Amanda Hough's Blog: Writing and Editing Fiction - Posts Tagged "editing"

Hello All,
I want to share a bit about the difference between editing and proofreading.
Editing is a broad term that is used to describe a variety of services an editor can offer.

Proofreading
One type of editing for which you might hire an editor is proofreading. This is the simplest form of editing and is also typically the least expensive. Proofreading is for writers who don't need help with sentence structure or the content of the book itself, but need someone to go over the text for basic grammatical and spelling errors.
There are specific ways to proofread. I will share some strategies in an upcoming post.

Line Editing

The second type of service most editors offer is line editing, which is a little more detailed than proofreading. If your manuscript has plot holes, limited or uneven characterization, factual issues or syntactical problems, line editing is probably for you.

Shop around when you need line editing to find the best price. There are plenty of "professional editors" who will try to cheat you out of your money. The purpose of line editing is to tie together loose ends in your manuscript and to make sure that the story flows properly.

Developmental Editing

Finally, most editors offer developmental or substantive editing, which is even more detailed than line editing. This type of editing involves the rearranging, deleting, adding and rewording of entire pages and chapters.

"Read, read, read. Read everything-trash, classics, good and bad, and see how they do it. Just like a carpenter who works as an apprentice and studies the master. Read! You'll absorb it. Then write. If it is good, you'll find out. If it's not, throw it out the window." -William Faulkner
I recently read an article highlighting an author who was being interviewed by a reporter. When asked what she is currently reading, the writer’s response floored me.
“I don’t read,” she said. “Just don’t have the time. Not my thing.”
How, on Earth, can a writer not read? Reading is an apprenticeship for all writers. Reading inspires writing. Not the other way around. Would a plumber plumb without months, years of practical application through study and practice?
I read every day. I do it because I love it. Reading is a therapy, an escape and a lesson. Admittedly there are times reading is a lesson in what not to do. It is still a lesson.
How does a nonreader build a robust vocabulary? How does one create a technique to translate the fiction in your head to the screen or paper? Most of us are not born naturally gifted storytellers. We need to learn and refine our skills. We can do this by reading, writing, talking about our craft and then writing some more!
I’d love to hear what you do to get inspired. Share in the comments.

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Difference between less and fewer

I recently had an author reject my correction of the word less. I explained the correct usage, but she was adamant that she’d heard it used her way.
Writers often use the words fewer and less interchangeably, but each word has its own place in language. Consider this: Less is for objects that can’t be tallied. Fewer is for objects that can be tallied.

After we’ve worked with one another on a project, I will find fewer grammatical errors in your writing.
After we’ve worked with one another on a project, I will find less grammatical errors in your writing.

Which one is correct?

Whose and Who’s

This is really easy. Just say it in your head as you write it.
Who’s is the contraction for “who is.” Period. That is all it is.
Whose is the possessive of “who.”
Writers get confused is because they think all possessives need an apostrophe. Not true. Possessive pronouns don’t have apostrophes (mine, its, theirs, whose for example). So just learn it. Who’s zooming whom? (Yes, I know that’s not the title but has always irritated me. Whose Diet Coke is on my desk? (Mine! So back off!.)

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