Tag: writing tips

When You Say ‘Editing’, What Do You Mean?

By Anuradha Warrier

You have just completed your manuscript and you know you need the services of an editor. But, what sort of editing do you need? Editing terminology can be quite bewildering to a layperson. What’s more, these terms are used differently even within the industry and that adds a whole other layer of confusion.

Let’s try and break this down.

Comprehensive / Developmental editing

Comprehensive editing takes into consideration the author’s ‘voice’, pacing, characterisation, plot, sub-plot, consistency in the narrative, verb-tense agreement, dialogue, etc.  We check for plot holes, weak links, pacing, etc., rearrange paragraphs to suit the flow of the narrative, and may even rewrite the text.

Substantive editing

Substantive editing is often confused for developmental editing and/or line editing. While the difference is minor, substantive editing considers the narrative flow, organization of chapters, sub-sections, paragraphs and even sentences.

Line editing

Once the major work of editing is done, a line editor will go through a manuscript line by line, sentence by sentence, paragraph by paragraph. The main focus here is on word choice, syntax and meaning. This is when they will suggest rewriting/reorganising the sentences to improve your prose and the style of the manuscript.

Copy editing

Usually, this is what people mean when they think of ‘editing’. Copy editing involves cross-checking references, checking for consistency and accuracy, correcting spelling, grammar and punctuation. A copy editor may revise the text and/or add comments for authors to do so.

Proofreading

Most laypersons make the mistake of confusing proofreading for copy editing. Proofreading is the final checkpoint before publication. A proofreader looks for typographical errors, consistency in typesetting and fonts, etc.

Finally, how much does all this cost?

Blue Pencil sets its rates according to accepted industry standards – whether that rate is for an entire project, per page, per word or on an hourly basis. The cost also depends on a variety of factors such as the genre of the text, the subject matter, the expertise required for editing, and the deadline for the assignment, amongst other things.

At Blue Pencil, we work with authors all the time. Whether we publish your book or you choose to do it on your own, we guarantee that our efforts will enable you to put forward the best possible version of your work.

Check out our Editing Services

More to read on Blue Pencil

The Power of a Good Book Cover Design

Why Hiring a Professional Editor Frees You Up

Print on Demand Books: The Future of Publishing

Why Do You Need a Professional Editor?

Choices Before an Aspiring Writer

Write to please yourself. And find as much pleasure as you can in the company of your work. But don’t try to draw others’ attention to your work. They shall find nothing in your work to sustain their interest.

By Shravani Dang

 
Some are born to write; some learn to write; others write to please themselves.

People who write to please themselves

Those who write to please themselves should stop at that. They can revel in the company of their work. They can read them, over and over again, and have all the fun they seek. It is their work. They can look upon the work as perfect in every way.

In fact, it is perfect, from their viewpoint. They can find no flaw in their work. Rightly has it been said, “For the crow, its young one is the most beautiful of nestling in the world.” It is when they try to take to a wider audience, to impress others that they run into trouble.

Those who are clever diplomatically avoid a judgement of the work, say that they are not equipped to judge real literary merit. “You must show it to a critic and find his response,” they suggest. This is an advice that those who write to please themselves must avoid like plague.

The critic shall tear their work to pieces. He shall shower scorn and ridicule on the authors of work that strike him as puerile. Why take this risk? Why go out of one’s way to become the target of explosive remarks and derisive comments!

So our advice to this set of people is quite clear. Write to please yourself. And find as much pleasure as you can in the company of your work. But don’t try to draw others’ attention to your work. They shall find nothing in your work to sustain their interest.

People who learn to write

They have a good command of the language. They know the subtle nuances of words. They know the difference between lightning and lightning bug. They know where the word COMPLEMENTARY is to be used; and where the word COMPLIMNETARY. They also know that words limit their equipment. They are aware of a limitation. They know that their imagination rarely soars free. That is their tragedy.

It takes them time to realize this fact. But the quicker they sense their inherent limitation, the better it is for them. For they then learn to write informative articles, insights, editorials, features etc for the Press. They learn how to manage books around a defined topic.

They write well. They write incisively. Over a period of time, their expression becomes smooth, flowing, relevant, pertinent and hence of immense appeal to the readers.

They have a role to play. And so long as they serve this role, nobody can find fault with them. In fact some of them gain a fair amount of readership following too.

But great literature is not theirs to create. That belongs to those who are born to write.

People who are born to write

They do not go about asking others how to write. They do not wait for formal courses in creative writing. It is the belief of those who have found niches for themselves in the world of literature that the ability to write great literature is a gift of the Gods. This gift cannot be bought; nor commanded. One either has it; or doesn’t have it.

Those who have it are dreamers. They live in a make believe world. They are impractical, unsuited to work at home finances; or to run a business; or to work at an establishment. Some try to do that, but fail.For their mind is not on the job. It is elsewhere. It is constantly being blown around by the creative force.

This force is a powerful slave driver. It looks upon those who are born to write as slaves who shall do nothing else but write. The creative process overrules all else. Those who are born to write thus expose themselves to all sorts of troubles. They starve, their personal relations end up in disasters; their children become vagabonds, their finances hit the rocks, their personal reputations plunge. But these are the fiery ordeal through which the creative minds have to pass to purify their thoughts and to filter out the finest of literary products.

So every young aspirant must, before he chooses literature as a career, must ask himself the following questions. He must answer them honestly.

1. Do I enjoy anything else as much as writing?
2. Am I ready to face the pains and the perils which go with the career?
3. Shall I survive the worst of criticism if my writing is ahead of the
time and the critics lack the skill to judge my merit?
4. Shall I write for money and the comforts and the luxuries that go with it?
5. Shall I remain true to the Muse, all through life?

Try these questions. Seek the answers by plumbing into your very being. Be honest to yourself.

Till next time, then.

(This article was first published in Meghdutam.com (between 1999 to 2003) and is now extracted from Learning and Creativity.)

Building a Story

A short story is a bit like a giant jigsaw puzzle where each piece is put together by the writer and given as a complete whole to the reader.

By Shravani Dang

 
Stories can be found everywhere — in a joke, an event, relationships, and even imaginary ones. A thread runs through all along the story holding each piece together. A story is a bit like a giant jigsaw puzzle where each piece is put together by the writer and given as a complete whole to the reader.

The reader eagerly waits for the next piece to fall in place to get to the end of the story. The many twists and turns the story takes is what is exciting and keeps the writers’ as well as the readers’ interest.

Among the many theories about good writing skills, one that is hoary but tried and tested is the powerful equation of the 5W’s and 1H. Like all mathematical equations, this too is fairly easy if you can crack it.

Once cracked this becomes part and parcel of writing and the mind focuses on it automatically as this is basically the very essence of communication. The equation then is very simple, the 5W’s are Who, When, Where, What and Why. The solitary H refers to How. A good example of this equation is the newspaper.

Every newspaper story answers each question. If you analyze newspaper stories you will find this out for yourself. Newspapers have the name of the place, the date, the persons involved and the story clearly defined. All stories are about Who, When and Where. Who refers to the characters that are present in your story. Just like a film or a drama, every story has a set of characters who with their individual mix of personalities bring out the story. For example, in the simplest of stories, some characters are villains and the others are the good guys.

While others and in more complicated stories somebody may be repressed human being, another a mad scientist, a third an incurable romantic while a fourth could be a squeaky clean holier-than-thou prissy. Characters make up stories. It is up to the author to give them the hues that is needed for building the story.

When may mean time like “a long, long time ago”, or even “once upon a time” or even “last year”, “last night” or “early in the morning”. Where could be in your dreams, in your house, towns, countries, cities, places like Connaught Place in New Delhi.

Keeping the equation in mind you could write a story based in Ballygunge in Calcutta which took place during Durga Puja and involved the local gunda called Khokon, the frail but honest widow called Lakshmi Didi and the extortion racket.

The best way to answer and tackle these is to think about it first. Then decide on how, who, when and where to fit into your story, then all you have to do is to write it.

Adventure, mystery stories including thrillers are normally called Whodunit meaning who did it. Here the answer to this question is the most important part of the story. Like a story on the “The Neighbourhood Thief”, all the readers are keen to know who the thief is.

The next step in building a story is to endeavor to answer the next lot of questions of the formula.

(This article was first published in Meghdutam.com (between 1999 to 2003) and is now extracted from Learning and Creativity