How to LINE EDIT a Novel (Like a Boss!)
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 4 ก.ค. 2024
- What's up, my friend? Today we're talking about LINE EDITING. More specifically, what EXACTLY to look for when you're line editing a story. This is my editing process, start to finish! Comment below and tell me: what does YOUR editing process look like?
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0:00 My Editing Process
2:26 What I Watch For While Editing
4:29 Problem #1: Continuity Errors
5:20 Problem #2: Passive Voice
7:36 Problem #3: Character Voice
9:11 Problem #4: Weak Words
10:22 Problem #5: Spelling and Grammar
11:56 Final Pass Edit
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My name is Abbie Emmons I teach writers how to make their stories matter by harnessing the power and psychology of storytelling, transforming their ideas into a masterpiece, and creating a lifestyle that makes their author dreams come true.
Story isn’t about “what happens” - it’s about how what happens affects and transforms the characters. I believe that there is an exact science (a recipe, if you will) behind a perfect story. And if you know what ingredients you need, you can create your own perfect story with ease and confidence. That’s what we talk about every week on this channel - and if it’s something you’re into, be sure to subscribe and join this community!
Is it weird that i can’t wait to get to this part of my non-exsisting novel?... 😅
I am almost half way done with my novel but I am also weirdly excited about editing.
@Pedro Silva here is a tip, if you are taking a climax point and putting it in the beginning, the story will be too short. Explain some details and minor plot for a while then add in a bit of a climax. Stretch that out for a few thousand words and then explain more thoughts and plot or whatver works then. Add more climax and repeat! I hope this helped
Don’t be discouraged! You absolutely can write a novel. You just have to slow down and think about what your story is about, why you think it’s worth writing and then just spend time in the minds of your characters brainstorming
The fist thing I do is make Word read it for me. It has this feature so that a robot voice will read it for you. I can easily catch errors and also hear when a sentence sounds weird of too repetitive.
I never knew Word can read to you 😮 Why did they hide such a useful function? I'm definitely using it from now on.
How?
What!!! Great tip!
@@leannemcelroy8482 on a Mac, it's under Edit. Go to "Speech." In preferences, you can change the sound of the voice, as well as the speed.
@@leannemcelroy8482 go to review on left side next to word count. There are several text readers you can use online with different accents and genders. Google text readers.
three years later and now I'm to this part of my now existing novel. insane!
Woohoo! How's it going? (I can't wait to get to that point)
Just got up, grabbed my coffee, thinking to myself “I wanna do some editing today .”
*First thing that pops up when I open TH-cam:* Abbie Emmons: How To Line Edit A Novel
Are you spying on me Abbie?! Lol
haha
🤣🤣🤣
I use a lot of commas in my writing. 😂😂
I'm also on the "To many commas" team
Same here. 🎶All the wrong commas in all the wrong places 🎵
qurleq grammarly gets annoyed at me for that😭
Starosity your no alone haha
I write too fast to bother with commas but Grammarly reminds me.
For typos and grammar issues, using Microsoft Word's "read aloud" feature is SUPER helpful to me! I'm not sure if scrivener has a similar feature but when you hear your words read aloud, you can catch typos much faster (ex. if you accidentally used "out" instead of "our") and in general, helps to catch those awkward sounding phrases 😊
When I was reading through my first draft I had to add a whole couple of paragraphs to edit a continuity error. One of the characters mentioned that he had pretty much the same skin tone as the other, but I later changed it so that his skin was much lighter and that was a bit of a plot point. It had been a couple years since I'd written this scene so I completely forgot about it but I couldn't just take it out so I had to do some writing backflips and add a bit of dialogue to fix it
Your videos are better than anything on 'masterclass'. Thank you so much!
Wait, you do all of this on a physical copy of your manuscript? Damn, that's brave. I'd burn out if I attempted to do something like that. It's so much easier to just fire up "track changes" option in Word and insert comments when needed. I don't highlight text though, never really thought of it. I'll probably start doing that from now on. Thanks for the tips! 😊
Your videos are so helpful, thank you! :)
I just wanted to mention that if you read your manuscript backward you can catch the spelling errors easier :)
Interesting…
I have the em-dash addiction too XD
Same.
me too!
Same!
As crazy as it’s sounds I’m still developing my editing process lol. I’m so glad I found your TH-cam. You’ve been the most helpful.
Someone taught me to read the sentence backwards. It slows down the mind helping you to focus on the individual word.
That sounds like such a good idea, totally using this now, thanks :)
I like your videos on writing a lot. They have really helped me, and I’ve decided that I am finally going to write my first novel. So first I get a story idea, then a premise, then do research, then flesh out characters, then write a synopsis, then do outline, and then finally write right?
Sounds like a plan! So glad I could inspire you.
That is a really good plan, the only thing I would add is I would think about “why” you want to write that story and what it is you love about it before you begging flushing out characters and coming up with a plot. Because it’s very pivotal that you know why you love your story so that your motivated to stay on it for moths
I went back and read something.... I’m gonna blame autocorrect for this 😆 but I write “Blue” instead of “blew.” I also use a lot of em-dashes and en-dashes. Mostly for dialogue when someone stops abruptly or are interrupted. I tried cutting them out of other instances.
What helps me with some editing is running Text to Voice on my drafts, such as in Scrivener. This helped me see (and hear) a ton of missing words and duplicate words and more by following the voice as I read along with it. It seems that I can in fact miss errors by reading my own work, but when I HEAR it, and also when the voice struggles to pronounce it, I am able to see it and fix it. Text to Voice has become the single best tool I've used to find all kinds of errors.
This is why reading it out loud - old school style - works for me.
You popping on glasses for that one bit was great hahahahaha. And I am also OBSESSED with em dashes. They're just SO versatile! Love your videos! So informative
Thank you for the great advice, Abbie. I'm a beginning writer and in the process of editing my first book on my own. Plus, I'm also an artist/cartoonist/animator so it is the best of both worlds for me to do my own book cover. Thanks again for the advice and the video. Have a wonderful weekend.
I wrote a book 12 years ago and went through it several times and changed many things. I even self-published it and had some printed. There are about 20 printed copies floating around and two cooies in a high school library. Now, I decided to look at it again and go through the editing process again. I have cut about 20 pages from the story, and it is much better, but I'm not done yet. As it sets right now, it's 260 pages, and I think that by the time I'm actually finished, I'll probably lose another 5.
Interesting line editing method. I'll have to bookmark this video to come back when I get to this stage. Great video. Keep them coming.
Perfect timing! I just started editing my first book this week and am totally flailing. I'm working on revisions now, but this should really help with the next steps. Can't wait for the weak words video!
I swear you read my mind! This is what I'm doing right now, and I'm a bit lost, since it's the first time I edit a book. You are a life saver
This is PERFECT TIMING! My novel is due on Saturday. Soon the revision process will be begin!!!
Ha! You mentioned your love of the "m-dash". I'm stuck on the ellipsis... see?
I’ve been procrastinating on editing my first manuscript (for like a year). This was a great video and I’m going to go watch your other videos so maybe I’ll finally start the editing process! It intimidates me like crazy. I do know I have a comma problem. I like my commas.
I "over use" the semi-colon, according to my editor; I think she's wrong. My process for line editing is doing a read with highlighters but digitally; I put it on my Kindle and use it's notes and highlighting feature. Once I've made the corrections from that, then I use PWA and Scrivener's linguistic focus to keep tightening. Finally, I export to Word and use the Read Aloud feature because it has the best robot voices.
Alpha and beta readers usually happen sporadically mixed in there as I can't control others schedules as well as I can my own and trying to fit my schedule around others just gave me a headache.
I love the em-dash! Great video--thanks for sharing!
I love the ellipses and have to watch out for it constantly 😂😊. Thank you for the awesome videos Abbie!
This video (as well as the information provided) is so BEAUTIFULLY composed & edited!
Xo,
Laurel
Great video, Abbie. I do also read a sentence many, many times, and when I later spot an obvious typo, have no idea how it got through every single previous reading. And love your last comment. I will write these notes to myself on the magnetic whiteboards on my fridge, and I always somehow ensure that my, normally fine, handwriting is illegible. And I write in codes with initials and abbreviations, and I don't know what half of them mean myself, by the time I return to them. I think it's so that no one else can understand them - but defeats the purpose, when I don't myself. 😀💝
I loved this video! But I totally realize my editing process is SO AMATEUR in compared to yours! I usually do a read through. Both digitally and printed, then I hand it off to one beta reader and make changes then let another editing friend take a look. I'm absolutely going to try your methods next time!
Very interesting and helpful video. Good reminders, especially on the character voice. Thanks for doing this.
I am a reader that thinks i have afew stories bouncing around in my head. After watching your videos i read one of my stories. Not bad but could be way better. And other editors on line sound like they have bad microphones. On the other hand in your videos i can hear you loud and clear,even while turned away. Thanks
Oh my goodness. I had my first session with a writing mentor and had to confess that I am obsessed with em-dashes too!!
This is really helpful 👏
Wonderful tips Abbie! well said
The semicolon is my favourite! I even got a small tattoo of it four years ago! Also, my mom is the exact same way lol
Not there just yet, but definitely thinks I've been wondering about. Thanks!
Thanks for the great tips! 😊
the way you hold pens and highlighters is fascinating
As always, Abbie, fantastic video. I'm also a proud card-carrying member of the Cult of Em Dash. I don't know, it seems to lend itself to the way I think--you know always pausing for a brief interlude.
the way Abbie grabs the pen is just... especial.
Thank you so much for recommending This Beautiful Fantastic in last week's video, I watched it and it was indeed beautiful and fantastic! I also loved 100 Days of Sunlight :)
Yay!!! I am so glad you enjoyed. Thank you so much!!
Hey abbie! Came across your channel today and absolutely love your content :) subscribed!
speaking about punctuation obsession ... I guess I use the three dots waaay too much ... and I love them too much to cut them out 😂
Thanks for that great insights on your editing process! Really, really helpful!
😎 You are cool and an inspiration, a guide to many
I love the ellipses...
Come across your vdo from Thailand. Thank you! I need this!
I’m using Dabble and it’s been super helpful at catching my passive voice sentences! Basically, just trying not to use *”was”* so much! 😂
Lol I love em dashes. I use it a lot too 😁
As my favorite author says, the Revision Process will try your soul; Line Editing will take your will to live.
I love the em-dash too ^^
I’m an M-dash guy myself-but prioritize them for emphasis! :)
Thank you!
I just finished writing last month. I already beta-read by an editor, and the book was out online, but now I need to edit it and edit from scratch! I didn't write it in English. Thank you for your vdo. I need help finding good writing tips in my mother tongue language.
Congratulations on finishing your book , do you need a cover design ?
Would love to see a video with edit examples for active voice.
Love your videos, Abbie! So mine isn't a punctuation obsession, but I definitely italicize for emphasis waaay too much. Like. It's a problem. Thanks for such great content, as always :D
Thank you so much for your kind words! They mean so much to me, and I am thrilled that the content I make encourages you to chase your dreams and make your story MATTER!
Very helpful
I highlight things in my word document. Green means I need to rewrite the sentence or add/remove things. Blue means it needs to be moved, or have been moved, red means there's an issue here with the content itself, yellow, keep track of/remember this for continuity (I hope I used that word correctly) in the story etc. But I never print all of it for ending. Gosh, I'd need to buy so much paper and ink. XD
Posted 8 hrs ago.
Already over 1.2k views.
Keep going!
Thanx for the positivity
Thank you so much for your kind words! They mean so much to me, and I am thrilled that the content I make encourages you to chase your dreams and make your story MATTER!
Thanks!
My editing process is pure chaos
Yes! I've also read stuff in the past and totally missed obvious typos in them! It's so annoying.
There are definitely some days I use way too many semicolons, but I would say that, overall, I use way too many commas. That last sentence is just an example of that. 😂
I use commas obsessively and am quite fond of my dashes, so I feel you.
I always had an unfortunate obsessions with "st-st-stuttering" (hopefully fixed) and ellipses.
Thank A!
Really needed that!!!! Are you a mind reader?
Abbie is just like me!!
I use a lot of em-dashes and commas, in part because I seem to have a writer-love-affair with conjunctions and other connector words. Like filter words, I keep of the ones that pop up a lot to go through my work and cut up my sentences a bit more than I naturally tend to want to do.
This was awesome. I needed this. So any advice on finding a good fantasy editor?
I edit grammar, spelling, and punctuation. The comma(,), dashes(-), semicolons(;), colons(:), and full-stops. Syntax and semantics- sentence structure, and sentence meaning- are key to making your writing sound like [you]. Of course making your writing simple, terse, laconic, and concise is key sometimes, making your writing feel warm and friendly.
There is a Facebook meme about how as long as the first and last letters of a word are correct, the brain can still process and comprehend the word. Since seeing that, I have slowed down how fast I read when I edit because most of my issues are when I have jumbled letters when typing too fast. I do tend to miss those if I read through too quickly. It's wonderfully weird how the brain works at times.
Don't forget when you're editing to simplify and combine sentences wherever you can. What I mean by that is sometimes you write two, three, etc. sentences that could easily be combined into one. Say you have one sentence that's a description of the location, and the next sentence is the character, I don't know, picking up an object. You could combine it like this:
Instead of saying: "The library was dark and forbidding. Alexander pulled a book out of the tallest bookcase."
You could simplify and speed up the pace by saying: "Alexander pulled a book out of the tallest bookcase in the dark and forbidding library."
I don't know, but I hope this is helpful to someone because this advice made my writing *so* so much better.
To add on: Even though both examples above have the same amount of words, when you combine two sentences into one, you read it faster without a pause in between, so it flows better. It's the same way commas make you read it with a pause.
Hi, I'm from the future, and at 10:07 you're just pointing into the air.
My favorite punctuation to abuse is the semi-colon; it comes in handy
I use ellipses way too much! I once had a professor call me the Ellipses Queen! LOL
awesome video
such a exclamation and comma lover lol I say Like, also and so, too much
I am not a grammar expert either but perhaps we should refer to the one who does the action in Passive voice as an agent. I have come across one website where a lot is said in favor of Passive voice. Goodness, I am obsessed about M-dashes!
E M D A S H E S F O R L I F E!!!!
Could you do a video on how to format your novel?
With your theme of using em dashes, I have the theme of always adding commas lol
A good way that kinda works well to spot passive voice is to put "by zombies" at the end
Ex: She was hurt *by zombies*
It makes sense so it's passive voice
Ex: She was beautiful *by zombies*
It doesn't make sense
So not all sentences containing was are passive voice
Abbie will be the editor.
I finished my manuscript n Sept 2022. I enjoyed the first draft. Not so much the second. 106,000 words is a lot to digest. The task seems insurmountable. I am stuck on chapter four of twenty-six chapters. BTW this is my first novel, so I hope the process gets better for my next one.
Do you look for all of the line edit categories at the same time, or do you go through your manuscript a separate time for each category? I feel like neither option is great. Doing it separately feels like A LOT of time. But doing it all at once, I've found, makes it easier to miss things. I'm having the same issue with revisions (which I'm doing right now on my current WIP). Once I've decided what needs to be changed, do I start at the beginning and change everything as I go, or do I take one revision area and do it all the way through the manuscript, then go back to the beginning and start with the next revision area? Right now I'm trying the 'start the beginning and do it all' approach, but I keep having to loop back for additional changes. (UGH! I will never understand why so many writers love revisions more than drafting. I love the energy of writing a first draft. But revising? It feels like a slog...even when I know it's making the story 100 times better.)
P.S. Thanks for all your great content!
😭 my novel needs both structural edits AND line edits. Boohoo!
I'm having a little bit of an issue. I really want to start writing my book but I haven't finished the outline and I have like 5 things due in one class. I know I should be working on those instead of my book but the book is much more interesting 😂. I've outlined 1/3 of the book pretty well but I've barely even started the other 2/3 of it. Also, the 1/3 I have done still has some issues like the timeline, and building the actual characters, not just the overall tribe (it's a bit of a tribal story), and I have to build the actual world that the characters are in, like terrain and all that. A big problem is that the main person helping me with this book only has about 3 hours a week or less. That's not enough. The other person who is helping me, has a crazy schedule so I don't even know when he's awake.
Em-dash and semicolon obsessive writer here ✋😂
1:20 when abbie said this "FINISHED" i was like WTF😂😂
I used to have a weird thing where I capitalized EVERY first letter of EVERY word. This was in school in writing everywhere but I've gotten better though sometimes I catch myself doing it. Example: "The Quick Fox Jumped Over The Lazy Brown Dog"
I use semi colons a lot in replacement of co-ordinating conjunctions I know I arrived late.. like really late but still..
i always use em dash when writing lol!
btw what do you think about Shaelin's editing tips? they are super specific and were very helpful.
Also what about 'that' and '-ing' words? I often have to chose between the two options, but both should be avoided if possible... which one is the lesser evil? He was wearing trousers that covered his ankles / he was wearing trousers covering his ankles. which is better? (and don't give me: 'his trousers covered his ankles.' this is a hypothetical question! )
17,359 views (right now) and 6 dislikes. That's what I call impressive.
Abhigel is nominated as a new candidate for filling the upcoming vacancy in Real Time.
Editing. Hmm. My brain picks up continuity ticks as I go along (for the most part) which means I have to go back and re-write some parts if the new idea is better than my earlier stuff. I know I should be writing but having stuff that doesn’t make sense frustrates my brain. I don’t do a major work-over, but the placeholders need to be there. I’m using notes and highlights in Scrivener to make this quicker so it’s more a quick margin note if it needs a lot of work.
Could you explain a little bit more on the Hook and Inciting Incident? I'm having trouble on those.
Keep watching the series, we'll be tackling all of these!
When I search for spelling grammar problems, I use the phrase, "I read like I am stupid." I basically, read the draft as though I just learned English. This involves sounding out words as spell phonetically before saying it correctly. I long pause on comma's and other grammatical usages to see if they actually fit the prose.
All these years and I still ain't used to seeing you hold your pens and markers. How is that comfortable?