MUSE • Leslie Keenan

The Order to Follow in Editing Your First Draft

Posted by in Writing

To ensure that you don’t waste time or duplicate work, take the advice of a seasoned editor and use a hierarchical system for making changes.   First come big, structural changes. These need to be in place first. I’m referring to chapter order, or large chunks of writing within chapters. Then move on from there to the level of paragraph. This has more to do with the way information is flowing on the page. Only after you have dealt with the paragraphs can you come down to the level of…read more

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How To Do Transitions

Posted by in Writing

Many writers I know obsess about transitions from one section or scene to another. It comes up particularly when you are in the editing stage and are moving big chunks of manuscript from one place to another. Everyone (including me) always thinks it will be hugely complicated and difficult, but I have found that it is usually simple. In fact, there often doesn’t need to be a transition at all. That’s why I recommend marking where you think you need them, but then waiting until you read through the manuscript…read more

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How To Approach the Second Edit

Posted by in Writing

Once you have your list of things you know need to be done to your first draft, then you need to go back into the manuscript and make them. There is a specific way to approach this that will make things easier and smoother. Here’s what to do: Make a list (if you haven’t yet) of all that you want to do in the manuscript. Divide it into these sections: moving things/transitions/new additions/cuts/line edits Make a new copy of your file. The simplest way to do that is to rename…read more

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Part One: Why You Must Read Through the First Draft before Editing

Posted by in Writing

Have your first draft done? Good! Here’s what to do next. First, you must print it out. I know everyone hates to use paper these days but I’m sorry, you just need a hard copy for this. Now, take a pad and a pencil or pen, and sit down to read it through. Since you were writing quickly, in flow, and you probably didn’t even write transitions (That’s good! Flow writing comes first.) you will immediately see a lot of things that need fixing. Resist the temptation to fix them…read more

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What Hansel and Gretel Taught Me About Writing

Posted by in Writing

When I am writing in flow, which is what I always aspire to do, it feels like such a relief. At last, the words are coming and I can’t get my thoughts down fast enough. But then, inevitably, my time to write ends. And then the next time I show up, that excited energy is long gone; I don’t remember where I am or what I want to write next. Often, it’s so tempting to go back to the beginning and re-read to enter back into my piece. I’ve learned…read more

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Small Frequent Rewards to Keep Going

Posted by in Writing

Studies have proven that small frequent rewards for achievement help us the most to keep us on track in reaching our goals. Most often you will find these studies listed under things like weight-loss, but it turns out they work just fine for keeping you on your writing schedule.   I think National Novel Writing Month has done a great job in giving those who sign up a lot of strokes and tangible rewards (even milk and cookies at Night of Writing Dangerously in Oakland) but you don’t have to…read more

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Word Count – Could It Be Hurting Your Writing Life?

Posted by in Publishing, Writing

At the beginning of national novel writing month, it’s worth asking, does setting word count goals help? I’ve always had students who do this, sometimes weekly, sometimes daily counts. And then I’ve had students who are intimidated by this. Here’s what I think. Sometimes having an artificial word count (even a ridiculous one like in NANOWRIMO) can help spur you on, move you past the negative judgmental voices in your head, and get you writing in flow. Even if you ultimately cut half the words you write, at least now…read more

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Trust, and Just Show Up

Posted by in Writing

from my most recent newsletter… Are you still writing when you show up and nothing happens? You know, those times when you are all prepared to write and your fingers are on the keyboard and you are staring at the blank screen, and nothing happens? The other day in class, one student was berating herself during check in. “I sat there for a whole hour and didn’t get anything done.” I hear this a lot during check ins. “I showed up but I just struggled.” “I showed up but only…read more

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To Self-Publish, Or Not To Self-Publish…Alan Sepinwall’s Inspiring Tale

Posted by in Publishing, Uncategorized, Writing

There is new evidence in the ongoing debate about how to publish a book – whether it’s better to go with a traditional publisher or self-publish. I was excited a few months ago to see that one of my favorite bloggers, Alan Sepinwall, who is a television critic, had written a book (The Revolution Was Televised). I was also intrigued to see that he had self-published. I emailed him to ask why he had decided to go this route and not the traditional one. I assumed someone with his high…read more

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Amazon, Publishing, and You

Posted by in Publishing, Writing

From my current Newsletter, November 2011: ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Several people have been posting and asking about the recent NY Times article about Amazon working directly with authors and leaving publishers out. What do I think of this, they wonder. I haven’t actually responded yet, because what I think is the result of all my 30-plus years in publishing and a great deal of thought and observation. I couldn’t put it into a quick Facebook note, or a Tweet. I will see if I can unravel some of it for you here….read more

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