Category: Editing

Editing, General Bookish

You can’t edit a blank page…

Cayla

I’ve been staring at a blank page for far too long trying to think of something to talk about today when I realized that I actually made a post on my Instagram about that this week.

Ironic, no?

My post feels a little on the nose after having sat here for who knows how long. I can’t even edit a blog post if there’s nothing there.

I think that’s something all of us creators need a reminder of every now and then. Your first draft doesn’t have to be perfect. It doesn’t even have to make sense. Just get the words out on the page. Get the ideas going because sometimes, once you get going, the words just keep going.

For me at least, staring at a blank page will breed self doubt and apathy toward my project, but once I get going, I find myself on a roll. Do I go back and edit out a good bit of what I’ve written or rewrite things and add others? Of course, but you can’t edit what isn’t there!

Just dump the words out

Throwing it back to middle school here. Do a mind dump. Just let the stream of consciousness take over the page. Don’t let anything tell you that it doesn’t belong on the page. Put it on there and go back later to make cuts and changes.

Set a timer

I find quick sprints to be really effective. When you’re dumping out the words or just trying to work on an idea, set a timer anywhere from 10 minutes to 30 minutes and just work. Put your phone on do not disturb, ignore that email notification that just came in, just let your brain focus on one task. Get your coffee or your snack before you set the timer so you’re not tempted to make a trip to the kitchen mid sprint.

Doodle

Okay hear me out, do you ever let your mind wander while you’re on the phone and somehow you have this great idea but then you don’t remember it? Start doodling so your brain is focused on that, but once your brain wanders and the idea strikes, open the word doc and work! Or just start making notes on your doodle paper!

What do you typically do when you’re staring at a blank page?

Cayla

Editing

Why it’s important to hire out for editing

Cayla

It can be so easy to say editing is a luxury or proofreading doesn’t really matter, especially when your project isn’t some massive thing like a 200,000 word manuscript. However—I’m about to age myself here—let’s throw it back to that meme that went around Facebook. Actually, let me just drop one below.

Our brains a literally wired to fix mistakes, and we don’t even realize we’ve done it. We skip over double words, glance over typos, and rearrange sentences that are out of whack. This is especially true in our own writing because we know what we were intending to say. Due to this, it’s almost as if we’re blind to mistakes.

In addition to this, have you ever stared at a word long enough it doesn’t even look like a real word anymore. I’ll throw it back to when I had to write a word one hundred times if I misspelled it in school—wait y’all didn’t have to do that?

It may not be your forte.

And that’s okay! The nuances of the English language are complicated at best and nonsensical at worst. Your forte is your niche, so why try to shove a square peg in a round hole? You should be focused on your work, your creativity, your website, or whatever your project is rather than trying to force yourself to do a task that isn’t what you enjoy or feel perfect doing

Having a fresh set of eyes can pick up more mistakes.

Someone who has had no interaction with that particular project can pick up typos, mistakes, forgotten commas easier than someone who has been married to the project for weeks, months, or years. You glance over the to that should be too. Maybe a pesky comma sneaks through unnoticed or an em dash has an extra space or no space. It’s kind of like walking into a house you’re going to buy. The people who are selling the house didn’t notice that their photo wall is off center, but you, seeing the house for the time, notice it right off the bat. It’s like a neon sign. An editor or proofreader is like that home buyer, seeing those neon signs that are easy to miss when you’re the one living in the home.

Time! Time is such a limited resource.

As a writer, project coordinator, business owner, you have so much on your plate. Your time is stretched thin across all the things you have to do. You feel like you have to let things go just to make sure you meet deadlines or accomplish the other tasks on your list. There aren’t enough hours in the day.

I get it! It’s easy to become married to your project and feel like you can do it all, but why not share the burden? Commas, em dashes, typos, and structure are editors’ jam. Let us handle that while you do your thing.

Feel free to send me a message about your project and let’s chat!

Cayla

Editing

Welcome Back!

Cayla

It’s been awhile…

Staind

Did you sing that in your head too? If you did, you are my people. I’ve been active on my bookstagram, but sometimes life has a way of speeding up and getting in the way of things, you know? Since the last time I posted on here, I’ve had a son, left my job with the college I worked with, launched my freelance editing business, signed on with an indie publisher as a copy editor, and moved to a new state!

Exhausted reading that? Hey, me too. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed the last couple years. I’m so excited to start offering more editing services, especially to the indie author community. That is my main love. There are many stories ready to be told, and I’m just here to help those stories along.

Reading, writing, annotating, and editing have been my passion for so long, and I just want to say I’m grateful that I have this opportunity to make those loves my job.

Until next time, bookworms!

Cayla