Good way to revise and improve your manuscript

[Don]

I recently took a good look at my first novel, The Sisters, by turning the Word doc into a .mobi (Kindle) digital file, which I then attached to an email and sent to myself. I then saved the file on my Kindle and was able to read and highlight typos (there were an embarrassing number of them), areas I wanted to improve on, based on reviews (I published it on Amazon a year ago), and just generally had a good time re-reading and (hopefully) improving the work. I just uploaded the revised file and have sent out new requests for reviews. I am planning to go through the same process with my second book, The DeathBorn, over the next few weeks. I find this process of reading (in larger type) the words I composed on my PC a better way to "get in the flow" of the book, so I can more effectively make needed improvements. The highlighting function inherent in the .mobi file allows me to write whole new passages on my Kindle keyboard. I then go into the PC and page through the Kindle file, making the needed corrections in the manuscript. If you'd like to try this method of reviewing your work, here's a link to a free site that converts Word to .mobi files. Hope it's helpful.

http://ebook.online-convert.com/conve...

[Micah]

I've found that any way you reformat a book helps you to see it a new way. I've done editing as you mention, as well as editing after formatting the Word doc for CreateSpace. Several people on GR I've seen also use a text to speech program so they can hear issues as well as see them.

It's very much like in music recordings. To check a mix you need to listen to it on as many different types of sound systems as possible (portable CD players, headphones, mp3 players, car audio systems, high fidelity systems, etc.). Same with books: review them in as many ways as possible.

[V.W.]

I used text to speech for the editing run. Listening to your words helps check the rhythm and how natural the conversations sound as well as spotting errors.

[Effie]

I recorded myself reading my manuscript at least three times with my different revisions. It helped to hear what sounded awkward. as far as editing, I read and looked for editing mistakes on the computer. Then I printed out the entire book. when I thought I found all the mistakes and typos I had a proof copy made from createspace. I read that all the way through and still found typos. I had three different competent people read and look for typos. They all found different errors. You need fresh eyes. You know your MS and you are anticipating the next line. You see what you think you are supposed to see. The same for the others catching different mistakes. The brain sees what it wants to or expects to.

[Ju]

Agreed, Effie.

[V.W.]

Effie wrote: "I recorded myself reading my manuscript at least three times with my different revisions. It helped to hear what sounded awkward. as far as editing, I read and looked for editing mistakes on the co..."

Reading yourself is not much use, as you pointed out. You see what your brain wants or expects to see. But a text to speech program reads what is written, and when what you hear and what you see don't match it tends to catch your attention.

[Jim]

Effie's comment regarding the eye's tendency to see what the brain anticipates is the key negative to self-editing. The benefits of utilizing the services of a competent copy editor and conceptual editor cannot be overstated.

[R.F.G.]

I have a book I need to finish editing, copyright registered 2010, mostly edited in 2013, and returned to as of 2015. After a long time away from the work it's like reading someone else's work.

Whether you allow time before self-editing or hire copy and conceptual editors (if you can afford such), remember that editors and proof readers will spot or miss typos and errors due to their own particular idiosyncrasies.

Yes, get as many eyes on the work as you can, but bear in mind that publishers often keep typo / error files for later correction of books they've published, or they did in the past.

Odds are that as polished as you can get your book, someone somewhere will find a typo, error, or writing style that doesn't look correct to her or him in your work.

[Groovy]

I agree with Effie and R.F.G. The brain sees what it expects to or wants to. And no matter how many times your book was looked over by others, odds are, you will find that sneaky, inevitable typo, or awkward writing style. I know that if I go back and look over my books, I would definitely change something or find an error, and it will never end.

Just get your work polished as best you can, error free as you can get it, and hopefully all the readers will see is a good story.

An editor once gave this advice: That when checking a page for errors, it's good to read it backwards and you will catch the typos. That's what he said.

[K.P.]

before sending it to editors i use the read aloud feature in acrobat pro and fix the final draft. then after getting my books back from editors i make an epub and do a final check. even the best editors can sometimes miss things

[Laurette]

What a helpful discussion!
I've noted your link, Don, and read everyone else's advice. In spite of numerous readings before uploading, plus numerous readings by friends, errors slip through for exactly the reasons you all discussed. Even marching up and down intoning the text is not infallible (but I agree it does help you spot the awkward stylistic bits). And all the mod cons of word processing - spellcheck etc - although generally useful, can sometimes be a nightmare. I once wanted to change the name 'Mark' to 'Liam' throughout the entire ms. In a flash of a button it was done. But I also got 'the quaint liamet town of Ravensfield' and 'she reliamed on the fact that it was raining heavily' etc etc ...Eek!
Thanks to all for your eye-strain-relief tips.

[J.]

Reading aloud may not be helpful for grammar, punctuation, or formatting, but it is a wonderful technique for dialogue. Very often, the ear will pick up language that is too stilted, exchanges that are too devoid of personality or too homogenous.

[Wendi]

Is changing it to a mobi different from emailing the word doc directly to your kindle? I emailed mine with "convert" in the subject line and it looked fine.

[K.P.]

lolz laurette next time make sure you have whole word only & match case selected. :3 I've done my share of hunting down global replace fails

[Brenda]

A "global replace fail" sounds traumatizing - I'll take your advice and hopefully avoid that! :-)

[Laurette]

K.P. wrote: "lolz laurette next time make sure you have whole word only & match case selected. :3 I've done my share of hunting down global replace fails "
Hey thanks K.P. I see that Brenda also is a bit traumatised but get this... I'm in France and working with Word in French! sometimes I don't know whether I'm coming or going... je vais et je viens to quote a very naughty (but classic) French song from the 60s!!! (Oops)
Will look into it...

[William]

I was so excited at finishing my first novel that I made it available after three reads. Two on screen, one printed out. A reader them left a review which mortified me.
I have hopefully learnt from that.
My second novel I left for a month, went back, read/edit. Then I did a createspace copy and read and edited that.
I have been back and edited my first several times.
Without a second pair of eyes you will always miss something.

[Michael]

Laurette wrote: "I once wanted to change the name 'Mark' to 'Liam' throughout the entire ms. In a flash of a button it was done. But I also got 'the quaint liamet town of Ravensfield' and 'she reliamed on the fact that it was raining heavily' etc etc ...Eek! ..."

When changing names in a manuscript, try using the "Case Match" option in the search field. That way, "Mark" becomes "Liam", but "market" does not become "liamet".

Also, I will use color coding of major character names to ensure they are used correctly. You can do this as follows:

Search: "Tom" (Match Case)
Replace: "Tom" (Color=Red)

Search: "Dick" (Match Case)
Replace: "Dick" (Color=Blue)

Search: "Harry" (Match Case)
Replace: "Harry" (Color=Green)

This will also help you easily spot the cases where the replace was inside of a word that wasn't intended.

[Michael]

Wendi wrote: "Is changing it to a mobi different from emailing the word doc directly to your kindle? I emailed mine with "convert" in the subject line and it looked fine."

As far as I could tell, this only works if you're using a Kindle device, and not if you're using the app on a non-Kindle tablet/smartphone. I was never able to figure out a way to do this on my Nokia Lumia phone, because I don't believe you get a kindle email address with the app.

[Wendi]

Ok. I was sending it to my kindle, so I guess there is no difference between doing that, and changing it to mobi then?

[Laurette]

Michael wrote: "Laurette wrote: "I once wanted to change the name 'Mark' to 'Liam' throughout the entire ms. In a flash of a button it was done. But I also got 'the quaint liamet town of Ravensfield' and 'she reli..."
Oh this is really helpful to me, thanks to all who have pointed me in the right direction. I've found a 'plus' button on my French version of Word 'search and replace function' which offers me something called 'respecter la casse' and 'mot entier' - that's what you and KP were talking about. Great! And now you all know what to look for if you ever find yourselves nose to nose with a French pc....

[Brenda]

William wrote: "I was so excited at finishing my first novel that I made it available after three reads. Two on screen, one printed out. A reader them left a review which mortified me.
I have hopefully learnt fro..."

I feel your pain - I accidentally published one with typos, which were noted in a review. I pulled the thing and fixed them and then republished, but that review still sits there, making me cringe. Ugh.

[Groovy]

Brenda, my first book also came out with a few typos, and the reviewers made note of the fact that I had the habit of present tense and past tense in the same paragraph. I immediately corrected all those mistakes, but still those reviews are there. And I keep thinking that maybe potential readers will not want to purchase that book, and the others as well because of it.

I wish there was a way we could update our review sections.

[Brenda]

I suppose the reason that's not possible is because then someone could theoretically wipe out all the bad reviews and just hang onto the good ones, eh? I suppose one option, if a poor review appears to be killing your book sales, is to revise the book to the point where it can be published under a new name and new ISBN/ASIN, and not transfer over the reviews - but then you've lost ALL the reviews, not just the depressing one. So it's an option, but not necessarily an enticing one, I realize!

[Groovy]

Thanks, Libby, I'm going to try that:)

Thanks, Brenda.

[K.P.]

i feel your pain too william. i sent off the wrong copy of demonic awakening to a reviewer that had the bad japanese translations (though the published edition had the corrected ones) and now their bad review is there forever -_- i just keep pushing forward and hope for the best

[Catherine]

I read my manuscript out loud and listen to what I am reading as if I was an audience. I hear the errors or the place it is awkward. After I do this about ten or more times I hand a printed copy to my oldest daughter, who is the best editor I could find and she goes through and finds every problem possible. I work on those and read it out loud again and find more errors. This process take months, but it works. Out of it blooms a very good story.

[Groovy]

K.P., I took Libby's advice and put a small update at the end of the synopsis of the book with the bad reviews about typos and punctuation. Now when readers see that, they'll know that those irritants have been corrected.

[Brenda]

Excellent idea - I'll keep that in mind for the future, thank you :-)

[Mark]

Join a critiquing website such as Scribophile. Get some dependable betareaders. Read your work out loud.

But lastly...

most importantly...

HIRE AN EDITOR.

Anything less, you're not only doing yourself a disservice but fellow authors who love and work hard at the craft of writing and those who read your work.

[Jacqueline]

Groovy wrote: "Brenda, my first book also came out with a few typos, and the reviewers made note of the fact that I had the habit of present tense and past tense in the same paragraph. I immediately corrected all..."

An easier solution might be to comment on the review, thank the reviewer, admit embarrassment, and say you've corrected the problems. Anyone who reads that review is likely to read the comment as well.

[Groovy]

Jacqueline, thank you for your comment. I would have loved to. But we are told under no circumstances are we to contact the reviewers. I tried once, and when I clicked the contact button, somehow the software knew I was the author and cautioned me against it. I closed my mouth and didn't:)

I'm actually right now thinking about contacting the reviewer I mentioned above. She gave me such an honest, typos--present and past tense problem--but has promise review. I want her to review my new book because I respect her honest opinion. I'm a better author in part because of her. But I'm afraid I'll get in trouble for that.

Do you think I should still try anyway?

[V.W.]

Groovy wrote: "Jacqueline, thank you for your comment. I would have loved to. But we are told under no circumstances are we to contact the reviewers. I tried once, and when I clicked the contact button, somehow t..."

I've seen a lot of hate directed towards authors for simply thanking reviewers. Apparently it made them (the reviewers) feel not free to comment because they were being monitored. I'm not saying I agree, but that is what was said.

[Jacqueline]

V.W. wrote: "Groovy wrote: "Jacqueline, thank you for your comment. I would have loved to. But we are told under no circumstances are we to contact the reviewers. I tried once, and when I clicked the contact bu..."

I've thanked reviewers here on GR and never experienced negative feedback. I've only commented once on Amazon and only because I finally received 5 stars from a regular 4 star reviewer whose criticisms were always right on the mark. I was so proud of those 5 stars! She was amazed that authors actually paid attention.

I have never argued with a reviewer's opinion. That's what the caution is for. It's their opinion and not written for us. Arguing only leads to trouble and bad feelings.

[Groovy]

I understand what V.W. is saying. I thanked a reviewer for a 5 star review, but I got the idea that they didn't appreciate me contacting them.

I want to thank all those that left reviews, whether constructive or positive, but I'm afraid I might be driving some of my readers away.

Sounds like we had the same reviewer, Jacqueline:)

[Jim]

It is important to remember that relatively few readers ever feel the need to post a formal rating or review. Those that post them do so to share their subjective opinion of a book with other readers, not the author. They, therefore, neither expect nor appreciate a message, positive or negative, from the author. The rare exception does not justify such behavior.

[Michael]

V.W. wrote: "I've seen a lot of hate directed towards authors for simply thanking reviewers. Apparently it made them (the reviewers) feel not free to comment because they were being monitored...."

I think the reason this happens is because some users equate ANY unsolicited email as spam. Most of us are extremely sensitive to spam, and some users will probably wonder whether an author who has contacted them will put their email address on a bulk email list. I personally do not contact reviewers for any reason unless they reach out to me first.

[Groovy]

Jim just scared me, because now I think I HAVE lost a reader because I just kindly thanked them for their high praise, and I do apologize, because I just said thanks and nothing about upcoming books or anything. I won't do that again. And I'm so heartbroken because that could have been a loyal fan. I guess I'm the rare one. If an author contacted me just to thank me for a good or constructive review, I wouldn't have minded at all...

And Michael, I agree. I have a couple of reviewers I talk to. One has sent me pictures of her family and pets, but that's because they contacted me first.

[Jim]

Groovy wrote: "Jim just scared me, because now I think I HAVE lost a reader because I just kindly thanked them for their high praise, and I do apologize, because I just said thanks and nothing about upcoming book..."

Groovy,

Please don't allow my personal opinion to cause you any anguish. It is just an opinion. Everyone is different. Perform due diligence and research, then make your own decisions based upon the conclusion reached. Your opinion and judgement are just as valid and important as mine or anyone else's.

Rather than obsess over reviews, focus upon continuously improving your technical writing and narration skills.

I wish you success.

[Groovy]

Thanks, Jim:) But I have concluded that unless they contact me first, there will be no interaction regarding their reviews. I just hope that one reader who started out as a fan, will get over my taboo and become one again.