There is no singular right or wrong way to approach editing, which is why there is immense creativity and personalized approaches. It also means that editors can pull inspiration from a wide variety of sources and mediums. I’d like to draw attention to theater and scripts as a powerful source for improving your editing skills with plot, characterization, and dialogue.
dialogue
Eight Tips for Crafting Better Dialogue
By Kristin Choruby
Good dialogue is one of the most crucial ingredients for a well-written story—and, to the frustration of many a would-be author, one of the easiest to bungle. Writers often commit the sin of overwriting dialogue in their zeal to draw in the reader. Whether you’re an editor trying to curb your client’s excesses or an […]
7 Tips for Developmental Editing
By Kristin Choruby
When most people think of editing, they think of correcting spelling and grammar. To publishing industry professionals, this is known as copyediting. There’s also developmental or content editing, which corrects weaknesses in the story itself. This past year, I’ve had the pleasure of learning how to developmental edit from a professional editor with twenty-plus years […]