I've noticed when I rewrite a page of my work (I often do this as I hate mistakes/marks on my work etc) I sometimes will add/take away sentences/words. Does anyone else do this and can it in fact make my work worse?
I've noticed when I rewrite a page of my work (I often do this as I hate mistakes/marks on my work etc) I sometimes will add/take away sentences/words. Does anyone else do this and can it in fact make my work worse?
As long as the end result works it's not really an issue how you get there. I write my first draft (warts and all!) then hit my second draft where I analyse each sentence individually and then I go with my third draft (getting the paragrahs sorted) until I'm happy with the piece overall. Then I read it aloud to hear if it flows.
I do edit blatant errors as I go, but thorough edits are very time consuming. Besides you may waste time editing text that might not survive the final cut.
I have an editing checklist. from which I pick a task or more to do at a time. As you can see from my basic list, there is much involved in the editing process.
Editing Checklist
1) Plot – Check the landmark events throughout my novel.
2) Storyine - Check for weaknesses, repetition and 'shoes and socks'
problems.
3) Characters - Their function and actions. Eg. Are they always acting in character.
4) Sign-Posting - Have I Indicated to the reader where there next part of my story is leading.
5) Topic Sentences - Do my leading paragraphs have topic sentences to indicate to the reader what the next section is about.
6) Chapter Titles - are my chapter titles suitable.
7) Chapters - Do my chapters build to a dramatic landmark and end with a cliffhanger, or a Hook.
8) Dialogue - Does it make sense when spoken aloud.
9) Streams of Thought – Do they make sense when spoken aloud.
10) Descriptions - Are they vivid and not too long. Do I have something vivid on every page.
11) Settings - Do my Settings have a strong purpose. Are they generally motivated.
12) Prose - Does my prose flow. Does it have pace.
13) Have I kept my sentences as short as possible.
14) Fix clunky sentences.
15) Cutting superfluous text - Every-Word-Must-Earn-Its-Keep.
16) Grammar.
17) Punctuation.
18) Show not Tell. Did I narrate instead of Show.
Readers are free to copy my checklist.
This happens to me as well