439282008-09-22T18:04:00.000-06:002008-09-22T18:04:00.000-06:00Hi Diana!Thanks for stopping by to comment. I'm lo...Hi Diana!<BR/>Thanks for stopping by to comment. I'm looking forward to the release of your well-edited book, His Woman in December.Maggie Toussainthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12011893139722870283noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2587083790012339479.post-82810815041283876982008-09-22T17:14:00.000-06:002008-09-22T17:14:00.000-06:00Terrific post, Maggie. And I want In for A Penny t...Terrific post, Maggie. And I want In for A Penny too! Time, need more time, lol.Faith Bicknellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08978240749619858463noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2587083790012339479.post-87854507903833034052008-09-22T14:35:00.000-06:002008-09-22T14:35:00.000-06:00Maggie, thanks for sharing your editing tips and s...Maggie, thanks for sharing your editing tips and strategies with us. That is always the part of the process that seems to me to be the most tedious, but really needs to be done carefully with attention to detail. I like your layered approach!Debra St. Johnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07154130275058459169noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2587083790012339479.post-52611761435686284212008-09-22T14:07:00.000-06:002008-09-22T14:07:00.000-06:00I like Margie's system too. But still don't find ...I like Margie's system too. But still don't find editing half as enjoyable as the actual writing-LOLAnne Carrolehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17459916746850595922noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2587083790012339479.post-67400334888880201562008-09-22T13:49:00.000-06:002008-09-22T13:49:00.000-06:00I heartily agree with all you've said, especially ...I heartily agree with all you've said, especially letting the story "rest" for a while. Often, we so cramped by time and deadlines and the dire necessity to get that book onto the editor's desk we don't build that time into our planning. We should all try to attain that goal.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com