The perils and pleasures of being an editor

Read this brilliant article 🙂 I have to admit I’ve never laughed out loud as much. This is an example of a great editor with a keen eye and a good view of what we should look out for as a writer for when we need help 🙂

Eagle-Eyed Editor

As a professional editor, I’m often asked to read someone else’s writing. I’ve edited people’s resumes, books, requests for proposals, news articles, press releases, short stories, newsletters and other written pieces.

Sometimes it’s easy. In some cases, all that’s needed is proofreading. I check over spelling, punctuation, grammar and other basics, marking up the work with a red pen or using MS Word’s editing feature.

But if someone’s work requires substantive editing….well, that’s a judgement call. Substantive editing is when you check the overall parts of what you’re editing: Does it make sense for the target audience? Is the wording going to be confusing or should it be simplified? Is the writing well organized? Have the facts been double-checked for accuracy?

Substantive editing requires diplomacy. Some writers don’t mind the changes when the writing improves due to the editing. Others get feisty, wanting to sneak up behind me and whack…

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Guest Post – By J. S. Collyer

Check out this great guest article written by J. S. Collyer. It’s a wonderful insight into the perils of characterization and the wonders that can be created from it; a must read for those worried about ‘flat characters.’ Top notch article lovely Lady 🙂 While there check out the rest of J. Aurel Guay’s blog. You’ll be blown away by the variety and creativity on there 🙂

The J. Aurel Guay Archive

Today I’m busy writing my thesis. Rather than bore you with the details of kidney disease in mice, my new friend science fiction writer, and blogger Jex Collyer will entertain and inform you on the importance of character development. Enjoy!

What Would Batman Do? Making Your Characters Human

By J. S. Collyer

I think everyone loves stories, or needs them, in some shape or form, whether they be TV series, movies, books, or articles on which celebrity fell into what ditch over the weekend and what they were (or weren’t) wearing at the time. Stories, no matter the sort, are powerful because they take us out of ourselves and give us another reality, another possibility, a window into another world.

Those among us who lean towards genre fiction like sci-fi, fantasy, paranormal or anything even slightly out of kilter with reality, arguably take it a step further than most: not…

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