Unnecessary Words

Editing cuts down sentences to get to the point quickly. An essential edit includes keeping an eye out for words such as Just, So, and That. These words can often be removed without changing the meaning of the sentence.

Example: “It was just the same as yesterday”

Edited: “It was the same as yesterday.”

Vague Words

Words can be deceiving. Vague terms such as Slightly, Almost, Average, and A Bit will be interpreted differently by different readers. Essential edits include crafting a sentence so it is more specific (without being wordy).

Example: “We were a bit late.”

Edited: “We were 15 minutes late.”

Adverbs

Adverbs are words that describe verbs, adjectives, and other adverbs. They tend to end in -ly and function to prop up weak words. Essential edits require using strong verbs to show action or emotion will engage readers.

Example: “She ran quickly.”

Edited: “She sprinted.”

Over-Describing

Over-describing actions creates pleonasms or subtle redundancies. You can’t shrug anything except your shoulders, and you wouldn’t blink anything except your eyes. Give the reader a little credit for understanding how the world works. 

Example: “She gripped the doorknob with her hand.”

Edited: “She gripped the doorknob.”

Passive Voice

Passive voice occurs when the object being acted upon becomes the focus of the sentence. Look for Was and Were before a verb and a By after. Unless done purposefully, rework these sentences to be direct with your action. 

Example: “The balloon was popped by Sharon.”

Edited: “Sharon popped the balloon.”

Dialogue Tags

When writers choose dialogue tags, they tend to get creative to avoid being boring or redundant. People don’t growl, yawn, or cry things. Stick mainly to Said and Asked. Use action to add emphasis and description.

Example: “I hate you,” she growled at him.

Edited: “I hate you,” she said, her face scowling.

Clichés

When the same word, phrase, or situation is used again and again, it becomes cliché. Avoid everything from true loves literally bumping into one another to phrases like “in the nick of time.” Create your own original descriptions instead.

Example: “He got away like a thief in the night.”

Edited: “He made an easy escape.”

Punctuation

It’s okay if you don’t get every comma in the right place, but you should at least have the basics (periods, question marks, quotation marks) down. Be consistent and review some general rules before you edit. Make this level your last round of editing.

Example: “How did you do that”.

Edited: “How did you do that?”

Extra Hints & Tips

Most people don’t benefit from editing as they go. Take some time away from your work—a day, a month, however long—then start editing. Try changing the font of your manuscript. Looking at the text in a new way will help you catch typos, repeated words, and more. You can also read aloud. If you trip over a sentence or need to take a breath in the middle of one, you might need to revise it. Finally, don’t be afraid to use editing programs, but don’t accept all changes without reviewing first. You CAN edit your work and these eight aspects are sure to tighten up your wording and make your prose shine.

Jeanette the Writer is a freelance editor and writer based in Dallas, TX. When not at the computer, you can find her crafting, teaching a scuba diving class, or posting pictures of her cats on Instagram. Visit JeanettetheWriter.com for more info and sign up for her newsletter at Jeanettethewriter.ck.page.

The post Eight Essential Edits for Your Novel appeared first on DIY MFA.

Most traditional MFA programs have a literature component built into the curriculum. So too does DIY MFA. The only difference between the way MFA programs approach literature study and the way we do it at DIY MFA is that you get to choose the books you read. That said, there is a method to reading in DIY MFA, a method that allows you to get the most out of your reading. Sure, you can lie on the beach and read but literature study has to be a little more structured.

Remember: Read like a writer.

Why read like a writer?

Reading for pleasure is great, but if you want to be a writer, you need to read like a writer. This means you don’t read just to find out what happens next in the story. You read in order to figure out what the writer is doing and how she achieves a particular effect so that you can recreate something similar in your own writing.

Creative Practical Reading (AKA CPR) focuses on reading for the basics first, then moving on to higher level questions and issues. In medicine, CPR is all about making sure the injured person has a pulse and is breathing first. You worry about other problems like scrapes and bruises later. The same is true in Creative Practical Reading, where we look at the fundamentals of a piece of writing first, turning to higher-order aspects of it later.

Note: If you want some help figuring out which books to read like a writer, please check out this link: The Essential Reading List, which will help you put together your own custom-made DIY MFA reading list.

Read like a Collector

As readers, we approach a piece by collecting information and figuring out what the author is saying. When you’re reading a textbook, highlighter in hand, trying to gather and understand as much information as possible, that’s collector mode.

Think like a reporter and ask those basic W questions: who, what, when, where. Don’t worry about why or how just yet, though.

• What is the author saying?
• What point is the author making in the piece?
• What is the tone or “attitude” of the piece?

Read like a Philosopher

This is the type of critical reading we learn in high school when we analyze Shakespeare and try to determine the meaning, the why of the piece. We put on the philosopher hat in order to interpret a piece of writing, to figure out why the author wrote it and what it means.

I remember being a teenager and wondering: “How do we really know what Shakespeare meant? I mean, he’s been dead for hundreds of years!” We’d have these loooong discussions in English class, trying to get at the heart of what a piece of writing meant, but it all felt futile. The truth is, we can’t know with 100% certainty what an author means by something unless we have the benefit of being able to ask him or her. The best we can do at the Philosopher level is infer meaning from the words on the page. Because words on the page is all we have to go on. Or is it?

Once you’ve got a handle on the basic information, you can move into a more philosophical mode and start interpreting the piece. This is when you start asking why.

• Why is the author writing this piece?
• What does the author mean when he or she says [fill in the blank]?
• What is it making me feel and why is it making me respond that way?

Read like a Revolutionary!

This brings us to the level that turns the other two on their heads. Most of the time, readers get stuck in Collector or Philosopher mode, but it’s only when we put on the Revolutionary hat that we start reading like a writer.

When you read like a revolutionary, you don’t stop at what or why, you also focus on the how. You look at a piece of writing and ask “How did the author DO that?” which is just a half-breath away from asking “How can I do it too?”

Reading like a Revolutionary (in other words, reading like a writer) means understanding that every author has an agenda, that every piece of writing has a purpose. Once we begin reading with an eye toward that purpose, we will see how writers shape and craft their words to accomplish what they want for the piece. We start seeing writing not just as a form of communication or a record of information, but as a method of manipulation.

As we read like a Revolutionary, we will notice that the author is trying to make us respond in a certain way. The minute we notice this, we can make a conscious decision whether we will allow ourselves to play along. It is only in being aware of how a writer is crafting a work that we can form our own thoughts and opinions without getting pulled into that web.

Now, don’t get me wrong: most writing is not quite that sinister. I use words like “manipulate” and “agenda” not so much because I think writers have dark ulterior motives and are trying to brainwash their readers but because I want readers to be aware that there is more to a piece of writing than just the words on the page. Even in the most innocuous writing, there is a point where we need to look at how the author is crafting the piece. For example, if you’re reading a suspenseful thriller, you can certainly let yourself get carried off by the excitement of the story. Or you can look at how the author is creating the suspense and making you keep turning page after page.

Think about your response to the piece and try to determine the following:

• How does the author get you to respond in this way?
• What techniques does he or she use? What works and what doesn’t?
• How can you apply some of these techniques to your own writing?

Do you have to read like a Revolutionary all the time?

In a word, no. In fact, I tend to find it exhausting to read that way for more than a few paragraphs or pages. After all, sometimes you just want to get swept away by a good story. And that’s perfectly fine.

When do I read like a Revolutionary?

I most definitely read that way whenever I am approaching a piece that is overtly opinionated (anything from the news or about current events). I also read this way when I’m struggling with some aspect of my own writing and I want to understand how another author accomplished the thing I’m trying to do in my own work. And sometimes, when I’m reading for pleasure, I’ll put on the revolutionary hat when something in the writing catches me by surprise. It’s in moments like those that I most want to know how the author managed to pull off that sleight-of-hand trick that I totally didn’t see coming. That’s when I go back and reread portions of a book the book to see if I can spot hints of how the trick is done.

Because if I figure out how the author pulled off that trick, that can only mean one thing: someday I’ll be able to do it too. And that is the real reason I want to read like a writer.

The post How to Read like a Writer appeared first on DIY MFA.

I learned this concept from a professor in my MFA program who told us on the first day of class: “If you can’t get past  page 10 of a book, put it away.  Life’s too short and there are too many great books to read for you to spend time struggling through a book that doesn’t resonate with you.”  Unlike in a traditional MFA where your professors select which books you must read, in DIY MFA, you don’t have to fight your way through a book that doesn’t interest you.

Why?  Because you get to set the reading list.

Reading is a central component to DIY MFA.  If you don’t read, you won’t know what books are out there and how your own book fits within the body of literature.  Reading gives your work context, allowing you to learn from writers who came before helping you figure out what makes your book unique.  A writer who doesn’t read is working in a vacuum.  That said, one of the first things you need to do in the literature study component of DIY MFA is create a reading list and commit to reading the books on it in a timely fashion.

Four Essential Types of Books

There are four types of books that should go on your list.  Two of the categories revolve around and will help inform your current writing project, while the other two categories are broader and reach beyond your work-in-progress (WIP).

1) Competitive Books

In this category are books that will be your WIP’s closest competition.  The goal in reading books in this category is to know what’s out there and figure out how your WIP can stand out.

2) Contextual Books

This category contains books that are similar in theme as your WIP but not necessarily in the same genre or age group.  The books in this category might not necessarily impact your WIP directly, but they should help inform your writing and expand your vision.  This is also where you put any books of research you need to read for your WIP.

3) Contemporary Books

This category fluctuates more than any other because there’s always something new out in your chosen genre that will rush to the top of your To Be Read list.  The point here is to be aware of what’s new in your genre and read a selection so that you know what’s out there and where the genre is going.  Not sure where to start looking?  Go to a library or bookstore and ask: What’s new?  What’s selling?

4) Classics

This category is different for each reader.  Personally, I like to focus on short fiction because it allows me to get a taste of a writer’s style without committing to a long book.  Also, I love reading short fiction because you get the whole story at a glance.  It’s a great way to study story structure and character development.

Why This Reading List Works

As you can probably already tell, there’s a lot of overlap between the four categories, and that’s OK.  The point is, in order to maximize your productivity don’t just read books at random, choose books that serve a concrete function for your goals.  After all, the best way to learn to write is by reading.  The thing is, to really get the most out of your reading, you have to be strategic about it.

It’s also important to reevaluate your list every few months, adjusting it as your writing projects develop and grow.  I like to update my list every three months, that way it gives me enough time to make actual progress in my reading, but isn’t such a long stretch that I end up reading books that don’t serve my current project.  How frequently you update your reading list is up to you, just remember that you’re not carving this in stone and it’s OK to change things around.

Suggested Reading

As a special bonus, here is a list of books we recommend to help get you started:

• Ordinary Genius by Kim Addonizio
• Save the Cat! by Blake Snyder
• The Elements of Style by William Strunk Jr. and E. B. White (Illustrations by Maira Kalman)
• Now Write! edited by Sherry Ellis
• The 3AM Epiphany by Brian Kiteley
• The 4AM Breakthrough by Brian Kiteley
• The Art of War for Writers by James Scott Bell
• Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott
• The Art of the Short Story edited by Gioia & Gwynn

Create Your Essential Reading List

You can snag a helpful reading list worksheet in the DIY MFA Starter Kit that will help you organize all these wonderful books you want to read. Once you’ve created your reading list, you’ll want to set a reading schedule. Maybe you can get through a book or more per week.  That’s great!  Or maybe one-two books a month is more your pace.  That’s fine too. 

If you’re into gadgets, use the Evernote app to make notes on each book. (You can even synch your notes between your computer and various devices.) Open a profile on Goodreads. Choose a method that works for you. Just be realistic as to how quickly you can get through these books; set a reasonable goal and stick to it.  Check books off the list as you read them and in a couple of months, go back to your list, evaluate your progress and update it if necessary.

Once you’ve done all that, there’s only one thing left for you to do: start reading.

The post Essential Reading List: Must-Read Books for Your Writing Library appeared first on DIY MFA.

In today’s episode, I’ll go over three key steps to help you read with purpose. These steps are: building a reading list, reading with a writer’s eye, and responding to (and remembering) what you read.

Listen in for the details.

Choose your books and build a reading list.

When you read with purpose, you need to be strategic about the books you choose. Build a reading list that will help you grow as a writer, with books that are targeted to help you develop your work in progress. There are four main categories of books that should go on your “To Be Read” (TBR) list.

1. Competitive: These are books that directly compete with what you are currently writing. Reading these books will help you answer several questions. Who is publishing books like yours? Who is agenting books like yours? Who is reading books like yours? Where would your book live “on the shelf”?
2. Contextual: These books are part of your background research. They have similar themes as your work in progress (WIP), but are not direct competitors.
3. Contemporary: These are books that are very new. They don’t need to be on the same topic as your work in progress, but they should have been published in the past 1-2 years. These books can be in any genre, though you’ll want to be especially well-versed in the contemporaries in the same category as your WIP. Why read contemporary books? Because you need to know what’s current and what books are getting a lot of buzz.
4. Classics: This category covers any classic books in your genre or category. (Since literature changes so quickly, I consider anything written before the year 2000 a classic. Depending on your genre, the cut-off for a classic in your field might be earlier or later than 2000.) When reading classics, ask yourself: What has given these books their “staying power”? Why have they lasted as classics while other books fizzled out? What can you learn from these books?

Keep your reading list goal reasonable. 15-20 books a year is a good target, but choose a number that works for you. Shoot for a number that motivates you to keep reading but doesn’t overwhelm you.

You can use ReadingList to stay organized.

Read like a writer

The best advice I can give you here is to share two books that have had a huge impact on my  reading and growth as a writer. These books are:

Reading Like a Writer
by Francine Prose

Ordinary Genius: A Guide for the Poet Within
by Kim Addonizio

Respond to what you read

Take in what you read, think it through, and then take some time to respond in a way that works for you. As a writer, chances are you’re used to “thinking on paper” so a written response can be a great way to review and understand what you read. Maybe you write a review on Goodreads. Maybe you keep notes in a journal. How you respond is up to you. Use a method that will help you to process what you have read and remember the important details later on.

Remember, the best practice is the one that works for you.

Link to Episode 11

(Right-click to download.)

If you liked this episode…

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Until next week, keep writing and keep being awesome.

The post Episode 11: Life is Short, Read with Purpose appeared first on DIY MFA.