Useful Revision Techniques

[Graeme]

I'm currently in the throes of polishing my latest novel.

I found a tweak in MS Word, as follows...

Navigate through, File->Options->Proofing->'Writing Style: 'Grammar''->Settings.

This opens a dialog where you can switch on flags for MS Word to check Grammar. I currently have the two passive voice flags set to help me identify passive voice in my story.

MS Word is not always right about anything, but it provides a 'check,' on what might be a problem.

What are your favorite revision techniques?

[Nik]

Sounds like something extremely helpful. Gotta check it out

[J.J.]

For a time, I was using the text-to-speech feature in Windows. Hearing your story, and hearing it in a voice that isn't yours is extremely helpful for finding passages that don't flow as you'd like.

[Graeme]

J.J. wrote: "For a time, I was using the text-to-speech feature in Windows. Hearing your story, and hearing it in a voice that isn't yours is extremely helpful for finding passages that don't flow as you'd like."

Indeed. That sounds like a great technique, J.J.

[Lizzie]

Graeme wrote: "I'm currently in the throes of polishing my latest novel.

I found a tweak in MS Word, as follows...

Navigate through, File->Options->Proofing->'Writing Style: 'Grammar''->Settings.

This opens a ..."

I have read books, sometimes beta and arc versions, and wondered why authors didn't use the basic Word functions of spelling and grammar check. I didn't realize people who are writing in a WordProcessor didn't realize that the function was there.

[Graeme]

I've been using the basic features for sometime, I only recently went looking for the advanced options.

[Lizzie]

Graeme wrote: "I've been using the basic features for sometime, I only recently went looking for the advanced options."

I understand. But some authors were unaware of it doing a grammar check at all and that suprised me. I would read beta versions not understanding why Word hadn't corrected basic things. Word grammar is often wrong, so you do need to have the knowledge to say no, don't change.

I realize I am coming from a different perspective having started my career on an IBM Mag Card and then learning on computers before Windows, and onward from there, I have more of an affinity of what they can do and the issue is only finding the right key.

[Graeme]

Indeed, Lizzie, well said.

[Graeme]

I just discovered the joy of 'dashes,'

There are three basic sorts.

1. a dash - a regular dash
2. An en dash - the size of a 'n' character that is created using ctrl + NumLock dash
3. An em dash - the size of a 'm' character that is created using ctrl + alt + NumLock dash

My whole manuscript was filled with the default dash.

This is ok for 'blued-steel spike.' I.e. Qualified nouns.

However....

[1] 'en dash usage' as emphasis ... 'The mouths of the guns spat flame - a nightmare storm of hot metal - slashing down range.'

[2] 'em dash usage' for interruptions ...

The clerk looked up from his note book. "Boss! Our accounts--"
"Are none of your business," thundered the manager.

So finding mis-uses for correction.

I did a search in MS Word for ' ' i.e ' - ' which turned up all the [1] use cases and corrected those.

This also highlighted any interruptions where I had a whitespace before the dash.

The found the rest of the [2] use case, interruptions, with a i.e. '-"' search.

Now my manuscript has dashes correctly used.

REF: https://www.louiseharnbyproofreader.c...

REF: https://www.avantixlearning.ca/micros...

[Graeme]

Double checking and refining dialog tags and stage directions.

I'm making the following passes from top to bottom in my manuscript.

[1] ', "' this is a search for dialog after a dialog tag, e.g. 'said.' OR, as part of a continuing sentence with the dialog split into fragments.
[2] ". "' this is a search for dialog after a stage direction
[3] '."' dialog end full stop
[4] '!"' dialog end exclamation
[5] '?"' dialog end question

I use each pass as an opportunity to correct punctuation, refine dialog tags, stage directions, and sometimes the dialog itself.

Sometimes I'll swap a dialog tag to a stage direction, or vice versa depending on the situation. The goal is always to improve readability, clarity, and narrative emotional power.

[Lizzie]

Graeme wrote: "I just discovered the joy of 'dashes,'

There are three basic sorts.

1. a dash - a regular dash
2. An en dash - the size of a 'n' character that is created using ctrl + NumLock dash
3. An em dash ..."

When I first started in word processing technology, i.e., the mag card, I had to know things like dashes. Input made a huge difference in the document output. A regular dash was not a problem, but the other two required "hard" spaces and if you didn't want the end of the line of text to make a split in the wrong places that hard key combination was used a lot. The same thing for a period. At the end of a sentence, you need two spaces so that the WP knows it's the end of a sentence and not other punctuation. When computers first used programs such as Wordstar, Word, and WordPerfect were all based on those same rules but we then had function keys. Windows eventually changed a lot of that.

Personally, I will always miss using the keyboard to enter those types of things along with Control+key for bold, underlining, copying, and so on. Much faster and easier than using the mouse.

[Scout]

An article to consider:

Words you should delete

Really, very.These are useless modifiers. You should be able to find stronger verbs or adjectives for whatever you’re trying to enhance. For example, “He ran very quickly along the really long field.” can be, “He sprinted across the vast field.”

That. If a sentence still makes sense after removing “that,” delete it. For example, “This is the most amazing blog post that I’ve ever read.” can be, “This is the most amazing blog post I’ve ever read.”

Just. I have a hard time removing “just,” especially in dialogue. But for the most part, you don’t need it, and too many can make your dialogue or prose repetitive.

Then. When showing a sequence of events, either remove “then” or try using “and” instead of “then.” Using “then” frequently sounds repetitive and even juvenile. “I shut the car door, then tripped over the sidewalk. Then Bob pointed and laughed, and then my cheeks flushed.” sounds better as, “I shut the car door and tripped over the sidewalk. My cheeks flushed as Bob pointed and laughed.”

Totally, completely, absolutely, literally. These words don’t add information to a sentence. For example, “The box was completely full of clothes.” reads the same as, “The box was full of clothes.” or better yet, “The box was stuffed with clothes.”

Definitely, certainly, probably, actually, basically, virtually. Again, these words don’t add information. If the sentence makes sense without these words, remove them.

Start, begin, began, begun. These words are unnecessary unless an interruption to the action soon occurs. But for the most part, you can remove these words.

Rather, quite, somewhat, somehow. A movie doesn’t have to be “rather dull,” it can just be “dull.” Delete!

Said, replied, asked, and any other dialogue tag. Dialogue tags slow your pacing and distract readers from the conversation. You can keep these tags for the first couple sentences of dialogue, but once you established who says the first couple lines, readers can follow the conversation back-and-forth for themselves. Also opt for surrounding dialogue with action instead of dialogue tags. Action will let us see what the characters are doing besides talking, and offer character trait information as well. For example:

“I don’t know where I’m going,” said Derek.

“You have a map,” said Ramona. “Figure it out.”

“Haven’t you been here before?” asked Derek.

“It’s been twenty years,” said Ramona. “How am I supposed to remember?”

could be:

Derek frowned at the street sign overhead. “I don’t know where I’m going.”

“You have a map.” Ramona took a drag from her cigarette. “Figure it out.”

“Haven’t you been here before?”

“It’s been twenty years. How am I supposed to remember?”

Down, up. Usually, these words are unnecessary and you can remove them. For example, “I sat down on the floor.” could be, “I sat on the floor.” and “I stood up.” could be, “I stood.”

Wonder, ponder, think, thought, feel, felt, understand, realize. When you add any of these terms, you’re removing readers from the introspection and adding useless words. For example, “I wondered whether Johnny was the murderer.” could be, “Was Johnny the murderer?” If the narrator questions, “Was Johnny the murderer?” it’s self-explanatory that the narrator is wondering it. This also helps readers feel closer to your narrator, and more involved in the speculation.

Breath, breathe, inhale, exhale. These are far too commonly used by many authors to describe character internals, including me! Instead of deleting, you’ll have to find an alternative way to describe how a character is reacting to whatever has made them breathe quickly, exhale sharply, or “Let out a breath I didn’t know I was holding.” Ick! I highly recommend The Emotion Thesaurus in paperback, not digital, so you can skim through any time.

Shrug, nod, reach. Every author has her own quirks, and over time, you should become familiar with your own. These are a few of mine — in my first drafts, I have characters shrug, nod, and reach for things way too often — and I know a lot of other writers include these, too. Always have second readers, whether you’re writing a novel or blog post. They’ll be able to point out actions that happen too frequently better than you can, because you’ll usually be too close to your own writing to notice.
https://dianaurban.com/words-you-shou...