Birthday Bash Editing Tips
Welcome to the April 2025 Editing Tips newsletter!
Last month, we discussed the seasons of life and how they affect our writing.
This month, I turn 64. On March 28, my hubby retired, after 40.5 years at his “temporary” job. It’s now time to get the house renovated and ready to sell. After it sells, we intend to move to Saskatchewan, to the same small community where our son and his wife live.
Thankfully, I will be able to continue editing and writing as long as I have the wherewithal to do so . . . and reliable Internet.
For now . . .
Welcome to my birthday bash!
Editing Tip
Happy Birthday? Happy B-day? Or Happy Bee-day?
As is always the case, we should factor in our readers and the vehicle for our words (a book, a social media post, a greeting card, etc.).
Your grandmother may not appreciate a card that read, “Happy B-day,” whereas, your BFF might.
“Happy Bee-day” accompanied by a post of a bumblebee may be the perfect social media post for one of your FB or Instagram friends.
Personally, I’m a-ok with any of the above. <grin>
Levels of Editing
Did you know that Developmental Editors don’t help only new writers?
There are multi-published authors who work with DEs in order to shore up their weak areas. (Note: As writers, we all have weak areas, no matter how experienced we are.)
If you’re considering working with a Developmental Editor, do your research. Discover what specific services they offer and their fee. (A skillful developmental edit will be a significant investment.)
Tip for Fiction Writers
Have you ever considered how to deal with various celebrations in your novel or short story?
It depends on several factors, among them . . .
The genre.
How your POV character feels about the celebration.
Your POV character’s social standing.
The length of the work.
The significance of the celebration to the story.
And, of course . . .
Your target audience.
Tip for Nonfiction Writers
As is the case with fiction writing, it’s important to determine how many details to include in your nonfiction work.
While the more you research, the more clearly you’ll be able to share information with your readers, extensive research doesn’t mean you have to include everything you’ve learned in your work.
Ask yourself what you want to share with your readers and how to do so most effectively.
Choosing even a small group of beta readers representative of your target audience to review your work before publication, and asking specific questions of them, will help you determine whether you’ve included sufficient information . . . or too many details.
Tip for Memoir Writers
If you’re writing memoir, have you considered including one or more significant celebrations in your work?
Sharing what you remember about past birthdays, Christmases, Thanksgivings, etc. and how you felt about these celebrations can make your memoir richer.
This is an excellent example of when the show don’t tell principle can be effective.
“When I went to bed each Christmas Eve of my childhood, the thoughts whirling around in my head and the butterflies in my stomach made it impossible to sleep" is so much more effective than “I was nervous” or “I was excited.”
Deep Point of View Basics
To determine if you’re staying in DPOV, ask yourself the following questions:
Would my character know this fact and express it in this way?
Is it clear who the POV character is in each scene?
Have I included only one POV character per scene and limited the number of POV characters throughout?
If I have more than one POV character in my work, is it easy to tell who the character is based on who’s mentioned first in the scene, the distinctive vocabulary used, the things they comment on, etc.?
Do I explain things to the reader that my POV character wouldn’t think about or wouldn’t discuss with other character(s) in the scene? If so, you’ll have to find another was to get needed information across to your readers.
Of course, there are several more questions you can ask yourself as well.
Featured Recommendation
There are countless approaches as to how to best outline your book.
Whether you’re a plotter or a pantser/discovery writer, it’s best to consider a limited number of approaches. It’s easy to get confused and overwhelmed if you try to take in too much information
Although I lean toward the discovery writer side of things for fiction and a skeletal outline for nonfiction, I do intend to read some of K.M. Weiland’s books, such as Structuring Your Novel (Revised and Expanded 2nd Edition) in the near future.
Q2 Contest Details
Are you in the market for an editor?
For every 1000-2000-word sample I receive between March 15 and April 30, I will offer a sample edit and a recommendation of the level of editing I would suggest. If you decide to hire me, I will give you a 10 percent discount.
I will randomly select one project to receive a 20 percent discount.
Birthday Bash Bonus
Every reader who asks a question that will benefit your fellow newsletter subscribers will receive a 10 percent discount on any service over $50.00 USD. Every reader whose question I answer in next month’s newsletter will receive a 15 percent discount on any service over $50.00 USD. Deadline: April 30, 2025. Send questions to stephbethnickel@gmail.com