 Noticing Newbies: November 08, 2006 Issue [#1365] |
  Noticing Newbies
This week: Edited by: Puditat  
More Newsletters By This Editor 
1. About this Newsletter
2. A Word from our Sponsor
3. Letter from the Editor
4. Editor's Picks
5. A Word from Writing.Com
6. Ask & Answer
7. Removal instructions
 Welcome to the Noticing Newbies Newsletter!
Our goal is to showcase some of our newest Writing.Com Authors and their items. From poetry and stories to creative polls and interactives, we'll bring you a wide variety of items to enjoy. We will also feature "how to" advice and items that will help to jump start the creation process on Writing.com
We hope all members of the site will take the time to read, rate, review and welcome our new authors. By introducing ourselves, reviewing items and reaching out, we will not only make them feel at home within our community, we just might make new friends! 
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Editing Tips
First we research ideas, create characters, develop plots, and run through literally dozens of details for a proposed story, poem or article. Sometimes this is fluid, ideas run over top of themselves faster than you can record them. Other times it may develop over days, weeks, or even years. Then we write.
Writing is what we live for. It is exciting, allowing our minds the freedom to roam in whatever direction it wishes. It excites our creative tendencies, and as we see the unfolding of our minds upon a page, there can rise a satisfaction unequaled.
Great! You have just created a poem whose imagery was sifting around your mind all the while you placed groceries in your shopping trolley. Or the efforts of day after day of writing has produced a novel. Some may feel the job is done, the words have materialised and the next project is crowding at the forefront of your mind. In reality, the 'completed' item is far from finished. Oh, yes. There's that oft-dreaded step we writers call, the edit!
Really, we should not look with distaste on the editing step, but as the spit and polish on our leather boots, or the final buff of a diamond solitaire. Editing makes our story shine.
Editing needs to focus on many things, including:
 Grammar and punctuation
Consistency of characters
No issues which are left unresolved at the end
Clarity of sentence meaning, variation of sentence length and style
Dialogue - right amount used, character's voice, formatted correctly
Correct point of view
For poetry some specialised things to check: structure, rhythm, syllable count, correct comformity to a poetry form if one was used, line length, flow, imagery, etc
I could go on, but in short -- all those things you consider when developing your project and then writing it need to be checked and fixed. There will be things to change.
So we start off this exciting phase in the life of your story or poem. We all know that no matter how many times we read something, we miss stuff. So here are a few tips which might help.
 Leave time between writing the final word and beginning your edit. Fresher eyes and a distanced thought-process will allow you to see flaws objectively.
 Avoid distractions during this process. You need to read every word on the page and not let your brain assume it knows what is there.
 If you normally edit on screen, then print out the pages and do it with a pen in hand. Red is the traditional colour for a reason - it's easy to spot when transferring corrections to the computer. Whatever colour you choose, make it one easy to spot and read. I recommend doing both types of edits -- on-screen and then on paper.
 Be consistent with changes. If you decide to make a late change of a character's name, or decide the location needs trees where it previously had none, then these changes need to be included throughout.
 Find a trusted person or persons to read and comment for you. If using a family member be very wary of their "it's great" comments. Look for helpful clues, e.g. 'Why did 'x' do that?' or 'I read this sentence three times before I got it'.
I suggest finding a willing reader in the age group your item is targeted to. If it is a young adult novel, find a teen to read and give feedback. They will soon let you know if it's appropriate for their age-group. Questions such as 'What is a transistor?' would alert you to an inappropriate choice of words. 
Submit your item to a review group or the 'Request Review' page. Carefully consider the variety of comments you will receive. Use them to strengthen and refine.
Edit your edits. Once you've done a complete first edit, there is the potential for your first edits to have created problems. Maybe that single word change created incorrect grammar or unintentionally altered the meaning.
Complete a final spell check.
Best wishes for all those projects. I can hear you all scratching around for those buried red pens. 
Thanks for reading.
Puditat
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Because time and energy is against me today, today's reads are a feast of poetry. Enjoy.
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Have an opinion on what you've read here today? Then send the Editor feedback! Find an item that you think would be perfect for showcasing here? Submit it for consideration in the newsletter!
https://www.Writing.Com/go/nl_form
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I have a question regarding copyrighting. I am an aspiring writer. I have written several short stories and I'm working on something longer now. How do I go about copyrighting my work or do I even need to?
Thanks,
J.M. Powers
johnmpowers
 Items posted on Writing.com are automatically copyrighted. In an item, right at the bottom you will see the copyright line with the 'name' of the author. When submitting items to publishers they generally consider it a novice action and can sometimes damage your chances of publication. An honourable editor, and most are, would never consider stealing anyone's writing. The advice of an agent or publisher could be helpful for particular instances.
Hello. Great newsletter!
I think I just found a new way to keep writer's block away! Virtual Dice! I'm so going to have to try it out.
Have a great weekend.
ElizabethHayes-DaughterofIAM 
Thank you for your kind feedback. I hope virtual dice have provided you some fun as well as useful inspiration.
Dear Puditat,
Could it not be used to select randomly a writing of one of the community's members, which would be posted on the homepage, changing once a week, for instance?
Thank you,
Alec Numa
alexnuma
In theory, yes, it could be. Our wonderful The StoryMaster  and The StoryMistress  already use a random process for featuring writing on the main page of Writing.com. The features change far more frequently, so many people have a shot at being highlighted.
Noticing Newbies is most interesting as it guides every youth writer in to moderator style, hence we need more to more newbies in coming future.
SHIVA
Thank you for the feedback.
Any queries, problems, praise, or advice?
Send it to one of the Editors via the feedback form on this newsletter,
or direct to their email by clicking the wee envelope after their handle.
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