Six Easy Tips for Self-Editing Your Fiction
This article is a must read — my blog post, not so much…
Six Easy Tips for Self-Editing Your Fiction.
Oh my goodness! I wish I had this article when I started writing about a year ago. Hell, I wish I found this article last week. I recently re-read my first fic and it is chock full of these types of things (I’ll chalk it up to rookie mistakes). Even my second, third, and fourth fics are wrought with over inflated prose (I’m so embarrassed, not really. I’m proud to say that I’ve matured as a writer).
Lately, I’ve been spending a lot of time reading contest entries, and boy oh boy have most of them been afflicted with “Purple Prose.” The condition is so prevalent that I found myself yawning through juicy lemons and supposedly emotional scenes. I read one this morning where the character’s dialogue ended with an exclamation point, yet the dialogue tag said it was a whisper.*rolls eyes and groans* Okay, that’s not an example of “Purple Prose,” but that, unfortunately not uncommon, error is addressed in the post I’m sharing.
Many fanfiction authors that I’ve been reading lately happen to be relatively new to the game, so I’ll give them a pass and pass along some tips. Every day there is a new member to this dynamic fandom world; let’s put out our best work and strive to improve as individuals and as a collective. Don’t take for granted why you have a new reader. What I tell people who ask me to critique their work is that I expect them to reintroduce me to my favorite characters. Help me understand the author’s vision of them. I want to feel what they feel, not be fluffed to nauseating levels. I want the fics I read to stay with me for a long time after I click on the last page. I would love to write something that has that same effect on the reader.
I admit that I have high standards for how I spend my time, which is why I stick to my tried and true authors, but I do believe in giving the new guy a shot. Sure, I might end up being the most hated woman around after this post, but if I’ve given you something to think about, then I’ve achieved my goal.
Be breezy — Daph
My Passion's Pen 