Self-editing for authors

[Jamie6977]

Great thread idea.

I'll start with a simple one: "... and then..."

Pick one. Never both.

While the rules can get fuzzy sometimes, "and" works best for things that can happen simultaneously...

"He looked at her and smiled."

While "then" would confer the idea of one thing happened, then another:

"He looked at her, then smiled."

Using "Then" would require a comma.

Great point. I just reviewed one of my shorter stories that I'm preparing to submit after the Summer Lovin contest is over and found several places where I'd done this.

 

[SinderellaSin]

Thank for this thread. I've had a story edited and pieces taken out that I knew were heavily part of the story. Yes, the editor was older, user and managed to get it through scrutinering. I then looked at my version wanted it reclassified to a different category, so I had a go myself. Who knows what I'm really meaning with my words, me of course.

The problem when I read back, I know what I think I wrote and still read those words in my head. I will read the punctuation/grammer for conversation fully one day. Lit tells me im naughty every time I submit (led to a couple of my poems). So i hit on grammerly to help with my corrections. Yes these help to extent.

One problem I have is auto correct. I dont work on a laptop but write on a phone. My big titted milf always became my big fitted milf. This is where I took advantage of the read aloud function on my writing app. Yes its not fluidly read but I can hear mistakes as its read and find them. Just one of my ideas for you all.

I look forward to reading the rest of the thread, I'm sure your suggestions will help me become a better editor and a better writer.

Sin xx

 

[RagnarHairyBreeches]

Stop using your phone. It's not helping you. If this post is typical then that's one of your problems.

 

[WeShallUnclench]

A trick I have been playing around with:

It's important not to lose sight of who is your pov character. It may happen from time to time that I slip and am tempted to write something about the inner thoughts and feelings of another character.

So, my go-to solution is, I rephrase.
I use appropriate mirror descriptions, making it clear that the other characters are visibly blushing, but the pov character feels their face growing hot.
Whenever I wanna add something insightful about the feelings of another character, I frame it as the pov character speculating about it. In one story, I danced around this by having my protagonist being able to read "auras" with some accuracy, making it easier for her to guess what exactly her victim mark counterpart was thinking, but the other member helping me with the story was sceptical, and thanks to their feedback I worked to make it more explicit and plausible in-universe.

 

[WeShallUnclench]

A thing I picked up with erotic writing is that sex scenes must in a way be stories of their own.

While it rarely got too bad, I was at times tempted to write basically-instant orgasms, figuring people would be happy about pleasure that comes easily. Especially since I know many people who struggle to even cum at all.
Thing is, though, that is just as likely to be off-putting.
I have gotten the feedback, and I agree, that an orgasm, like many good things, is more fun the more it is earned. The harder the characters are working to get it done.
So while I am still figuring out how to write good stimulation and orgasm, one guiding idea is conflict, and overcoming a challenge.

 

[WeShallUnclench]

Also a thing I started doing is, I check where the middle point of my story is, length-wise, and then decide if I am happy about where I land.

If the exact middle of my story is a description without much excitement, I try to rebalance, so that the middle part is one of the most interesting scenes, ideally at least the beginning of a sex scene.

 

[Andreas_Kreuz]

Really write the ending first. It is hard. But it will keep you on track. And it prevents the stories that just stop and have no ending.

 

[Eiranne]

Well, when I write, its normally on paper. Sort of when inspiration moves I'll just write my mind and imagine it up, maybe over a night or so...

My spelling is off due to inglis' being taught not native toungue or of other languages, idk....
then there is cursive or print...

so typeing something up always goes on awkward.

I'm thinking to write on paper, then transcribe again before anything.

first draft second

 

[dirk2024]

Well, when I write, its normally on paper. Sort of when inspiration moves I'll just write my mind and imagine it up, maybe over a night or so...

My spelling is off due to inglis' being taught not native toungue or of other languages, idk....
then there is cursive or print...

so typeing something up always goes on awkward.

I'm thinking to write on paper, then transcribe again before anything.

first draft second

Practice makes perfect. Keep it up.

 

[RagnarHairyBreeches]

I find it useful to always have paper and pen nearby. Particularly in the car.

I used to do a lot of driving. Long trips on country roads. Boring. I'd think about my story as I drove. If anything struck me as a good idea I'd stop immediately and make a few notes before I forgot.

 

[Nightaelf]

1. I use Google Docs. Each chapter gets its own tab, which makes going back and forth much easier.
2. I keep paragraphs short and try to limit dialogue, or keep it very brief.
3. If a sentence feels off, I read back a bit more. Sometimes it’s the whole paragraph that’s clumsy, so I just rewrite it.
4. I reread in rounds, each time with a different focus. One round for grammar, another for rhythm, another for repetition. After each round I also switch the font, so it looks new to my eyes.
5. If something still feels awkward, I read it out loud. Hearing it often shows me what doesn’t work.
6. Because I work in Google Docs, my work is synced to my phone. Reading it there shows me right away if my paragraphs are too long for mobile screens.
7. Each time I reread, I change the color of the text. That way I can see at a glance how many times I’ve gone over it.
8. I use the search function to track down words or phrases I might overuse, like then or and then.
9. Before publishing I reread a lot. Coming back to a chapter after a week almost always shows me mistakes I missed before.

 

[RagnarHairyBreeches]

I use the search function to track down words or phrases I might overuse, like then or and then.

Something to consider. Rather than searching for these words, use find & replace. You'll have to be careful with it, but if I have a target word I think I may have over used, I do a global find & replace on it. I replace it for exactly the same word, but change an attribute. Usually font colour. That way the words stand out clearly in the text. No need to go searching for them. I see you use colour to show versions, but you might be able to change it to bold, or underline, etc. I don't know if you can do it with Docs but you can with Word.

 

[old_prof]

I have been using a variation of a tip Matt Bell suggested in his book on writing. One of reading passes, I change the size after each paragraph to 100 points. You get like half a page of white space between each paragraph, which forces you to read it in isolation. Just changes the way you see it. I think it did help me.

I also get an occasional shift return instead of return as one or both of the breaks between paragraphs. This makes those obvious as well for a second win for me.

 

[SookieHaze7]

Something to consider. Rather than searching for these words, use find & replace. You'll have to be careful with it, but if I have a target word I think I may have over used, I do a global find & replace on it. I replace it for exactly the same word, but change an attribute. Usually font colour. That way the words stand out clearly in the text. Now need to go searching for them. Now, I see you use colour to show versions, but you might be able to change it to bold, or underline, etc. I don't know if you can do it with Docs but you can with Word.

I do the same thing with overused words, but I really just concentrate on one group of words- is, are, was, and were. By highlighting those words, I can easily find where I got lazy with my writing as I tried to get my ideas and plot down. I can usually find a more interesting and less passive way to say something than using one of those words. Of course, sometimes they're exactly the right word to use.

 

[alohadave]

I use Google Docs. Each chapter gets its own tab, which makes going back and forth much easier.

Ooh, I'll have to try this out.

 

[StillStunned]

The last few days I've developed a new typo. "You are" keeps coming out as "you ware". I have no idea how the W keeps creeping in there, but it's happened four times now.

 

[dirk2024]

The last few days I've developed a new typo. "You are" keeps coming out as "you ware". I have no idea how the W keeps creeping in there, but it's happened four times now.

It is Halloween!

 

[Nightaelf]

The last few days I've developed a new typo. "You are" keeps coming out as "you ware". I have no idea how the W keeps creeping in there, but it's happened four times now.

I keep typing "wehre" instead of "where"....

 

[NuclearFairy]

I keep typing "wehre" instead of "where"....

My right hand moves slightly faster than my left so I get similar typos all the time. Only mine would be more like hwere. Only auto correct usually catches them so I don't notice them very often.

Sometimes I think about turning off auto correct just to see how horribly I type.

 

[SmilingLez]

Thank for this thread. I've had a story edited and pieces taken out that I knew were heavily part of the story. Yes, the editor was older, user and managed to get it through scrutinering. I then looked at my version wanted it reclassified to a different category, so I had a go myself. Who knows what I'm really meaning with my words, me of course.

The problem when I read back, I know what I think I wrote and still read those words in my head. I will read the punctuation/grammer for conversation fully one day. Lit tells me im naughty every time I submit (led to a couple of my poems). So i hit on grammerly to help with my corrections. Yes these help to extent.

One problem I have is auto correct. I dont work on a laptop but write on a phone. My big titted milf always became my big fitted milf. This is where I took advantage of the read aloud function on my writing app. Yes its not fluidly read but I can hear mistakes as its read and find them. Just one of my ideas for you all.

I look forward to reading the rest of the thread, I'm sure your suggestions will help me become a better editor and a better writer.

Sin xx

Auto correct is such a PITA, I was commenting on a post the about erotica v porn. I typed "porn dogs" on my tablet and it was automatically changed to "corn dogs".

 

[Rahul123t]

Isn't the editing stage fun? A new story is laid out before you, and you're the lucky person who gets to read it first! Not only that, you get to make improvements, and the author *has* to listen - because they're you!

Editing is where you go back and polish your sentences and look at the structure and tie it all together. Is it hard work? Personally, I think it's easier than the actual writing, and more enjoyable too. It's where I tweak the sentences to get the rhythm just right, or change a word to capture the mood through sounds.

So, given how difficult it is to find a volunteer editor, how about we collect all our tips for becoming better editors of our own work? If you want something done properly, as they say, you'd better do it yourself.

Remember that every tip is useful to someone. Nothing is too basic or too complicated. Share whatever editing and proofreading ideas you have that might make the process better or easier for other writers.

hey i need a help in writing a story can anyone please help me in publishing
reply me here or in telegram https://****/shinegalaxy

 

[BobbyBrandt]

I've been reading more that usual here lately and see a few issues that spell check, grammar check, and even text-to-voice approaches to editing are unlikely to catch.

They have to do with consistency and continuity within a story.

I am currently reading a story where there are ancillary characters introduced as Charlie and his wife Kay. Within two pages Charlie is now called "Ken". Same character, same role as Kay's husband, but a totally different name.

There was another recent story by a popular author here where great strides were made to explain that the main male character purchased his house before he even met the main female character, who would become his wife. I assumed that since this was a Loving Wives story, this setup was in preparation for an eventual divorce, but when that event did unfold, the house suddenly became community property.

Those are just two examples that come to mind, but I see these types of mistakes far too frequently, most often with stories that were obviously published in parts before the whole thing was finished.

As I said, these types of mistakes won't be caught by spell check, grammar check, or any other typical resources The only way to catch them is to do a better job of proofreading yourself, or get someone else to do it for you.

 

[StillStunned]

I've been reading more that usual here lately and see a few issues that spell check, grammar check, and even text-to-voice approaches to editing are unlikely to catch.

In my experience, if you do the Read Aloud all in one sitting (or as close as possible to one sitting) you're actually quite likely to notice inconsistencies. Names should definitely stand out, but if you're lucky other details will be fresher in your mind as well, and you're less likely to gloss over them.

Mind you, this doesn't help from one chapter to the next.

I also tend to add a note to myself in caps as a reminder to double-check names or details, or to insert more information early on if I need it later in the story. Sometimes I'll quickly go back and insert a line or two, and bold them so that I know I have to pay extra attention when I'm editing.

 

[BobbyBrandt]

In my experience, if you do the Read Aloud all in one sitting (or as close as possible to one sitting) you're actually quite likely to notice inconsistencies. Names should definitely stand out, but if you're lucky other details will be fresher in your mind as well, and you're less likely to gloss over them.

Mind you, this doesn't help from one chapter to the next.

I also tend to add a note to myself in caps as a reminder to double-check names or details, or to insert more information early on if I need it later in the story. Sometimes I'll quickly go back and insert a line or two, and bold them so that I know I have to pay extra attention when I'm editing.

I frequently incorporate a lot of characters in my works. When proof reading, I use the highlight feature in MS Word to purposely emphasize each character name and draw my attention to them. It makes it easier to catch inconsistent usage.

A problem that I haven't encountered myself but which I also see frequently is varying POV perspectives popping up at random times in stories here. A brief switch from first person to third person is also something that basic editing resources will not catch. It needs the human eye.

Where chapters are concerned, consistent and effective editing is another benefit to finishing the entire story before publishing any part of it. Even if you want to break the story into chapters when submitting, having the entire story complete allows you to better align your chapter breaks during editing rather than relying upon where you felt they were best placed when writing. You can take a "big picture" view of where the breaks serve the story best.

 

[AgentDoiron]

I spend roughly 1/3 of my "writing" time editing.
- first pass is to find the obvious errors. My 'h' key doesn't always work, so "she shared her sandwich" can become "se sared er sandwic".
- second pass to find the sentences that don't work and overuse of words. The rope bridge bridged the chasm.
- then keep doing passes until I get sick of reading my own work.
- finally run a spell check on it and modify the formating for Literotica.

My pet-peeve is off of. As in "he jumped off of the bed" the 'of' is unnecessary. It's just "he jumped off the bed". You never need the of.