Guestblogger Valerie Allen Shares a Few Fun Editing Tricks

Edit or Regret It

by Valerie Allen,

Director of Authors for Authors upcoming

16th Annual Writers' Conference: Write, Publish, Sell!

 

Wee ken knot bee two care full wren wee right!!!! Sew, righters, plees reed.

 

            The work of successful authors educates and/or entertains–better to do both. No matter how well written, the reader is apt to close your book and move on due to lack of clarity. Content that is poorly written is distracting. It makes it difficult for the reader to concentrate, understand, enjoy or learn from your work. 

            Here is a checklist of the most significant errors to consider along followed by an example of an easy correction: 

 

Overuse of that (use find feature/reread sentence/eliminate when not needed)            

            ~They all hoped that you would come to the class. (incorrect)

            ~They all hoped you would come to the class.

 

 Keep noun – verb sequence, especially with he said/she said speech tags

           ~ “This is wonderful,” said Valerie. (incorrect)

           ~“This is wonderful,” Valerie said.

 

 Do not use FANBOYS to begin a sentence:

            (FANBOYS is an acronym: F=for;  A=as/and;  N= neither/nor;  B = but;  O= or;  Y = yet;  S= so

           ~ So we all went to the store to buy more pens for our writing project. (incorrect) 

            ~We all went to the store to buy more pens for our writing project.   

 

 Use a comma before the word but in a sentence (most of the time :)

           ~ I enjoy writing but it is hard work. (incorrect)

           ~ I enjoy writing, but it is hard work.

 

 Use quotes at the beginning and at the end of dialogue; keep punctuation inside the quotations: 

            ~I love to teach, Valerie said. (incorrect)

            ~“I love to teach,” Valerie said. 

            

 Use italics for internal thoughts; do not add “he/she thought” after internal dialogue

            ~Valerie looked at her new book. I know this will be a best seller, she thought. (incorrect)

            ~Valerie looked at her new book. I know this will be a best seller.

 

 Use the correct tag line with a statement and a question. 

           ~ “What is the price of this book?” Valerie said. (incorrect)

           ~ “What is the price of this book?” Valerie asked.

 

 Use hyphens for compound nouns and multiple adjectives

            ~Valerie, a six year old, is in first grade. (incorrect)

            ~Valerie, a six-year-old, is in first grade. 

 

MORE ABOUT TODAY’S GUEST BLOGGER

 Valerie Allen is host of several events in the Melbourne, Florida area aimed at serving for the area’s readers and authors alike. Stay tuned for the first in 2025 on April 6 by subscribing to this blog. It offers opportunities and events including my favorite frugal and effective book display for authors who can’t attend was well as other opportunities for both authors who can’t be there and those who can! An author in her own right she is author of this extensive list of books: 

                                         

Write, Publish, Sell! 2 ed

Beyond the Inkblots: Confusion to Harmony

Understanding Mental Illness: A Guide for Family and Friends

Amazing Grace
Sins of the Father

Suffer The Little Children

The Prodigal Son

Stories for the Man in Your Life

Love Stories for Your Valentine

A Gift for Mom: Short Story Collection

'Tis Herself: Short Story Volume One

'Tis Herself: Short Story Volume Two

'Tis Herself: Short Story Volume Three

The Sun and The Moon

My Precious Little Kitty Cat

Summer School for Smarties

Bad Hair, Good Hat, New Friends

Go to the Guidance Office and Ask the Counselor

                                                                      

:Reach her at

 ValerieAllenWriter.com                                                    VAllenWriter@gmail.com

Amazon.com/author/valerieallen

 

MORE ABOUT THE BLOGGER and EDITOR

 Carolyn Howard-Johnson is the author of fiction, creative nonfiction, and poetry. She is also a marketing consultant, editor, and author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally Series of books for writers including the award-winning second edition of "The Frugal Book Promoter" and "The Frugal Editor." Her "How to Get Great Book Reviews Frugally and Ethically" will soon be published by Modern History Press in its second edition. Learn more on her Amazon profile page, http://bit.ly/CarolynsAmznProfile. "Great Little Last Minute Editing Tips for Writers" is one of her booklets--perfect for inexpensive gift giving--and "The Great First Impression Book Proposal, another booklet, helps writers who want to be traditionally published." Carolyn has three FRUGAL books for retailers including one she encourages authors to read because it will help them convince retailers to host their workshops, presentations, and signings. The first in that series is "A Retailer’s Guide to Frugal In-Store Promotions: How To Increase Profits and Spit in the Eyes of Economic Downturns with Thrifty Events and Sales Techniques." She helps writers extend the exposure of their favorite reviews at TheNewBookReview.blogspot.com absolutely free along with her associate Lois W. Stern. She also blogs at all things editing--grammar, formatting and more--at right here "The Frugal, Smart, and Tuned-In Editor" (http://TheFrugalEditor.blogspot.com) and plans to work on it harder in 2025. Her SharingwithWriters.blogspot.com blog focuses on the writing life and book marketing and promotion. It is a Writers' Digest 101 Best blogs pick.

One Syllable Words and Tighter Writing

Today my author friend (and director of several Florida book fairs!) shares some of her tight writing knowledge.  I sometimes have trouble using pronouns when it would be clearer to use the specific noun, but overall it seems this article will be a reminder for many of us writers.

The Mighty Monosyllabic

by

Valerie Allen

We are told to write tight is to write well. Do not use three words when one will do. Use one strong verb to get the job done.

The above paragraph is an example of using one-syllable words to convey exact meaning. English has many powerful one-syllable words, 20 of which make up approximately 25% of all spoken English.

In order of frequency, the most often used one-syllable words are:

• I
• you
• the
• a
• to
• is
• it
• that
• of
• and
• in
• what
• he
• this
• have
• do
• she
• not
• on
• they

You can use the find feature on your computer to see how many times you have used these mighty monosyllabic words for tighter writing.

* * * *

Valerie Allen writes fiction, non-fiction, short stories, plays, and children's books. She is a popular speaker at writer's conferences, libraries, and community events using her book: Write, Publish, Sell! Quick, Easy, Inexpensive Ideas for the Marketing Challenged 2^nd Edition. Amazon.com/dp/1480043855

She is co-founder of Authors for Authors, which supports new and experienced authors with book fairs, book launches, book displays, and writing seminars. Authors from across the US have had their books displayed at two Florida book fairs held in March and November each year sponsored by AuthorsforAuthors.com

ABOUT THE GUEST BLOGGER

Valerie Allen can be contacted via FB, Twitter, Google+ and at VAllenWriter@gmail.com    ValerieAllenWriter.com     Amazon.com/author/valerieallen

ABOUT THE FRUGAL, SMART, AND TUNED-IN BLOGGER

 Carolyn Howard-Johnson edits, consults, and speaks on issues of writing and publishing. Find her at http://howtodoitfrugally.com. Find the second edition of her multi award-winning The Frugal Editor: Do-it-yourself editing secrets for authors: From your query letter to final manuscript to the marketing of your bestseller. (HowToDoItFrugally Series of Books for Writers). Learn more about her other authors' aids at www.howtodoitfrugally.com/writers_books.htm , where writers find lists and other helps including , Great Little Last-Minute Editing Tips on the Resources for Writers page. She blogs on all things publishing (not just editing!) at her SharingingwithWriters blog. She tweets writers' resources at www.twitter.com/frugalbookpromo . Please tweet this post to your followers. We all need a little help with editing. (-:

Book Fair Director Lists Annoying Wordiness Devils

Welcome to Valerie Allen, author and director of several book fairs in Florida. I love this little list she has compiled. Simple little wordiness constructions can sneak into our writing so easily! Be sure to check her little bio below with possibilities the growth of your career in mind.

Wasted Words

by

Valerie Allen

Pleonasmus: the use of more words than is necessary to express an idea.

Extra words serve no purpose and slow your writing. Some common examples:

I can stop at this point in time.

I can stop now.

She sat down in the chair.

She sat in the chair.

He nodded his head up and down.

He nodded.

She shrugged her shoulders.

She shrugged.

He shook his head from side to side.

He shook his head.

What he said was that it was not his fault.

He said it was not his fault.

Here are some very special, extra annoying, so excessive, tiny little writing devils to always look out for at all times in your prose writing:

• Brand new
• Every single time
• Hefty large
• Huge giant
• Irregardless
• Killed dead
• Sleepy tired
• Slightly impossible
• Stupid moron
• Teensy weensy
• Up on the tabletop
• Very unique

MORE ABOUT TODAY'S GUEST BLOGGER

Valerie Allen, author, playwright, and speaker, writes fiction, non-fiction, short stories, plays, and children's books. She is a popular speaker at writer's conferences, libraries, and community events using her book: Write, Publish, Sell! Quick, Easy, Inexpensive Ideas for the Marketing Challenged 2^nd Edition.

She is a co-founder of Authors for Authors, which supports new and experienced authors with book fairs, book launches, book displays, and writing seminars. Authors from across the US  have had their books displayed at two Florida book fairs held in March and November sponsored by AuthorsforAuthors.com

Valerie Allen can be contacted via FB, Twitter, Google+ and at VAllenWriter@gmail.com or ValerieAllenWriter.com

----
Carolyn Howard-Johnson edits, consults, and speaks on issues of writing and publishing. Find her at http://howtodoitfrugally.com. Find the second edition of her multi award-winning The Frugal Editor: Do-it-yourself editing secrets for authors: From your query letter to final manuscript to the marketing of your bestseller. (HowToDoItFrugally Series of Books for Writers). Learn more about her other authors' aids at www.howtodoitfrugally.com/writers_books.htm , where writers find lists and other helps including , Great Little Last-Minute Editing Tips on the Resources for Writers page. She blogs on all things publishing (not just editing!) at her SharingingwithWriters blog. She tweets writers' resources at www.twitter.com/frugalbookpromo . Please tweet this post to your followers. We all need a little help with editing. (-: