http://magicalwords.net/david-b-coe/trusting-your-reader-the-writer-and-the-reader-part-i/ Writing tips and publishing advice for aspiring novelists. Wed, 10 Mar 2010 20:49:07 +0000 hourly 1 http://magicalwords.net/david-b-coe/trusting-your-reader-the-writer-and-the-reader-part-i/#comment-4358 DavidBCoe Thu, 11 Jun 2009 16:39:08 +0000 http://magicalwords.net/?p=795#comment-4358 Good points, Jim. Thanks for the comment. I think the laziness thing is the toughest for me. And cutting 30 words per page! Wow! That is a lot and hard work. Good luck with it. Good points, Jim. Thanks for the comment. I think the laziness thing is the toughest for me. And cutting 30 words per page! Wow! That is a lot and hard work. Good luck with it.

]]> http://magicalwords.net/david-b-coe/trusting-your-reader-the-writer-and-the-reader-part-i/#comment-4344 Jim Duncan Thu, 11 Jun 2009 04:12:53 +0000 http://magicalwords.net/?p=795#comment-4344 for folks learning to edit, those vague words are one of the easier things to focus on to tighten up writing. I slip into them often. However and though are faves of mine. If the word or words serve no purpose, why have them? Easier said than done of course, but I'm finding as I start to edit my fantasy, things are standing out (it's been months since I really looked at it). Time is also a good editor. One of the least appreciated by writers I think. I'm editing this round with one goal: cut 30 words per page. I want to get from 110k down to 100k. I know this story has some lazy writing in it. It needs tightening, so there it is. Only thirty words. Sounds easy. Some pages it is, and others it's hard. Worth it though. As for trusting the reader, I really try hard these days to believe the reader is smart, and is not only able to figure things out, but really wants to as well. I think readers like a bit of that 'filling it in' effect. Not everything needs description. for folks learning to edit, those vague words are one of the easier things to focus on to tighten up writing. I slip into them often. However and though are faves of mine. If the word or words serve no purpose, why have them? Easier said than done of course, but I’m finding as I start to edit my fantasy, things are standing out (it’s been months since I really looked at it). Time is also a good editor. One of the least appreciated by writers I think. I’m editing this round with one goal: cut 30 words per page. I want to get from 110k down to 100k. I know this story has some lazy writing in it. It needs tightening, so there it is. Only thirty words. Sounds easy. Some pages it is, and others it’s hard. Worth it though. As for trusting the reader, I really try hard these days to believe the reader is smart, and is not only able to figure things out, but really wants to as well. I think readers like a bit of that ‘filling it in’ effect. Not everything needs description.

]]> http://magicalwords.net/david-b-coe/trusting-your-reader-the-writer-and-the-reader-part-i/#comment-4302 DavidBCoe Tue, 09 Jun 2009 16:08:39 +0000 http://magicalwords.net/?p=795#comment-4302 Thanks as always for the comment, Daniel. There are definitely things that I do when I'm writing that I'm not entirely aware of until I go back over the manuscript for revisions. To this day I still have "Trust" issues, which is not to say that you will, too, but editing ourselves as we go is not an easy thing to do. It sounds though as if you do a nice job of editing yourself in revisions, and that's a terrific skill to have. Thanks as always for the comment, Daniel. There are definitely things that I do when I’m writing that I’m not entirely aware of until I go back over the manuscript for revisions. To this day I still have “Trust” issues, which is not to say that you will, too, but editing ourselves as we go is not an easy thing to do. It sounds though as if you do a nice job of editing yourself in revisions, and that’s a terrific skill to have.

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