The past few weeks I have been lost in edits of my very first story ever published. When I got my rights back to Love Overcomes, I knew I wanted to freshen it up a bit and republish it. I signed a contract with Dingbat Publishing (who has my children’s books) and the editing process began again. I recall the first time I edited this book I was excited and a little terrified of the process. There were times when I felt like my voice was being lost, when things were being changed and it seemed that it was happening simply for the sake of change. It was an intimidating process to go through for the first time. However, this time around I welcomed it with open arms. While only a few changes were suggested, I found myself making more. Adding detail where once detail lacked, discovering mistakes that had gone unnoticed the first time around a few years back, and erasing one or two things which were really only filler.
I’m still learning, I think that’s essential in any career but especially when it comes to the arts. You have to be constantly soaking up new information. Evolving as an artist. With this new editor I love that she gave me information and allowed me to go in and make the changes that needed to be made. I have published three novels and had not heard of filtering in fiction. Filtering is when the writer causes a separation between the reader and the action. Instead of allowing my readers to get to experience what my character was going through I was simply telling them.
The changes that these simple changes made are incredible. The story flows better. Here are two examples taken from my edits of Love Overcomes. It’s still in the first round of edits so I’m sure there will still be plenty more changes to come but I am loving how this story is evolving.
He couldn’t shake the feeling of her in his arms, completely vulnerable.
He couldn’t shake the sensation of her in his arms, completely vulnerable.
She sighed, unsure of how she felt. He was a good friend, but things seemed to be getting so complicated.
She sighed, unsure if she wanted to look into the warm flutters she had when he was around. He was a good friend, but things seemed to be getting so complicated.
Until Kay explained what filtering was and then highlighted every time, I used a filter word such as feel I had not realized how often I used it. My manuscript was littered with it! Going through my story and making the changes myself (I have had editors that will just make the changes for you, and while I appreciate them and what they do I rather enjoyed being shown what to look for and how to make improvements on my own) taught me a lot.
Have you learned anything new lately?
Angela Schroeder
Patricia Kiyono
Elaine Cantrell
Jeff Salter
Joselyn
Tonette Joyce
Four Foxes, One Hound 
It’s true. Being an author/writer means being in a constant state of student life. We should always be learning and developing our craft. There are no experts in this art. There are only other authors and writers (editors, critiquers, proofreaders, publishers, etc.) who are learning about what is new in the world of books and reading. It’s like being an artist who paints and keeps discovering new techniques to make his art more pleasing to others. Don’t ever stop learning.
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I’m an old dog and old dogs don’t take too well to new tricks. But, yes, I’m learning and evolving. I believe I’m writing a lot “smarter” these days than I was early on. For one thing, I’m setting up the files with most of the proper formatting… rather than doing my own thing and altering the entire file later.
I don’t believe I’ve heard the term “filtering” but I am guilty of placing more distance between the reader and the characters than is necessary. And I’ve struggled with “deep” POV… which sound like a close cousin to filtering.
Glad you’re getting the chance to re-do one of your early titles. And it’s terrific to work with Kay and Gunnar at Dingbat.
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Kay and Gunnar are both top notch editors, and I’ve learned so much from both of them. And sometimes it takes another pair of eyes to discover ways in which we can express ourselves more clearly. Glad the process is going well for you!
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I’m ALWAYS learning! I edit, edit edit, even my posts, (unless I am swamped). I have had to learn that others don’t necessarily understand my meanings unless I make things more clear and spell them out, which, if not possible, tends to drag stories or ruin the flow. It’s a difficult balance, but practice helps in any endeavor.
Congratulations!
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I never get a book published that I don’t want to edit after reading the published product,
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