Editing your work | Sharon C. Williams-Author

I always figured the hard part of being one was writing the book. I soon found out writing the book was one of the easiest parts of the journey.

Revising is a big part of getting one’s book in the best shape possible. If you don’t have all the ducks in a row, the novel may not go very far.

But how many revisions and editing is too much? Can you go overboard and make it worse?

I get the fact that we want it as perfect as we can make it. But revision can take up a lot of one’s time. If you are fortunate to be part of a critique group or beta group, that can help you shave off some of that precious time.

But there comes a point when you have to say enough is enough. I’ve done all I can do and move that manuscript forever. That is not easy to do. We want it to fly as well as possible. It may even come to a point where we become obsessive in our revisions and editing. I have been there a few times. It is not fun. LOL

But at the end of the day, we need to step back and evaluate how close we to being done, are we just tired of it all and let move on or realize that you have done all one can without ruining your story. Only you can decide when you are ready. Let’s hope you don’t keep your fans waiting so long they move on.

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As your grow in your writing you learn tricks of the trade. These are invaluable for they help save you time and also improve your manuscript. Than there are the tips you might hear about from other writers when they share what they have heard used.

When someone said that they read their works backup my head immediately looked up to turn to look at her. This was at my critique group. I was surprised. I was even more surprised when I saw some of the other members nod their head.

What the heck? Read your manuscript backwards? According to them when you read your manuscript forwards your mind tricks you into believing you have read every word but what happens is your mind skims over words especially if you have read your WIP to heck and back. When you read backwards your mind is not able to do this as readily because after all who reads a book backwards. By doing so you catch errors that might have been missed and errors that were big that could have made your manuscript tank.

Reading online about this shortly after the meeting I found out this was an actual thing. It is not something I had done at this point. Yes I have read a page or two but nothing significant. I keep telling myself I will do it. If it is another tool to make your work pop I need to make an honest effort to try it for myself. Thank goodness my children series are not so long. But oh man when and if I do the novels that are in the 50k. It will take me convincing myself a lot to give this a go.

The Musings of A New Englander