Editing to death

Let’s not start off on the wrong foot. At a glance, this heading could be construed as meaning that it is possible to edit until the day you die, which I’m sure it is. However, the subject of this topic is over-editing – when you edit so much, the meaning of the story changes or…

Newbanks Cottage

by Janine Pulford Easter Monday 2000: To Mum and Dad Turbines on the mountain  Beyond the spreading beech tree Swish in the early morn As a hearty cockerel Hails the dawn Punctuating the perpetual noise from the rookery  A pheasant’s harsh shrill Slices the crisp, chill air. Closed cups of tulips point skywards  And daffodils…

Effective editing

You’ve got your novel finished and as you begin to read through you notice an inconsistency. If you’re a compulsive editor like me, this will happen no matter how hard you try to be consistent. It may be something as irritating as the spelling of a word flicking from American to English. That’s any easy…

Words I do not like

Here’s a little advice that I take myself regularly because although I love words, there are some words I don’t like much. They are: THAT – mainly superfluous. Reread a sentence and if it sounds right without that word – leave it out. ALWAYS – it’s rarely true, so find another word. ABSOLUTELY – often…