#editors for authors

[rozmorris]

What's editing - and how do editors work with writers? Interview at Writers' Narrative magazine

Why is editing so important for writers? Why is it publishing’s biggest – and best-kept – secret? How do editors work with writers to ensure clarity and consistency – and yet preserve the writer’s unique voice and flavour? What if the writer disagrees about changes the editor wants to make? How do we keep a dialogue going throughout the editing process so the writer doesn’t feel they’re losing…

[paper-possum-party-pal]

More doodles!

First we have tiny Stanley and Narrator because small :)

I really enjoy the hc that after Stanley leaves the parable he goes and gets a job that requires manual labor or as a florist. I feel like he would want to detach himself from office work as much as possible, even if there’s som layer of attachment due to familiarity. I really love this small doodle because I managed to successfully use more interesting lighting which is something I’m trying to improve.

References for all the drawings

[mironmion]

I know it's been said to death that fanfiction writers can be better than published authors but it's crazy how I've read warhammer porn on ao3 written better than the mainline books

[projecttreehouse]

So you're stuck, even though you know what comes next in your plot.

Sometimes you know what the next "interesting" moment is, but you're struggling to get there. Or maybe you're struggling to actually attack the task of writing the next scene. Point is, you know what happens, but you don't know how to make it happen, or you feel overwhelmed by possibility, or you've just spent too much time staring at a blank page. Here are some steps to try:

-Journal about it. I'm talking incoherent, stream of consciousness, messy handwriting vibes. Or, talk at your notes app with speech-to-text. Talk or journal about where the story goes from here as if you're chatting with a pal. Pretend you're recounting what happened in a movie you watched. Pay attention to the points you fixate on as you're doing this.

-Ask yourself, what's the point? Like, what is the work trying to say? How do you want the reader to feel? What trope are you excited about exploring? Why did you feel compelled/inspired to write this story?

-If you're yawning, your reader will... yawn even harder. If the next part is "boring", cut it out. Can you NOT cut it out? Well, then make it not boring! Up the stakes. Make something go wrong. Add a character to the scene. Piss your focal character off. Make them think what they're doing is working, but only for a second. Take it in a new direction.

-Write the parts you're excited to write. Even if they aren't chronological! Just skip to the good stuff, and then fill in the gaps.

-Disrupt the status quo. What does your focal character believe in this moment? How can you challenge it? How are they feeling-- how can you make them feel differently?

-Dumb it down. Write the scene in the most average, boring way you possibly can. Character A walked into the room. Her husband looked at her. She asked what he wants for dinner. He said I want a divorce for dinner. You get the vibe. Just write it out so boringly, or even use bullet points, and then you'll have some bones to flesh out. As you write your most boring series of actions/reactions, you will naturally start making it more interesting and dynamic as you go. Lean into this!

-Map out what has already happened. So you're trying to write chapter 7 -- map out chapters 1-6. Major plot beats, characters introduced, etc. What questions are lingering for the reader, based on the first 6 chapters? In a journaling session, answer one of them. Or, partially answer one of them. Or, turn that question into a new, more intense question. Brainstorm ways to incorporate your answer, partial answer, or morphed question into chapter 7's very first paragraph.

Happy writing! We are here to help guide you through these activities in any way we can. Just drop us a line!

[kelin-is-writing]

I am: Heartbroken…

[e-b-reads]

I'm struggling a little with getting into this book and unfortunately I think it's because the writing is bad. Like for example:

"The closer I came, I realized it was the butler" - I don't think this is how sentence structure works, sorry! Try "As I came closer, I realized" maybe?

I am by no means a historian but I feel like the dialogue in this isn't trying well (or consistently) to be of the time - not as relevant in this passage, but would a butler really tell a titled lady to "Drink up"? Even if he did catch her snooping earlier.

(Speaking of things on which I am not an expert: the story is set in 1806, and I could be wrong, but I feel like two years is like a minimum to age Madeira.)

Finally, the tense switches: "That was an hour away. The service and then burial will be very late." I had already thought the author was struggling with tense a little; this was the most egregious example so far.

[thebibliosphere]

Vague memories from last night of telling someone, cringing in on myself as I said it, “yeah, I’m not a TikTok author, I’m a Tumblr author” then having to explain that the reason for Hunger Pangs being a success is because it is possible to be ‘popular’ on Tumblr, it just doesn’t mean what popularity means on other social media sites.

And then going on a rant about how I don’t want to be a TikTok author because despite being several shades of mentally unwell I have enough self-preservation to not throw myself at the mercy of an algorithm to ensure I can afford to pay my bills and hey, Shana, if you’re out there I am so, so sorry but after a night of being asked “oh you’re an author? What’s your TikTok handle?” I couldn’t take it anymore.

Thanks for listening and not outright laughing.

[blissfullyunawares]

Hello and welcome!

I’m Jojo, 26, I’m a writer, and you have landed on my ✨ primary blog. ✨

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[rinwritingcorner]

May I ask the software you use to write?

Congratulations on getting so much done!

Thank you so much. And, of course.

I use the Reedsy Book Editor for all of my writing projects, and I've been using it for about three years now. I also have experience with other amazing softwares, and I would love to create more tutorials on them if you need me to.

Here's a quick tutorial on how to use the Reedsy Book Editor.

When you visit the website, the first thing you'll come across is this page. It's a completely free writing tool with a fantastic interface. All you need to do is sign up with your Google or Facebook account.

After you've completed the sign-up process and provided some information about yourself, you will be directed to this page. Please locate the "Books" option in the website's header.

Feel free to give your book/WIP (Work in progress) a title. Remember, it's okay if it's not your final title, as you can always change it in the settings of your book later.

Once you've created it, you can take your time and when you're ready, you can click "Write.”

Once you click "Write," you'll be directed to the next page. There, you'll find your chapters, the space to write your manuscript, and a sidebar with various helpful features provided by Reedsy.

Then, you can choose any name for your chapter that feels meaningful to you.

You can also track your writing goals for your specific manuscript or book. This feature provides insights into your writing habits, such as the days you've written and the number of words you've written. You can also set a target word count goal for the manuscript, and you also have the option to set manual writing goals. Additionally, you can check the word count in your current chapter from the bottom of the widget.

You have the option to set a deadline and choose the days that work best for you to write. This will help Reedsy estimate a realistic word count goal for you.

Remember that on Reedsy, there's a new beta feature that allows you to plan and outline your novel without having to leave the website. It offers note cards for you to jot down the plot and scenes from your novel, which can serve as a helpful guide and provide a simple outline to support your writing process.

Also, don’t forget the various features available to you when creating your book in Reedsy. For instance, you have the option to include preset formatted pages such as a dedication page and an epigraph that resonates with your story. These features can add a lot of value to your book, and I encourage you to explore them further.

Hopefully this can help you understand the basics of Reedsy Book Editor. One of my favorite writing softwares that is completely FREE!

Hey fellow writers! I'm super excited to share that I've launched a Tumblr community. I'm inviting all of you to join my community. All you have to do is fill out this Google form, and I'll personally send you an invitation to join the Write Right Society on Tumblr! Can't wait to see your posts!

[bl-mitchum]

So funny that I always search up the names of potential publishers to look into like I have a manuscript finished to pitch to them. Look, I don’t even have a first draft done, it’s just nice to know my options, okay—?

[bright-eyes-strawberry-lies]

Not Rick's editor admitting on a podcast that they don't have a series bible and have been relying on the fandom wiki for information since HOO.

That.

That is a large reason why his books suck ass and are so inconsistent and why every single character has been butchered since PJO.

[cosmicalduck]

Hatori gay as shit I would've gone crazy

[spookythesillyfella]

hey guys . heres my fair share of doodles from the magma i drew on with my big bro @chamom1le-t3a

[kissingagrumpygiant]

Mad at myself actually for still reading it. It's so bad I shouldn't suffer like that