What happens on a discovery call?

A discovery call is a thirty minute chat about what you need help with. It’s very informal, and is like having coffee with a friend.

What will we discuss on a coaching call?

We will talk about anything you like to do with your writing. I use my experience as a creative writing tutor to both offer possible solutions to issues, as well as coaching you to understand why you are experiencing the issue and how we can move forward. I also set tasks outside of our time together so that you can work toward your goals. All our conversations are confidential.

Can we meet in person?

During Covid I am happy to work with your time zone and meet you on Zoom.

editing creative writing – Rachel Grosvenor Author

Editing is an essential part of the creative writing process that allows you to refine and polish your work. While writing is the act of putting your ideas onto paper, editing is the art of shaping those ideas into a coherent and engaging piece of literature. It involves revising, proofreading, and fine-tuning your writing to improve clarity, flow, and effectiveness. Unsure what to look out for when editing? Read on.

The primary goal of editing creative writing is to enhance the reader’s experience. It’s about creating a seamless and immersive journey through your words, where readers can fully connect with your story, characters, and ideas. Whether you’re writing a short story, novel, or poem, the editing process plays a crucial role in transforming your initial draft into a polished and impactful piece of writing.

Ready to get started? Here are eight things to look out for when editing:

Eliminating Repetition: Read through your piece and identify any repeated words, phrases, or ideas. Replace them with synonyms or rephrase the sentences to make them more engaging and varied.
Strengthening Verbs: Look for weak or generic verbs in your writing and replace them with stronger, more specific verbs. This will make your sentences more vibrant and impactful.
Removing Unnecessary Adjectives and Adverbs: Scan your writing for excessive use of adjectives and adverbs. Consider whether each one is essential and contributes to the overall meaning. Remove any that are redundant or don’t add value.
Enhancing Sentence Structure: Vary the length and structure of your sentences to create a more dynamic and engaging flow. Mix shorter, punchy sentences with longer, more descriptive ones to add rhythm and keep the reader interested.
Consistency in Point of View: Check that you maintain a consistent point of view throughout your piece. If you’re writing from a specific character’s perspective, ensure the narrative stays true to their voice and experiences.
Tightening Dialogue: Review your dialogue and remove unnecessary tags or speech attributions. Make sure each line of dialogue serves a purpose, reveals something about the characters, or advances the plot.
Show, Don’t Tell: Identify passages where you tell the reader something dramatic instead of showing it through action, dialogue, or sensory details. Reword these sections to bring the story to life and engage the reader’s imagination. Remember – there is a place for telling in your story. Click here to find out how to differentiate between show and tell, and when to do either.
Proofreading for Grammar and Punctuation: Finally, carefully proofread your piece for grammar, punctuation, and spelling errors. Pay attention to commonly misused words, subject-verb agreement, and sentence structure.

Remember, editing is an iterative process, so don’t be afraid to revise your work multiple times. Each round of editing will help you refine your writing and make it more polished and impactful.

Want to read something similar?

5 Things to Consider When Hiring an Editor
How to Edit Creative Writing for Clarity, Style and Substance
How to Find and Fix Plot Holes

If you have any questions about editing, feel free to get in touch and ask me. To learn more about the editing packages I offer, click on the editing page on my website! As a writer with a PhD, MA and BA in Creative Writing and a previous CW lecturer, I’ve done my fair share of high-level fiction editing, and have very happy testimonials. Get in touch today for dates, questions, and information. I’m always happy to chat!

If you’re not sure how to edit your creative writing, don’t worry – you’re not alone. Many writers struggle with this part of the process. But with a little guidance, it’s easy to improve your writing and make it shine.

No one writes a perfect first draft. Even the most experienced authors need to revise their work for clarity, style and substance. In this blog post, I will discuss how to edit your creative writing for maximum impact using clarity, style and substance, making your writing more interesting and engaging. Let’s get started!

Clarity:
One of the most important aspects of editing is clarity. When you edit your work, you want to make sure that it is easy to understand. You don’t want your readers to be confused or lost. To improve clarity:

Look for ways to make your writing more concise and straightforward.
Cut out unnecessary words and phrases.
Make sure that each sentence has a clear purpose. If something doesn’t make sense, rewrite it until it does.

Your editing task: Focus on clarifying your ideas. Make sure each sentence is clear and concise. If a sentence is confusing or hard to understand, reword it or break it down into shorter sentences.

Style:
Style is another important consideration when you edit your work. You want your writing to be readable and enjoyable. To improve style, pay attention to the way you use language. Use strong verbs and an active voice whenever possible. Avoid long, complex sentences. Be consistent with spelling, punctuation and grammar rules.

Your editing task: Are your sentences too long or too short? Do you use too many adjectives or adverbs? Make sure your writing is easy to read and flows smoothly.

Substance:
Finally, make sure your writing has substance. Are you driving the narrative forward? In a first draft, we can easily get distracted, add information dumps, or write about something unnecessary to the plot. In editing, it’s time to make sure that your scenes and chapters drive the story forward and that anything unnecessary is taken out. We want to keep the reader engaged throughout.

Your editing task: Check for information dumps and any writing that isn’t driving the narrative forward.

Editing can be a challenge, but with these tips in mind, you can improve your creative writing. Don’t be afraid to rework your sentences – it’s all part of the process!

Thanks for reading! I hope this post was helpful. If you have any questions, please let me know here. If you’re looking for an editor, click here.

Want to read something similar? Check out the following posts:

5 Things to Avoid When Writing Setting
3 Ways to Ensure Your Novel is Well Paced