I competed the challenge of writing 50,000 words of a novel in a month (nanowrimo.org)
Yeah me...I think...why doesn't it feel like I've succeeded at something?
Ever since I've had writers hangover
I look back at what I've written and see 200 pages of editing and re-writing and the further 40,000 words I still need to write to complete the book
To get myself motivated I've set up Pinterest boards that I have open on one of my screens while I write
I have a couple related to the book, 'Solomon's Secrets', but I also have one that's just writing tips and help for writers: http://www.pinterest.com/amymorse184/writing/
A month of free-flow writing has left me with so much editing to do that I've been gathering tips.
Here's my Top 20 Tips for Editing Your Work:
- Delete the unnecessary adverbs
- Is at least 50% of the book Dialogue?
- Lose 10% - be ruthless
- Are all the characters necessary?
- Reduce the adjectives
- Show don't tell
- Multi-sensory; does the scene appeal to all the senses?
- Have you kept points of view consistent?
- Cut up long sentences
- Are there any holes in the plot?
- Are the characters believable?
- Does each character have a distinctive voice?
- Have you done your research?
- Is there enough conflict?
- Check spelling - using more than just the spell checker
- Get at least two other people to read through and edit your work
- Are sentences logical? too many 'as', 'and' & 'thens' can have characters doing everything at once
- Less is more - cut unnecessary words from sentences
- Read it out loud, anything that doesn't flow will jar and be immediately obvious
- Always use 'said' as a conversation tag
