A to Z - All Things Writing: Line Edit

Welcome to the Blogging A to Z Challenge, where, this month, I'll be focusing on all things writing. This may be a random jumping around of topics within my theme, but hopefully something somewhere will be useful to someone. (V is for vague - see that last sentence.) Check out all the participants here . Now, lets get on with today's letter.

L is for Line Edit

We covered the Developmental Edit last week. What we're talking about today is the step between the Dev edit and Proofreading / Copy Edit. The Line edit will focus on tone, language, sentences and paragraphs and word choices among other things. It will not focus on typos. 

Things a line edit will focus on:

Word usage:

overused words - just / suddenly / like / and many other common offenders

clarity - Is the meaning of the sentence clear? Is it clear who is speaking?

repeated words  - using the same words in nearby sentences

Sentence and Paragraph structure:

avoiding repeated structures - which can make reading very boring

openings - making sure the lines don't all start with the same word or phrasing

length - avoiding run-ons or too many short sentences which can create a staccato effect.

Dialogue:

does it feel natural?

is it in character? 

Tone of the story: 

is it consistent throughout?

Action:

is it clear and easy to follow?

Pacing: 

do areas move too fast or too slow? 

Tightening:

are there wasted words?

can adverbs be switched out for better verbs?

can anything be removed that doesn't impact the story?

are there any areas where information is repeated or rephrased that can be removed?

A good line edit will put the final polish on a story and then all that's left is to hunt down those pesky typos and check punctuation. 

Would you like a free e-book? This April, I'm giving away free copies of my new anthology, Destiny Pills & Space Wizards. Claim your copy here: https://claims.instafreebie.com/free/vhJFWpLL Enter code atozpromo

Prefer paperback? The print book goes live on April 20. Reviews are always appreciated.

A to Z - All Things Writing: Killing off Characters

Welcome to the Blogging A to Z Challenge, where, this month, I'll be focusing on all things writing. This may be a random jumping around of topics within my theme, but hopefully something somewhere will be useful to someone. (V is for vague - see that last sentence.) Check out all the participants here . Now, lets get on with today's letter.

K is for Killing Characters

Some writers never kill anyone. That's fine too. The death of a character should have meaning and add depth to the remaining characters' arcs and impact the plot. If we went around hilly nilly killing everyone for giggles, that wouldn't make for a very engaging story. Maybe it would for some people, there seem to be readers of just about everything. However, let's just say for the sake of this post, that it's not an ideal goal. 

People die in books. Sometimes its off the page, such as to launch a murder mystery or in backstory - your main character's mother died when they were six and that impacted who they are today. Those both have impact on the character and plot. But when is it a good idea to kill off a main or secondary character? Only if it is necessary to advance the plot or drive a remaining character into change/action. As a writer you want to get your readers attached to your characters, to care about them. Killing them off could anger your readers, so it better be for a darn good reason. If you've read any of George RR Martin's Song of Ice and Fire series, you know what I'm talking about. 

Writing the death of a cherished character is also hard for the author. They created this character. They brought them into this world, and now they're taking them out of it. As many times as your mother may have thrown out that threat, she didn't act on it. Writers do and it isn't easy. It's draining and makes us sad.  

Have you ever killed off any main characters?

Would you like a free e-book? This April, I'm giving away free copies of my new anthology, Destiny Pills & Space Wizards. Claim your copy here: https://claims.instafreebie.com/free/vhJFWpLL Enter code atozpromo

Prefer paperback? The print book goes live on April 20. Reviews are always appreciated.