Wednesday, August 3, 2016

What Editing Looks Like For Me

Yep, nothing's changed.  I still hate editing.  Here's how an editing session looks for me:

Open the manuscript file. 
Open the editor's manuscript file.
Go to the Bookmark where I left off on each.
Locate the first pink marks.  (My editor marks directly in the manuscript in pink font.  Which is good because I loathe 'track changes'.)
Stare at suggestions.
Make changes.
Scroll to next pink locale.
Stare at suggestions.
Rail.
Bookmark spot and find something else to do for a few minutes - check email, FB, Twitter, etc., have a smoke, use the bathroom...
Make changes.
Find next locale.
Stare at suggestions.
Rail.
Call editor nasty names.
Bookmark spot.
Get up and do housework, read, walk, eat, watch TV...
Eventually come back and sit down.
Sigh heavily.
Mark changes.
Lather, rinse, repeat throughout the day.
Save file throughout the session.
About dinnertime (or bedtime as the case may be) upload file to gmail for backup.
Write new words.  (Unless I left the editing until late, then no new words for that day.)

I did 27 pages on Monday.  I did another 35 pages last night.  It's not the most efficient way to work, but it works for me. 

6 comments:

  1. It's a process and each to their own. ;)

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    1. Exactly! This is crazypants, but it's all mine. LOL

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  2. And what kind of nasty names do you call your editor? You know, she may be reading this!! LOL

    I have every faith in you that you will take what resonates and leave the stuff that doesn't!! Good luck with the rest of the edits!!

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    1. ROFL, you know I love you and all the little whom bombs you leave for me. :hugs:

      I certainly will, and I hope everyone understands that any flaws in any of my books are entirely mine. You rock. Thanks! It's actually not going too bad. Up to page 90 now. =o)

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  3. I don't know how you do it - any of you. You must be kinda nuts by the time you're done. I'm on a key board all day long in my office based job, which is probably why I like to sew in the evenings - such a nice break. I'm making a quilt from hand sewn 4" hexagons and it drives me nuts trying to judge whether colours go together, or if I should move that one next to the blue one or would it be better over there with the mardi gras mask fabric. I'll email you a pic so you can see what I mean. It's not editing but it's as close as I can get!

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    1. Kinda?? LOL, well at least we're functional nuts. I had one of those 'at the keyboard all day' office jobs. It's probably why I type so fast.

      I love your quilts! I totally see how that is like editing. And, yes, send the picture anyway. =o)

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