Devereaux Court: Rules of Writing Question

Tuesday, April 17, 2012

Anne Enright says that only bad writers think that their work is really good.

Do you agree?

Editing Tips You Probably Already Knew

- Adapt.
- First draft = first draft. Just write it. It doesn't have to be perfect - yet.
- Be Specific!
- Spell Check Is Our Friend
- Details - always details.
- Just because it's a big word, doesn't mean it's the *right* word.
- Always ask questions of your work. If you're confused, so are your readers
- Be consistent! Continuity errors annoy everyone.
- A story can be believable, even if it's set on another planet. Make sure your universe *works* within its own confines.
- Mind your tenses.
- Mind your homonyms.
- When it's finally finished...ignore it for a week or so. *Then* read it over. You catch more that way
- Read it aloud. How does the prose flow? Many things sound better in your head than out loud.
- Always leave plenty of space in your margins for comments.
- Remember: an editor is not out to personally attack you - and you don't have to always follow what they say. Ultimately, the choice to revise is yours.
- Know your audience.
- Read. Read everything. Watch how the published authors do it. See for yourself what works and what doesn't, and then make it your own.
- It's your baby - but even babies need to grow. Don't be afraid to let go of ideas that don't work

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