Happy National Proofreading Day!

Happy National Proofreading Day! I believe that the editing/revising stage of your writing is the most important part of your writing process. You often have one chance when you’re querying, and you need your manuscript to be the best it can be.

Here are some proofreading tips that can help.

• Print out your document and proofread it on paper.

• Use your word processor’s read-aloud functionality to listen to your manuscript. You will often hear misused words (e.g. then for than) that you may miss reading.

• Make sure you spellcheck your document after ever editing session to catch any gremlins that slipped in.

• Check for missing punctuation, especially quotation marks.

• Make a list of your overused words. We all have them. Then use the search feature to find them. You will be shocked at how many times you used some words/expressions.

• Find a writing partner who will swap manuscripts with you for proofreading. It helps to have another set of eyes on it.

What would you add to my list?

Revision Tips for Writers

My Editing Assistant, Disney

Every author has a different process or style for writing, revising, editing, and proofreading. You need to find what works for you. Try a technique, and if it doesn’t match your style, do something else. Here’s how I do it.

Writing Drafts 1-6-ish

1. I try to write every day, but sometimes life gets in the way. Do the best you can, but don’t beat yourself up. I find if I skip too many days, I lose my momentum and train of thought. I have to go over my outline again and read what I wrote recently.

2. I do write down my word count totals at the end of each session to keep track of my progress.

3. I start plotting on my big white board. Then, I create a Word document with a few sentences for each chapter. I color code clues, romantic elements, and humor. This helps me see visually where things fall in the story. I update the outline as the story changes. I also use this later to help me with my synopsis.

4. I start writing. I usually type directly into my computer, but sometimes, I do handwrite chapters.

5. I make sure that I start the book in the template that my agent prefers, so I don’t have to reformat later. This makes the cover page, chapter headings, indents, and footers consistent.

6. After I have a few chapters, I print the draft and do a quick reread. I make changes, and then I return to writing.

7. I repeat this for multiple drafts of the book.

8. I also keep a master character list for each book in the series. It has basic facts and what books the character or location appears in. I use this as I’m writing to make sure I don’t repeat character names and that I keep the facts straight.

9. When I think I’m done, I print out the whole WIP (Work in Progress) and do some editing and proofreading. My friend, Mary Burton, calls this the “sloppy copy. I break out the red (or pink or purple) pen and look for plot holes and typos.

Revision

1. I run a spell/grammar check to look for typos.

2. I keep a list of crutch words (overused words) or ones that should be consistent through out the book. My editor has a list, I have one, and so does my agent. I keep adding to my list. I use the find/replace feature in Word to hunt out the problem words and remove them.

3. When I think I’m done with the draft (I’m really not), I send it to an editor that I pay to do her magic. When I get her feedback, I update the WIP and print it again. I do another reread to look for any boo boos I made while making changes.

4. Then I submit it to my critique group. Sometimes, I do this before the independent editor. It just depends on the timing and what projects are going. My group reads 50 pages a month and provides feedback. I make any changes to my WIP and then print another copy and check for typos.

5. I have a small group of beta readers that I send the entire manuscript to for feedback. They read the book like a reader would and provide suggestions and changes.

6. I then send it to my agent who is also a great editor/proofreader. Your publisher will also have editors and/or proofreaders. (There are multiple rounds to the revision process.)

7. I make sure to print a copy of the manuscript after each major revision to ensure that I catch any issues I created while making changes.

When the ARCs Arrive

1. When you get through all the changes, the book will be formatted, and the publisher usually sends a draft or an ARC (Advance Review Copy) for review. Read it carefully. This is usually your last chance to change anything.

2. Check everything on the front and back covers.

3. Check all of the headers and footers.

4. Check the chapter numbering.

5. Read the book again.

It is such a good feeling to type “The End,” but it really isn’t. The work begins with the revision part.

Riley providing feedback

Critiquing Others' Work

I’ve been a manager, a college instructor, and an editor at my day gigs for a lot of years, and feedback seems to be an hourly thing in those worlds. There’s an art and a science to reviewing and critiquing another writer’s work.

Here’s what I’ve learned.

1. Their manuscript is their baby. They have spent hours, days, weeks, and years on this, and no one wants to hear you call their baby ugly. Feedback often triggers emotional responses. I try to do the “sandwich” method. Mention something positive or something you like. Then discuss the problem areas, and then sandwich it in with another something positive.

2. I try to add comments throughout the work when I think word choice is good, when something is funny, or when there’s good tension. This way not all the red marks are of the “you did this wrong” variety.

3. If it’s a spelling or grammatical error, I mark it. If it’s a subjective thing, I try to state how it made me feel or what I interpreted. That way, it’s one reader’s opinion, and not a pronouncement on the person’s abilities or character. It’s the reader’s opinion of the work.

4. At work, I use different colored pens if I’m editing on paper. Nobody likes getting a document back that looks like a bloodbath of red ink. Sometimes, that can’t be helped with electronic editing. One of my critique group members uses the highlighter feature in Word instead of track changes. She picks colors for different things like yellow is a problem, pink is something funny, and blue is something she really likes. That way, my page looks like a rainbow instead of thousands of little comments in the right margin.

5. As an author, if you want all warm and fuzzy comments, let a family member read your work. That is always good for the ego, but you need to build a network of other writers and super readers who know your genre and who will be brutally honest. They can find plotholes, story issues, and redundancies. They will tell you when it’s boring or when you’ve gone down a rabbit hole. I appreciate it when my critique partners and beta readers point out things.

6. I try not to give feedback when I’m tired or stressed out. I don’t want my mood to jade my comments.

7. If someone has a reoccurring problem, I’ll make a note the first time. Then I will highlight it if I see it again (and again and again). Examples of this are misspellings and overused words.

8. When I finish a critique of someone’s work, I always send a note along with my notes and suggested changes. (At critique group, we do this face to face.) I do a little summary of what I like, what works for the story, and the highlights.

9. Your time is valuable, and you should be writing your next book. I always like to help authors where and when I can. But time is limited. Occasionally, I have to say no or not right now because of other commitments. Sometimes, there’s a compromise like critiquing a few chapters or the first fifty pages.

10. And what do you do if you read something that you think is just terrible? I have stopped reading before. And I tell them why. Usually, it’s because they’re not sure what their story is … it’s a romantic science fiction piece set in the American West with aliens and a touch of dystopia, vampires, and time travel with cats, suspense, and a main character with amnesia. I prefer to read mysteries and thrillers. I tell people up front that I don’t know other genres as well, and I probably wouldn’t be able to give them the critique they need on the conventions of their genre. And other times it’s because the work really isn’t ready. My friend, Mary Burton, calls your first draft the sloppy copy. That’s the one you need to work on and polish before you get to the editing and critiquing stages.

My Proofreading Tasks

I appreciate my beta readers, critique group, editors, and proofreaders. They help me spot things that are hiding in plain sight in my manuscripts. I can read and reread chapters and miss mistakes. Here are some steps I use when I’m self-editing to make sure that I catch as many of these little gremlins as possible.

1. Always run a spell check after any edits are done. This gets rid of most of the run of the mill typos.

2. I keep a list of words that I overuse (e.g. was, were, that, just). I do a search and destroy for these.

3. Every time there are major edits, I print out a copy of the WIP. I find more errors when I proofread on paper than when I do reading the on-screen version.

4. Sometimes, I’ll use a particular character’s name or the corresponding pronoun too many times (especially in the same paragraph). When I print the WIP, it’s easier to spot repetitive words.

5. I check character names (especially if I changed a name during the editing). Look for alternative spellings of names too (e.g. Marcia/Marsha; Steven/Stephen). I write two series with female sleuths, and I’ve been known to use the wrong character name in the WIP. I do a quick search to make sure I didn’t make that mistake again.

6. Create a chart of all your character names and locations. This helps me keep names straight, so I don’t have three Bob’s in the same book. It also helps me keep details like eye and hair color straight.

7. I reduce the page view to 25% on my document and check chapter lengths. In the early stages, I’ll end up with a four page chapter and one with twenty page. This helps to keep them about the same length.

8. During major edits, I reread the first and last paragraph in each chapter to make sure that it grabs the reader. At the end of chapters, you don’t want the reader to decide that it’s a good stopping point. Make them read past their bedtimes.

9. Go through your WIP and look for mundane dialogue. It’s hard, but you need to cut it. It doesn’t move your story along.

What works for you when you’re proofreading? What would you add to my list?

How Did I Miss That? Tips for Proofreading

I can spot a typo or misaligned text a mile away in someone else's document. After working on a project for a while, I'm no longer able to spot them quickly in my work. Here are some things I do to help improve my proofreading.

1. I proofread a paper version each time there are edits or major revisions. I miss things when I proofread on the computer screen.

2. If I'm tired, I put it down and come back later. I miss things when I'm not 100% focused.

3. Turn off the TV. I can't proofread if the TV or a movie is on at the same time. I do listen to music. I proofread best to jazz or light classical.

4. I often read aloud to check for errors or cadence problems in the dialog.

5. When I proofread, I read word for word. When you read fast, you tend to skip words. A pro told me once that to be very effective, you need to start at the bottom of the page and read each word (right to left). It takes the words out of context. 

6. After my manuscript is edited and corrected, I ask several beta readers/proofreaders to go through my manuscript. The more eyes, the better.

7. When I'm checking the final copy, I look at everything (title page, chapter numbering, headers, footers, acknowledgments, etc.). I have had typesetters make mistakes or omit a header on a page.

8. These are my favorite editing/proofreading/grammar resources on Twitter. Check them out. They have the best advice on all things grammar and editing.

• Kris Spisak
• Annie Acorn