5 Worst Editing Mistakes (Writing Advice)
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- Опубліковано 28 вер 2024
- Learn how to avoid and overcome the worst editing mistakes that writers make.
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Best 1st Draft advice I've ever heard: DON'T GET IT RIGHT, GET IT WRITTEN. I have it bold and at the top of every new doc
Top-tier advice. Might even help to stick a note at the top of your monitor/laptop
Well said. Many times I've run out of steam nipping and tucking and fretting over punctuation during a first draft when focus should be getting the story out.
I think it was Ernest Hemingway who said, "every first draft is crap".
I have had an idea in my mind since the late 90s. Almost keep it inside my mind until a few years ago.
Biggest editing mistake I'd made was... well it was more of an embarrassment than anything. I was supposed to submit a few pages to my writing class so everyone could critique it and I spent a good chunk of time the week before polishing it up. Then I accidentally sent everyone the OLD DRAFT.
Oh...Oh, I'm so sorry LMAO i could feel the embarrassment through your comment. i cant even imagine how i'd react if i accidentally submitted my shitty first draft to people (not saying yours was, but i hope the point is clear). how did the critique go though??
@@mashedpearWell, some good did come of it! One experienced writer pointed to one section that I had actually kept mostly untouched, said that it was really nice and then suggested I scrap that whole bit since it wasn't particularly relevant to the story. So I got some really good advice that was still relevant to the latest draft!
The Butterfly Effect is something that has made me quit writing several times through the years. It’s really refreshing to hear it described cogently like this. I actually feel less alienated just hearing another writer talk about it.
Yeah, it's a nightmare. I recently finished edits that took two weeks longer than expected because I kept finding solutions that created new problems. Even though I worked backward, problems still kept popping up. It's tough when a story has a lot of moving parts.
Biggest mistake ? Not saving on a seperate document all of your cuts ! This might be very helpful for another story, or if your editor is asking for more details, or if you plan a series. I always do it now. Thanks for the video!
Thanks---and good call!
Yes! I currently write for fun, not for publication, and I know a famous writer said "Kill your darlings" but I don't want to - they're my darlings, after all! So now for every story, I open a blank doc to go with it, titled "(story name) Darlings" and anything that doesn't work in the story just gets moved over there. It's much easier to make cuts if you don't think of it as 'killing'.
Saving my cuts in a separate document is the only thing that enables me to actually cut things from my writing 😂 Even when I usually end up not using the cut stuff again, it really helps me psychologically to know it's not trulydeleted lol
I work in 2 computers, so I keep at least a dozen versions of my novel at a time.
Editing mistake a friend of mine made: not keeping the previous draft. He revised his opening/prologue about 3 times, and as I read all drafts, the first was the best...
My worst editing mistake: anything I missed that is now out there in my books.
Brutal truth
It's cool how much writing a dissertation overlaps with creative novel writing. My chair told me that "a good dissertation is finished. A great one is published, and the best one doesn't exist."
The timing of this video is fantastic. I just finished the full draft of my second novella and am about to begin the revision and editing process in full today. Having this as a reminder of what to watch and aim for is great.
Glad it was helpful! Best of luck with your story
Editing the story is even worse when you're not just writing but also *drawing* the story. The problem is if I tried to write the whole thing out before I started drawing it, I'd never draw it. Learned that lesson after wasting years tweaking the script for a comic and then finally losing interest before I ever drew a single panel. So my graphic novel has been largely "basic story is written and dialog/details are done as I go", which has kept the process fresh and kept me motivated for the last 3 years I've worked on it. Granted I never intended it to be this long, it was gonna be a 5-10 page short that snowballed and I'm working on page 169 right now. It's led to a few minor things I'll have to edit story-wise but better a flawed comic than NO comic.
One thing I am definitely doing is limiting myself to one revision/edit/tweak pass of the art/writing in my graphic novel. If I don't force myself to stop after one pass I'll just get into an endless loop of correcting/tweaking the art and never get to the sequels I have planned.
I do, however, need to add a few things: not a new scene but a few pages expanding an existing scene so it makes more sense, otherwise a few of the side characters just drop out of the story with no resolution (not the main characters, obviously, but some friends of theirs). So I'm not adding fluff, I'm reenforcing the narrative.
I'm almost at the end of this book, though, maybe another 20 or 25 pages, and I've never been more artistically satisfied with myself than I am right now.
I can't imagine having to create both the script and artwork. I know some people like Tim Seeley do double-duty, but having to manage both would break me haha. Glad you're making strides though!
I actually have the opposite problem in my drafts: instead of being long and rambling, my first drafts are too short and underdeveloped. Occasionally, I do have to cut things, but I find myself having to add far more than subtract, especially after my editors have given me their lists of things that don’t make sense.
Maybe it’s related to my aphantasia making it hard for me to describe things? I’m curious if anyone else experiences this.
Sounds like you could use Sudowrite.
I have that as well. I've been having a lot of success with writing the chapter then rereading it immediately and finding places to add in 5 senses type of stuff that doesn't come to me naturally. I try to get one taste, feel, hear, see (obviously that's easier) and touch minimum.
Ooooh, that’s a good tactic! I might borrow that.
I think that’s my biggest complaint about having an obscure condition: I don’t need to be Noticed or whatever, but it genuinely impacts my writing, and I can’t really find writing advice addressed to my specific situation anywhere. And that’s really frustrating lol
But that’s great advice, thanks!
The solution to point #3 reminds me of how I write scripts for the Roleplay Campaign I run for my friends. I'll decide where I want them to get to at the end of the current adventure and go backwards inserting obstacles and clues until I trace my way back to where they are at the start. I believe it makes it feel more like a natural progression of events and it helps me better gauge if I'm ramping the intensity up or down. It also makes it much easier to drop clues into the narrative if you know what you are building towards.
This is by far my favorite writing advice channel
The worst editing mistake I made was deleting an entire story arc--twice! I realized in hindsight I should've kept it and built on it rather than starting over in search of a "better" idea. It was much more difficult to recreate the storyline than it would've been to just workshop it into something better.
That's why I keep multiple versions, sequentially filenamed.
Been there done that. Since then I keep like 10 different versions of the same book 😅
I have found one more mistake they make: Erasing entire parts of the draft or entire draft just because their story is not perfect enough. Remember: No stories are perfect.
Biggest editing mistake? Polishing before I was at the polishing step. "Wow, Diego that really sparkles, Random House will be calling any day now." A month later, "Well, that bit is nice but now it's in the recycle bin because it no longer fits." As a first time author that is writing for enjoyment, I remind myself probably no one outside my family will ever read my work. Sure I secretly wish Ron Howard will call and want to turn my story into a movie. But the reality is, I'll be lucky if my brother reads the thing.
Great video, as usual.
"Read through and find out where you are bored", awesome advice that made me chuckle.
For years I was in a successful writing group where the same reaction plagued me. My submissions, that felt flat and uninspired, met with smiling words of praise. Yet, the stuff I was proud of met stoic walls of apathetic confusion.
So, when I start the edit process this go around, I'll modify the advice to: "Not board - scrap heap; if board - you might just have a pine derby to plane into a winner"
Thanks for the video. I'm currently stuck on #5 so the solution presented will definitely be applied to get me out of this rut.
Best of luck!
Ideally, use no flashback scenes. If there must be one, make it short, sweet, interesting and important. Also, when one is serious about making their novel the best it can be, professional editors are more than essential. These observant folks are trained to find weaknesses in story, character and setting, which will affect your work negatively. I hired three editors, and the results are more than worthwhile, even with the money I spent. Also, try to avoid pop culture references which will date your work.
No way, I love flashback scenes if they are consistent.
I just wanted to say I've been a lurker but I just love your content. You give us what an entire expensive tutorial can't give. Not only are you a gifted writer but also a talented teacher! The way you explain concepts really works for my ADHD brain somehow 😄 so thanks so much for that 🖤
This man deserved 100k subscribers
Thanks!
#2 hits right on the money. Great stuff as always Brandon !
Opening up a story with a present situation then immediately right off the back cutting to “5 years ago” or “two months earlier” to spoon feed us the exact thing that landed the character there rather than allowing for us to gradually obtain this information as the story progresses. I feel like cutting to flashbacks right away can easily undermine the present threats within a story.
Great to see you back on the big screen Brandon
Haha thanks!
I like your suggestion to edit from back to front - when you know where the plot has to end up, it would be easier to make sure you are going there in the middle sections.
I recently sat down to continue with a story I'm writing, and after I'd done as much as I could given my time slot, I read over what I'd written. Then it struck me - I'd inadvertently written the ending without realising. Not matter how many times I read it, yup, it was an ending. So I cut and pasted into another doc file marked as 'Ending' ready for inserting at the appropriate time.
Sincerely appreciate your channel and all advice you give. Helps no end. Thank you.
I'm on the "endless editing" mistake. Of course, I have my reasons... This is my first novel, and I've learned a ton through the writing process, so I've learned, applied, learned, applied... I also run my own business and have 2 kids... Oy I hear a lot of EXCUSES! I'm doing pretty well now, writing every day, getting in a few hours a week, and almost done with my "revising." Mine is an epic fantasy series, so I've developed a ton of ideas with this first book that impact the larger world etc (without putting unnecessary lore/exposition in the book itself), and I think this will contribute to a much smoother 2nd (and 3rd, and 4th) book.
I made ALL of these mistakes. Thanks for the video =)
This video came out at the perfect time! I've been stuck on editing for so long now and really needed that virtual kick in the butt
The butterfly effect haunts my dreams man, good video
You and me both. Thanks for watching!
Biggest mistake I have made multiple times is jumping into making a story without letting it sit in my brain and simmer. I call these impulse stories.
The first stories I ever finished were all impulse stories and it shows. There's a lot of issues, the story is short, whatever random idea I have in my mind gets shoved in without a second thought, and it gets really messy. I had to stop myself from writing and jumping straight into stories like this to figure out the project. ONe story I nearly did this on has ended up completely different from where the idea originally started. And that one has been developed over the course of 6 years now.
I currently have a story developed enough to write it down thanks to your channel, I just need to bother enough to actually finish the first chapter. THough that's a little hard when you're getting distracted by having to adult...
Biggest editing mistake: starting editing before finishing the draft.
thank god being a comic writer has the advantage of drafting being vauge footnotes (and on rare occassions, scenes) that you fulfil as you write on the fly lol.
OK! OK! You've got me. I have bought your damned book! After watching about 20 of your videos, the guilt and the repetition got me. 😊
Hahaha thanks! Hope you enjoy it
I've heard - and maybe this is wrong - that people don't spend nearly enough time on the working out the structure of the story. Who is the protagonist, what change should they make through the action of the story, why do they start out in a condition where they need to change, and so on. That's the skeleton that all the connective tissue attaches to. Make sure the skeleton is right first; then you can be more confident the final product will have the right shape too.
Yep, structure can save you a ton of time and headaches. I'm brainstorming a story right now and trying to hammer down the Midpoint. Once that's set, the back half should fall into place
@@WriterBrandonMcNultyThe structure as I was just describing ... ? Notice that I didn't even identify a setting or the nature of the overt conflict. This is more fundamental than that, like, what the story needs to accomplish in order to tell its tale. You could set up your structure and be thinking of doing a Blade Runner type setting, but as you work out what the structure needs to accomplish, maybe you'd decide it works better in Medieval times.
I almost made a mistake in my webcomic's strip when editing it once. I was about to have one of the secondary characters drop their backstory for the sake of character building when it didn't fit there. Giving a huge thanks to my friend for pointing out that mistake.
New Writer, Great help, I’m in the what you call the revise stage. Thanks for laying out what exactly I need to do. I like that you from the back to the front and helps a lot. Always good video
Glad it was helpful!
one thing i do if i can read through my work without skipping ahead to the "good stuff" then it's good enough to show people
Most of my editing mistakes were due to not planning well before starting to write. Now, I am more careful when it comes to crafting the structure, plot, and character arcs. Fail to plan, is plan to fail.
I changed a main character's name but didn't catch every instance. Thankfully, through an out-loud reading session, my wife caught it. "Who the hell is [insert name]?!" 😂
@@elementeight8 Good call! Thanks!
i am a recent subscriber and i really enjoy your videos;; you manage to make them informative but not lengthy and your advice always helps me in some way, even the things i already knew were expanded on in some cases which i really like;; thank you for your work, you're great
I can say my biggest success when editing my novel was to wait, at least a few months, before starting to edit it. Completely forget about the novel and come back to edit it with fresh eyes.
My biggest mistake on revising was starting to revise before the story was finished😂
I know, it sounds hilarious, but at the time I was a VERY beginner-level writer and I wrote mostly for fun with no planning in advance. Now, I'm definitely not the most experienced but I've improved: here I'm a few chapters away from finishing the same novel that walked me into hell with the revision, and only when it's done I'll make any adjustments.
I read this in a book and this advice has stuck with me since, and it applies to short stories especially: nothing is precious. This means that everything in the story is subject to change, even the fundamental plot even when the ending stays the same.
Probably my biggest editing mistake is knowing how it starts and write that, and knowing how it ends, but didn't write that, so my stories never end up getting written because I'm so worried about how it should progress in the middle to get it to the end. I now feel encouraged to not make this mistake because I want a first draft of a novel written by the end of next year (there's going to be a conlang involved so the revision is going to be...interesting)
I find myself focusing on the midpoint in order to stay on track. A great midpoint absolutely propels the story to new heights and also gives the second half more focus.
My worst editing mistake ever was a rather technical one: I was sending different manuscripts to different editors, so I gave different titles to the Word documents, and then once I got feedback I started editing different versions differently and I ended up getting lost. I would realise that I had perfectly polished a scene but that the one after and the one before were both from an earlier version. It drove me crazy. Now I always double check that the last edition that I can recall is indeed present on the document I’m working on, but it’s not a perfect blunder-proof solution
I'm rewriting my plot from scratch after 6 years if work. I am excited :D
Hey Brandon, idk if you're an expert in this kind of stuff. But I want you to make a video about branching narratives. Specifically, non-linear novels.
Not like those typical choose your own adventure stories, because my story still has some sort of linearity in it. It's just that the reader can choose which variation they prefer.
My characters in my story will face some tough decisions that they have to live with, resulting with variations of chapters. Which results in different endings.
Great video btw
Thanks for the kind words! And what you're describing sounds like something that would be tough to pull off in a novel. Multiple choices/pathways/endings usually works best in videogames. That said, if you think you can pull it off, go for it. Is there any similar book you have in mind?
@@WriterBrandonMcNulty it's not a book, but it has a manga adaptation. It's a game called Your Turn To Die by Nankidai. It's a mystery, horror, death game with a bit of a twist, and some mini-games.
Excluding minor dialogue options, the narrative diverge into 4 main routes that starts at Chapter 2 (with fans even arguing which route is better). Even though the branching is not too different with one another, it still majorly impacts the story. As of now, the game is currently not finished. I highly recommend you play it (or watch it). It's free online.
Remember fanfic writers: there will only be nothing to fix if there is nothing typed down [nervous chuckle]
My biggest mistake is indecision. I have to draft like its a multiverse because I cant stick to an original idea. (Like i'll write thinking its about one character, then realize its about another character, then actually theres a book before this book, then its clear about X theme so they'll be young, but then actually it would make sense logisticall timeline wise if they were older, then its about the contrast between young naivety and returning to nostalgia years later, now im trying to balance two viewpoints across a long span of time. Even though the young pov directly impacts where the old pov ended up, so i have to write it linearly? But if the young is just flashback it starts to feel like im writing nothing but backstory as a self contained seperate subplot.
I start out plotting major things but testing them with scenes quickly turns into pantsing it in every direction just to see what works. It works long term but its very hard to track short term.
I didn't even know revising was a step all on it's own, so I skipped straight to editing... (doesn't work lol.)
Writing an outline can help you make sure your finished draft followed the plot clearly.
Great video bro! My biggest editing mistake is probably the butterfly effect. Thank you so much for the solutions!
Finding that I didn't mention something in a paragraph, correcting it, just to read the next paragraph and find that it have it already. 🤦♂️
I love these videos. Super interesting.
Nice to finally be able to actually now properly speak to you very clearly, Writer Brandon McNulty, I can completely see that you love talking and discussing a lot about everything involving around giving people advice on what to do and what not to do when writing, and because of that I'm going to cut straight to the chase and explain what ideas I have specifically for you to read. I have this idea or these ideas where you and a bunch of other youtubers who are massive fans of The Lord of the Rings should all come together with the entire cast and crew of Sir Peter Jackson's The Lord of the Rings film trilogy (2001-03), and when I mean the entire cast and crew I am not kidding, I'm being very serious. The director, the directors of photography, the producers, the executive producers, the cinematographers, the film composer, the actors (including some of the actors behind the scenes such as Sir Christopher Lee, Sir Ian Holm and the other actors that are now dead, and this doesn't involve the famous actor Sir Ian McKellen because he is still alive), the script supervisors, the writers, the editors, the stunt supervisors, the food supervisors, the makeup artists, the production designers, the people who were involved with the songs In Dreams and May it Be, by Enya , Gollum's Song, by Emilíana Torrini, and Into the West, by Annie Lennox, the people who created the weapons, prosthetics, miniatures or the Big-atures according to Jackson and so much more. What I am wanting to happen with you, the other youtubers, and the cast and crew that was involved with Peter Jackson's The Lord of the Rings film trilogy is for all of you to sit down in one of those stylish meeting rooms, and discuss all together why The Lord of the Rings is the Best Trilogy Of All Time and nothing will ever come close to it not even Harry Potter, Star Wars, Pirates of the Caribbean, Game of Thrones, House of a Dragon, The Witcher, The Chronicles of Narnia, John Wick, Marvel, DC, The Matrix, Jaws, Jurassic Park, Indiana Jones, The Mummy, Jumanji, James Bond, and Amazon's The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power. I know you don't just discuss about this specifically but trust me this is something that can only happen once in a lifetime. There I then thought that you guys can discuss all of your opinions on the J. R. R. Tolkien books, and the Peter Jackson movies, talk about the advantages and disadvantages that they have over and below each other, read all the books fully and analyze them and why they work so well, watch the theatrical and extended editions of the whole movies and analyze them and why they are perfect adaptations, explain the very few references and similarities that they have to The Holy Bible itself (such as the three Christ figures Aragorn, Gandalf, and Frodo) and probably the film versions of it, Tolkien's experiences during the Battle of the Somme in The First World War that actually changed the course of history, his catholic and religious beliefs, and why nothing in general will ever come close the story in general. You and the other youtubers should also do this thing where you should also analyze all three parts of the story (Part One: The Fellowship of the Ring, Part Two: The Two Towers, and Part Three: The Return of the King) but after each part is over you will all take breaks and vote which youtuber should have a one on one interview with which member of the cast and crew of the trilogy, and then you will all go in separate rooms with a different cast and crew member, plan out what questions you all should ask, change cast and crew members with each break along with different questions, increase the lengths just like the increase in all three parts of The Lord of the Rings, and then when each break is over then talk about what answers that you all got for the interviews. Some of the many youtubers that I thought of inviting to this should be @NerdoftheRings, @thefriendshiponion6189, @Jess_of_the_Shire, @TheBrokenSword, @kingdomsofarda1717, @TolkienLorePodcast, @tolkienuntangled, @LoreOfTheRingsYT, @VoiceoftheRings, @TalesoftheRings, @CounciloftheRings, @TheoryoftheRings, @TolkienTree, @TheRedBook @MiddleEarthTheory, @lfwinesroad3399, @geekuniverse6172, @heartofahafling3142, @MemoryTroll, @timbotook6447, @ArachirGaludirithon, @TheTabletopAlliance, @TheOneRingNet, @VoiceofGeekdom, @ThePhilosophersGames, @TolkienTube, @EverythingInMiddleEarth, @BeginningofDays, @GeekZoneMT, @Epic_Kingdom, @MiniExpBounder, @InDeepGeek, @DarthGandalfYT, @MiddleEarthLore and so much more, you should also do this with many other youtubers who don't talk about The Lord of the Rings, but do mention that they are fans of it or at least talk about it such as @ColbertLateShow, @PilgrimsPass, @PaxTubeChannel, @RewiretheWest, @NerdCookies, @HelloFutureMe, @flickfanatics7948, @thecluelessfangirl809, @LikeStoriesofOld, @HelloMellowXVI, @PopcornInBed, @JonnyLawYT, @DorkLords, @thegoldman25 and @jedibrooks7235 for example (but not the ones that mention LOTR once and then focus on another film or novel franchise such as @KlaytonFioriti, or @AGamingBeaver), and you should all talk about your different ways on how you would all view this as being a masterpiece. By The Way, you should also share this with many of the other youtubers who love Middle-earth in general and should plan with them on how you could improve on this comment such as inviting so much more youtubers who also love it a lot, and that I didn't add on this comment earlier on, discussing this with Peter Jackson and the Tolkien family and their views on them since they aren't the very best of friends (and that fact that Christopher Tolkien, and Simon Tolkien didn't appreciate it), and should also do the same thing with Peter Jackson's The Hobbit film trilogy (2012-14) and doing the same thing that I explained earlier with LOTR, such as also discussing about the score, and the songs such as The Song of the Lonely Mountain (Extended Version) , by Neil Finn, I See Fire, by Ed Sheeran, and The Last Goodbye, by Billy Boyd, (and also discussing again what it was like for some of the cast members that are dead now such as Barry Humphries who played as the Great Goblin and again this does not involve Ian McKellen since he is not dead yet) but also to mostly discuss why they weren't very good adaptations of the novel. Good luck out there @WriterBrandonMcNulty and please share, and improve on this with the other youtubers, and the entire cast and crew of The J. R. R. Tolkien trilogy and The Peter Jackson trilogy. The real reason for this also is to basically change many different peoples' opinions and views on this amazing work of literature especially since it's the 20th Anniversary of these films, because not all Christians view it as a masterpiece, because I am a huge fan of LOTR too, because I am also a Christian believer, and I have witnessed other Christians not viewing it as a masterpiece that tells the story of good vs evil, since it shown as something completely underrated since people on the internet want a lot of realism, when in reality it actually invented the high fantasy genre, defined the fantasy genre, and it even made John Ronald Reuel Tolkien himself become what he is now known as the godfather or the father of modern fantasy that is of course now shown in both the 20th Century with his own books, and the 21st Century with the Peter Jackson adaptations. But also because the movies in my opinion destroy the stuff that Hollywood mainly shows in their films specifically the modern movies that are made today, even if these films are maybe sometimes considered to be not as good as their original work by Tolkien (especially involving around Peter Jackson's The Hobbit trilogy), or if they are even usually considered to be amazingly Massive Hollywood, Blockbuster, Action & adventure movies, and have really epic and really well crafted moments in them such as the large and huge amount of set pieces, the brilliant use practical effects, the incredible and awesome use computer generated effects, large-scale warfare, six genres which is just everything that is ever put on the film director's bucket list in three movies such as action, adventure, romance, comedy, and horror that was managed to be put altogether in a whole fantasy setting, and amazing character moments and awesome moments of really well-crafted character development in each of those three films as well.
What about people who write first drafts as bare bones, plot and dialogue only. Then have to use editing for adding details and descriptions? I feel like I write that way. I also read my stuff 100X haha
2:40 I've committed this sin so many times 😢
I really enjoy your videos - thank you, they're a great help!
It's funny as I don't see it as a mistake but; I would edit and revise by chunks of three chapters as I write. In my head, I call it my Rule of Three. Like the first three chapters are Act 1 and the next 3 are Act 2 etc. Not revolutionary in structure but what I find is that if I just write and get the ideas out on a more full scale write, I really don't get a good trajectory in to the next act. Like from a conceptual perspective, each of the chapters and scenes within them (ie - a conversation or event that makes up a scene) don't go get removed but the content within them may change. I knew the each scene and made sense that of each of them must exist within the story but that 'microcosm' of events within the scene can change.
In my recent writing, the Chapter 1 inciting incident was ok when I first wrote it but as the other scenes and two chapters unfolded, it became weaksauce. It needed more weight. There were downstream impacts but it did not change the structure of other scenes, just content. I need to have most (but not perfect) stars aligned before I go on to the next act so that I have a solid basis from which to build the next act.
For the record, I am a pantser because I can't think in terms of laying it out beforehand other than a broad metal concept of what it will achieve for the MC and philosophically.
You know what resolves a lot of these issues?
Outlining.
Biggest editing mistake I ever made was on my third book: I happened to decide midway to change the entire direction of the plot, thus cutting dozens and dozens of pages that were now obsolete 😅
This video just helps so much. I think my biggest problem so far is butterfly effect and I didn't revise before editing. I have a question for you, is it troublesome if my style of writing doesn't fit general interest? Maybe my grammar is bad somewhere, I mean if it is a problem when my writing style is just accepted by the minor parts of audience
Great video, lots of very good advice, I'm going to have to come back to it a few times. What are your thoughts on using the audio function on Word to help edit?
4:08 maybe that will not help, because you will need to change that edit
My biggest mistake was just free writing the beginning with a ending in mind, but then quickly felt that I didn’t have a clear cut direction of where I was taking it. I decided to stop and begin drafting to give myself a clear path to follow and I thankfully planned far ahead to write several chapters. However, I was quickly catching up to my draft material and needed to plan more. I realized that the more I went on… the story only seemed to grow more rather than originally intended. I decided to take a year break only for me to come back and not remember where I was trying to steer the ship. Thankfully I concluded the story draft just how I wanted it to end. I’ll just go back to get rid of certain plot holes that doesn’t makes much sense.
Cutting may be necessary for quality control but what if the word count is already a bit too short compared to the genre norm?
I feel like act 2A of my novel is too long (11 chapters instead of 6-7 like acts 1, 2B, and C _and_ most of 2A’s chapters are not important to the plot), but I need to keep those chapters in because a lot of time passes in between act 1 and act 2B. Since the plot runs alongside real-life events, Act 1 *has* to take place in September 2019 and Act 2B *has* to begin in March 2020. Otherwise, I would just shorten the length of 2A and cut some chapters in the process. I feel like doing a timeskip of several months would not only be jarring but also make the characters feel more distant since character and relationship development would be glossed over, but the entirety of 2A is a bad case of sagging middle syndrome. What should I do?
With my novel, there is a one-year time jump about 1/3 of the way through the story. I was initially worried that this would disconnect readers from the story, but I couldn't begin the story there because the setup in Act 1 was too vital. Neither could I fill in the time between Act 1 and Act 2, because it would be meaningless filler. And, when I finished my first draft and gave it to my beta readers, I was surprised to hear that the time jump didn't bother them at all. In fact, it increased suspense for them and made them want to keep on reading to figure out what was going to happen.
So, for your novel, I'd say you should give it to someone who will beta read it for you, and then read it yourself. If you still feel like Act 2A drags on, then look over it and search for anything valuable in it (i.e. good character development, an important plot point, etc.). Then, figure out what is unnecessary in the Act. Remove what is unnecessary and find a way to join the good stuff you took away to the rest of the novel.
I hope this helps! :)
@@JosephHarvey-t3l Okay. I’ll see what the beta readers think once the process begins. What genre is your novel, though? If your genre is faster-paced, like an action or a thriller, it would make sense that nobody would notice, but I’m writing a more lighthearted/comedic sci-fi.
You don't want to bore your reader, so find a way to trim down 2A. If you don't want an abrupt timeskip, you can jump ahead and summarize what happened. Best of luck!
@@WriterBrandonMcNulty Thanks, but that brings up a new problem. Exposition is boring and show don’t tell should be utilized, but I can’t work that character and relationship development into the main plot because the characters who bond in act 2A are separated from the midpoint until act 3.
What's worse? A jarring time skip that brings us to the next interesting part of your story right now, or a boring - though not jarring - couple dozen pages? I would much rather be jarred than bored. Bored can be nothing but boring. Jarred might actually create intrigue. Put all that extra stuff from 2A in a file and go with the tighter manuscript until you absolutely prove to yourself that the skip doesn't work. It will probably work - particularly if it skips to something good.
How would you say these recommendations hold on short stories? Like 5-20 pages?
Goated channel btw
i fail at #4 lol
every time i edit, i add more stuff xD as if 350K words wast enough already
The temptation is real. And whoa--350K?? That's a series!
@@WriterBrandonMcNulty book 1 lol, book 2 was yesterday at 220010 words lol
Hahah I wish I had that kind of mental stamina
@@WriterBrandonMcNulty yeah, it's either that or lack of self control xD
I find that everytime i read through, i want to adjust every sentence. How can i tell if a sentence does need changes or if i am being nitpicky?
Im on my 5th draft for my book currently.
I think my biggest editing mistake is not editing xD I just take a first draft and post it. Good thing I'm not a pro.
Why did Rian and JJ leave the room?
I have a question. Will the time I sink into line edditing eventually pay off in improving how I put sentences together the first time?
In other words, even if how I invest my efforts is not efficient or useful for finishing a story, will it still add indirectly to my ability to write more immersive paragraphs with less revision required?
Get the first draft written, and the story well-structured plot-wise before you get into that detail of editing.
Your subsequent manuscripts will benefit from the number of times you had to fix a sloppy sentence or change a word to the correct one in the manuscript you are editing today. But polishing Chapters 1 through 5 won't help you on Chapter 6 of your first book. Finishing and structuring and editing BOOKS 1 through 5 will make book 6 easier.
SOURCE? Me. I'm a retired technical writer and editor and by the time I wrote boring technical publication number 6 I was writing a lot better. But I still go through the process Brandon describes - hack out the superfluous text and duplicate info, make sure the structure is sound and logical, then go for sentence-level editing.
The best advice I ever received from a professional writer was "be prepared to kill your baby".
👍
It might sound arrogant, but I haven't done any of these mistakes.
Although I do believe that my story is super great, I have to my editing team the freedom of rewording like 80% of my book without changing it's meaning, since I used AI to improve wording of my book that I soon will publish.
2nd draft = 1st draft -10% Stephen King
❤❤❤
What's the WORST editing mistake you've made? Let us know!
Probably when I uploaded the wrong version on KDP lol and didn't notice what I'd done for weeks 😢💀
Not sure if this will bite me in the butt, but using a website called critique circle, and without having finished yet, submitted some work to it. They only let me submit about 4000 at a time, for now at least. However, I’m not close to being done with the book but have some good criticism. Now I’m afraid I’m going to get stuck in revising and drag on completing. So on that topic, when is a good time to revise and edit?
Adding too much details on the characters introductions just to make the chapter longer 😅
Adding too much details on the characters introductions just to make the chapter longer 😅
The actual _worst_ mistake is losing the file and not having backup copies 😆
All other mistakes can be fixed
I'd like to see some tips on coming back to writing a story when you've been away from it for so long.
Thanks for the idea! I'll add this to my request list
Especially when you've aged a bit (mostly mentally) since you started writing the story.
@@WriterBrandonMcNulty Thanks!
My biggest mistake has always been my perfectionist brain
It kills me as well
Perfect timing! I’m currently editing my debut novel!
Awesome! Best of luck with it
@@WriterBrandonMcNulty Thanks!
Can we get a vid on tips for writing a first-person story?
Sure: ua-cam.com/video/1mBKpK_po24/v-deo.html
Minimalism. Study it. Read various movies scripts, (good movies). You notice there is hardly anything there, very fleeting substance.
The human element is the animator.
Writing is a scene barrage. You are witnessing shit you can't believe. Be like the late Paul Harvey. Cut, chop, eviscerate. Editing is the act of utter ruthlessness.
The audience is infinitely intelligent. Spare them, deny them, petty indulgences.
Hey Brandon, could we also explore on storytelling devices to make scene transitions seamless? Like how in Avengers 2012 the scenes between different heroes are continued one after another by a small connection (aka black widow to hulk, nick to captain america)
This channel is A-Zing
Can you make a video on good dramas that gets readers hooked ?
Oh I didn’t need to get ready. I came prepared! I even wore a helmet since you always throw some motivational hands at the start of the video. Keep bringing the 🔥🔥🔥!
Editing is polishing. That's where the magic happens.
Not editing. My first story was horrible (the most one dimensional characters ever and weird plot points), but I wish I'd still revised and edited it solely for the extra experience.
I still plan to rewrite the base story eventually because I really like it, but that will be after I have more experience.
Brandon, are you currently working on another novel? Just curious
Thanks for asking! And yeah, I just finished my latest round of edits and sent it to a few friends for feedback. Hopefully the book will be available in early 2024. I wanted it ready sooner, but the revision process was a nightmare.
@WriterBrandonMcNulty Thx for answering ❤. And don't stress about those things it's all about how good the final story is, nobody will even know how long it took to write 😉 I've devoted more than 17000 hours (full-time work for 6 years) to my current novel (which is only around 115000 words) and its artwork. Thank for your videos, and best of luck with the novel ✌️👍👍
Where can someone get beta readers?
Check local writing groups at universities, libraries, etc.
If you want to try online, give writing-relation Facebook groups and Subreddits a shot
Also I've heard great things about Critters.org
Thank you! I’m currently in draft one. And I’m honestly scared to let anyone read my work, but logically it good to get feedback.
I have definitely fallen prey to all 5. But the most chronic would be: constantly editing or ironically not editing at all - falling in love with my work. I have a music composition background and there was one major thread of advice that is endemic in the industry and actually has never ever helped me: never compromise your artistic integrity aka you’ll be “original” if you hammer away at your own style. The issue with this statement is that you remain closed to critique for fear of compromise rather than for the betterment of the material. (Trust is something interesting to investigate here). I even lost the opportunity to have an opera premiered by some of the best musicians in Europe because I felt the pinch to “remain” with what I had created devoid of external amendments. Since then, I’ve had time to reflect on this piece and I’ve come to agree with the dismissed advice. It’s a regret that will always haunt me.
I'm very perfectionistic with my Magnum Opus and I've made four different versions of the pilot trilogy. It took me a while to realize that the grand majority of the series is obviously going to eb after those three so I better get serious about the remainder. After that I stopped worrying so much about the first episodes.
Note: There are OVERwriters (the common variant) and UNDERwriters (the rare shiny Pokémon). Like you know, there are people who constantly speak and other who tell you the bare minimum. If you are an underwriter, like me, you really need to ADD some stuff. (Looking at you sexscenes.) Your beta readers will hopefully tell you if there is some scenes missing. But that doesn't mean there isn't still stuff that can go. Always ask yourself what does that scene for the story and the readers. Do they get vital information. Does it developed the Characters and Story? Do I need a bit of Worldbuilding and atmosphere. (Obviously you won't need that as much in an action thriller in today's New York but more in your super exotic fantasy world filled with lavendercollored talking horses.) What does it to the pacing of my story if I remove the scene? Can you add things to other scenes without, for example, make the other scene an Infodump swamp. Also is the scene I want to cut a genre expectation? Like a masquerade in a periode romance or a glam up scene in a modern romance. If your target audience expects and wants that kind scene it stays.
My worst editing mistake is stopping in mid-sentence while writing the first draft, so that I can polish whatever I’d just written five minutes earlier.
I’m currently prepping for NaNo, and this time I’ll be working a new system: writing the draft with a Bluetooth keyboard, paired with my iPad - which will be kept in my desk drawer until the session is finished. (I figure I’ll be able to stay on track by using a printout of my synopsis.)
If I can’t see whatever I’ve just written, I won’t be distracted by how awful it is and how I didn’t get *quite* the shade of meaning I was striving for.
The biggest editing mistake I ever made was thinking I could turn my first draft into a final draft through revision and editing alone. It took me 15 years of wasted time before I realized the only thing to do with a first draft is to do a complete rewrite. And then do another complete rewrite. Rewrite that sucker until you finally have everything in place and the writing is 98% there. Only then can I think about revision. And most the time that first revision will simply turn into another complete rewrite. When the writing is 99% there, then I can finally do a polish and final editing/copy-editing run through. Listen to Hemingway: Your first draft is almost certainly complete shit. The only time that's not been true for me is with stories under a 1000 words and some poems. And hopefully this comment.
As someone who usually struggles to reach minimum word counts for novels, I find I need to add more to my stories, not take things away. I realize many writers do need to cut content, but unless I want to be stuck in novella land, I always try to add new subplots and side arcs.
This video was made specifically for George R.R. Martin. *Finish the book already!*
Loved the solution to the Butterfly Effect. It happened to me. One simple change can effect every scene after it. Love this channel!
My biggest mistake it's butterfly moment...