Judy L Mohr | JUDY L MOHR

Editing Reality Check

Writers often spend a long time writing their stories. Eventually, they need to turn their attention to editing. However, many writers don't fully understand what editing actually entails.

In the archives of this blog, you will find an article that details the stages of editing, breaking down editing into three main categories: developmental, copyediting, and proofreading. Each stage is important for a manuscript's development, but for different reasons. Unfortunately, too many writers seem to rush through the developmental editing process, going straight to line editing. It's because many writers tend to think of editing as just the copyediting phase.

What is worse is that there are some writers out there who incorrectly believe that because they've hired an editor that their story will read beautifully and be adored by all.

It's time to face the reality regarding writing and editing.

Space… The Final Frontier…

Every time a new Star Trek movie comes out, the geek in me is getting incredibly excited. Yes, I am a BIG Star Trek fan. I won't go as far as saying that I dress up like the characters or anything, because I don't, but I love the stories, I'm in love with the characters, and I get excited with the big space battles. But more importantly, I have many fond memories that are all connected to Star Trek.

(And before anyone asks... Although I'd likely be wearing either a red shirt (original series) or a yellow shirt (TNG and later), I'd prefer to be wearing a blue shirt. The red/yellow shirt were always the first to die on away missions.)

Can’t is an evil word… It shouldn’t exist.

The word can't is a word that needs to disappear from people's vocabulary. It's an evil word, on so many levels.

But for me, the word can't is a challenge that my brain subconsciously accepts, for good or bad. If I hear the word can't, my brain goes, "Watch me!"

Most of the time, it's a good thing, because it's not about focusing on limits, but accepting that the solution on how to do something will be made up of strategies that might be a bit oddball. But everything can be done, even if we don't know how. However, there have been times when I heard that horrible little word, and I got myself into big trouble.

"You can't get lost." And it wasn't just a 2-hours drive in the wrong direction. I totaled the boss's car.