The Moving Word

Sharing my life as a writer, bookworm, & Fibromyalgia sufferer

Archive for the category “Editing”

18 Feb 2012

First Paragraphs as Storytellers

We are at the library roaming through the stacks or browsing the new releases in the local bookstore and we come across a book with an interesting title or cover and we pick it up. Opening the book to the first page, we read the opening paragraph and decide whether we want to read it or not.

As writers, we need to consider our books from a marketing standpoint. What are we selling? Why should the consumer care?

When someone reads our first paragraph, what are we telling them? What have we promised? What hints have we given them? Are we being honest with them? Is what we are promising going to continue throughout the book?

Finding The Right Word…

“The difference between the almost right word & the right word is really a large matter–it’s the difference between the lightning bug and the lightning” [Mark Twain].

Posted by Richard Mansel in Editing, Quotes, Writing and tagged editing, mark twain, words, Writing

14 Jan 2012

7 Comments

Writing Fiction is Easy and Very Difficult

Putting pen to paper and describing the scene in our head is easy. Stringing dialogue based on the way we speak is not challenging. However, forming everything together into a cohesive, compelling novel that publishers will consider publishing is quite a different matter, indeed.

Countless people aspire to write fiction and dream of accolades and glory. Friends and family read their offerings and praise their efforts. They start building houses in their head and plan the outfits they will wear to book signings.

Confident in their mastery, they send their masterpiece to someone knowledgeable about writing and hear that their manuscript is filled with mistakes and inconsistencies. They either become angry, crushed or ambivalent about the advice.

Why does this happen? Because writing fiction is easy and very difficult at the same time and the sooner we realize this, the better. Anyone can tell a story but doing so at the highest level takes an incredible amount of work.

Hate to be Edited?

“No author dislikes to be edited as much as he dislikes not to be published.” -Russell Lynes

Posted by Richard Mansel in Editing, Writing and tagged editing, publshed, Writing

22 Sep 2011

Editing Cleans Up the Garden

“One shortcoming of so many writers today is that they do not take pains; they do not recast their flawed sentences; they do not edit their copy for the sense of it; and they wind up with what I have come to call mangles and dangles.” (James J. Kilpatrick)

We must always pore over our writing to remove every weed so it can be a beautiful and clean garden. It may not be the greatest writing the world has ever seen, but it can be presentable and neat.

We should never send it out to be judged by the world without taking great pains to make the final product the best it can be. Showing respect for our writing and our audience will transform both of them to a better, brighter place and keep them coming back to our garden.

Our gentle readers deserve the best we can possibly provide because their time and attention are limited. Earning their appreciation is infinitely better than earning a byline.

Posted by Richard Mansel in Editing, Writing and tagged audience, editing, garden, Writing | Leave a Comment

09 Mar 2011

1 Comment

For the Love of Writing

I am one of those people for whom writing is not optional. The urge is within me and it has its own mind, body and force of will. Holding it back would be akin to wielding a spoon against a flood. It will flow whether it has a voice or not because it is relentless and resilient.

I know how that sounds. Who would want a raging river in their heads, seeking an open door? It is not evil like the voices in the head of the disheveled lunatic raging at aliens. On the contrary, it is the daily reality of any truly artistic person.

It is said, “A writer writes.” This is true of artists and musicians because the art form is in every cell of their being and they have no choice but to express it. We control what we will do with the art form, but not whether it will pound on the door.

Posted by Richard Mansel in Editing, Fiction, Writing and tagged love, passion, Writer, Writing

17 Sep 2010

Grammar Tips 9/17/10

We need to sharpen our grammar skills, so here are tips and links.

A Guide to Semicolons

Grammar Girl

Several Grammar Tips

English Grammar Exercises

English Grammar and Reference

English Grammar Lessons

Tutorials

English Guide

Study English Grammar

Grammar Slammer

Daily Grammar

Daily English Grammar Tips

Five Errors That Make You Look Dumb

Grammar Errors

Posted by Richard Mansel in Editing, Grammar and tagged grammar tips, Writing | Leave a Comment

12 Sep 2010

2 Comments

Editing Practice 9/13/10

This is a short blog post that I came across. Your assignment is to take this horrible, nonsensical writing and shape it into a piece that people can read without cringing and laughing. Re-write it in the comments and together, we will save this disaster. Thanks for participating!

“Selena Gomez is a great singer and a great danser but I don’t think that she must be compared with Lady Gaga.Selena Gomez is a much beautiful girl but Laday Gaga has a bigger succes.I like Selena Gomez and I want to have her own style.While she was filming her commercial for Dream Out Loud, Selena Gomez launches into a small interpretation of Alejandro, the latest single from Lady Gaga!Selena Gomez is very talentated.

After many praises Justin Bieber, Selena Gomez was declared to be a fan of Katy Perry and Lady GaGa, and to walk the speech, it outlines some of the choreographed movements of the clip “Alejandro”. It’s still nice to see that Selena Gomez is able to say lots of nice things about her friends stars! Selena Gomez is a nice person and I think that Selena Gomez proved that many times.

Personally, I find it pretty good hummed! So to summarize, Selena Gomez is full of resources, since it can sing Lady gaga while doing makeup, but it is also full of advice for a first dating! Note also that she seems very happy with the song that Katy Perry has written for the album, Katy Perry says she be her “rock goddess”! Really nice that Selena Gomez, right?I like Selena Gomez very much.”

Posted by Richard Mansel in Editing, Writing and tagged editing, editing practice, editor

09 Sep 2010

Writer’s Thoughts 9/9/10

Tips, Links, Quotes to Spur the Writer Into Action

“Planning to write is not writing. Outlining, researching, talking to people about what you’re doing, none of that is writing. Writing is writing” [E.L. Doctorow].

“Please don’t start your submissions letter by telling me how much I’ll love your book. Let your book do the selling” [Laura Anne Gilman].

How to Structure Your Short Story

Write Short, Sharp Blog Posts

Is Writer’s Block a Myth?

Is Show Don’t Tell a Myth?

Thoughts on Story Titles

Are We an Author or a Writer?

Ten Commandments of Fiction Writing

Five Tips to Polish Your Fiction

How to Write Intriguing Male and Female Characters

The Nighttime Novelist

“If you read good books, when you write, good books will come out of you” {Natalie Goldberg].