Thanks Helen - Douglas
Cornerstones Director Helen Bryant tells us what a ‘typical’ day is like as a Literary Consultant.
6 a.m. Wake up with a relaxing cup of tea in bed, listen to Radio 4 before the kids wake up. 7.15 a.m. Mad dash as the rest of the family get ready for school; feed dogs and cats ... and read more in link.
Self editing
- Know that it’s worth it. Self-editing is one of the best things you can do for your writing.
- Take your time. It’s often the time you spend away from a manuscript – rather than the long hours you spend in its company! – that make the most difference.
- Know your story. Not necessarily the same as knowing the manuscript you’ve written. What is the story that you really wanted to tell?
- Plan your structure. There are many methods of doing this but most of them are saying roughly the same thing. A story needs an internal structure to give it shape and momentum.
- Question your characters. Do you know them inside out? Does each one have a distinct role and personality/voice? Does your hero have a goal? Does he/she change and develop over the course of the book?
- Be ruthless about your style. Have you only included a description because it sounded lovely, or used too many words to describe something simple? Is your style getting in the way of your story?
- Ask for feedback. No matter how objective you become, there’s nothing quite like getting an outside opinion to help you see your story anew.
- Don’t panic! Getting feedback and embarking on another redraft can be daunting. But all authors have to do it. Approaching it with dedication and determination marks you out as a professional.
- Get the basics right. Spelling, punctuation and grammar are important. You have no excuse for getting these wrong.
- Take pride in your work. Present it professionally.
- Proofread carefully.
If you’ve done all of the above then you can be proud of what you’ve produced. You’ve put love and care into your book, and readers should love it too.
No comments:
Post a Comment