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Polishing the Apple© Roxianne Moore
Finding Editing and Revision Tools on the Web
Right now, I'm in the midst of editing and revising a novel. A huge project by any stretch of the imagination. But most mornings when I sit down at the keyboard, the last thing I want to do is cut and polish, and then cut and polish some more. Most days, I'm almost willing to let that apple stay just the way it fell off the tree. Almost. But I do want to get my book published one day, and I am well aware of the flaws in my original draft. I've found a few sources for editing and revision tools, as well as a wealth of experts. While some of the experts charge a fee, others will give you free advice, facts to fill in the blanks, or at least point you in the right direction. The first step in any editing job is getting rid of excess. On Write Page, I found a handy article entitled The Three Stages of Editing. Step by step, the article goes from high-level reshaping to low-level polishing. I've been using it as a checklist as I go through my novel, and am working through Step Two at the moment. Two other handy tools I found on Write Page: Character and Conflict Development and Give Your Characters Their Own Voice . Both are handy for refining major characters or developing minor ones. Once you've cut out the obvious excess and made sure all your necessary elements are in place, you'll need to polish. For some of us, myself included, this can be a laborious project. While I have copies of The Elements of Style, a grammar handbook, and Roget's Thesaurus on the shelf next to my computer, I like having the option of using an online version for quick lookup. While these references might not polish your manuscript for you, they'll at least provide some wax and a nice soft cloth. Go To Page: 1 |
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