Giddy Fest & Writer Questions

I’ve been almost giddy with the normalcy of life this week. I find myself smiling for no reason, other than life feels like it is right side up. To come home at 4 p.m., fix dinner, eat around the table with my family, clean the kitchen, do a little laundry, and relax for awhile before bed, is just the best day ever. Boring, right? YOU BET!!! And I love it!

I am about to open up my book and go through the first 5 chapters of edits my dad has sent me. It is a little overwhelming to try and figure out how to best go about it. You writers out there, how do you do it? How do you organize your work while editing? I have a Word file with my MS. Then I have the file of edits. Do you create a new file for the first rewrite? I thought about saving the edited version with a different name and working in that, since he used the track/change part in Word. That way I could accept or reject some of his suggestions. I don’t know.

I’m suddenly getting nervous about this editing thing. Is that normal?

Sherrinda Ketchersid

September 2, 2009

editing

16 responses to “Giddy Fest & Writer Questions”

Eileen Astels Watson

September 2, 2009 at 1:15 pm

So good to feel your bubbly self in your blog again! Welcome back to normalcy and meal prep and all!

And, yes, nervousness is very normal for me in the editing phase. Power for the course!!

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Katie Ganshert

September 2, 2009 at 1:44 pm

Totally normal. I tend to get very anxious about my story during revision/editing. It's tough, hard work, but it will be a better story for it.

Here's a quote I love, “We choose to go to the moon in this decade. We choose to go the moon and do other things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard.”

Everything in life that is really worth something takes effort.

You can do it!!

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T. Anne

September 2, 2009 at 2:27 pm

I'm so glad your giddy! Love the smurf!!!!! I missed seeing you on the net. I'll never forget when i dropped hours back when i worked. it felt like heaven!

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Jennifer Shirk

September 2, 2009 at 3:16 pm

I love a little boring now again, too. LOL!

I wish I had a better organizing system, but I don't. I've got it down to folders of edited chapters and non edited chapters, but sometimes even that gets hairy.

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Kristen Torres-Toro

September 2, 2009 at 3:22 pm

Hi, Sherrinda!

Congrats for having great, low-key nights at on home. That is what I love most too!

I'm still in the dark ages with editing. Most of the people who read my book are nearby, so I pass around copies of paper manuscripts and then type it in manually. I actually prefer that, because you can't have everything spread out around you so you can see it on a computer. But I think I might have to become more high tech soon. :0)

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Keli Gwyn

September 2, 2009 at 4:24 pm

Sherrinda, I'm glad you're giddy about your return to a more relaxed schedule. Enjoy the feeling.

Editing can be tough, but I enjoy watching my story improve. I keep each version of my story in a separate file. That way, if I cut something and decide to use it later or in a different place, I have it. Plus, it's fun to go back later and see how much progress I've made as a writer.

I do much of my work on screen with my CP's edits next to my revised ms file. After I've incorporated the majority of the changes, though, I work on hard copy because I see things this way that I've missed on screen.

Please keep us posted on your progress–and your pain–so we can support you through the process.

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Jeannie Campbell, LMFT

September 2, 2009 at 4:24 pm

i'm glad you're back, ketchup girl! and i'm glad this week is SO normal! what i wouldn't give for one of those. 🙂

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Jessica

September 2, 2009 at 4:42 pm

I get nervous too. 🙂

You could rename the one you're working on, I think. I'm just learning track changes myself. 🙂 Good luck! And I'm glad everything is going good for you.

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Heather Sunseri

September 2, 2009 at 4:57 pm

Good luck Sherrinda with those edits. I still don't know how to use the track/change feature in Word. It's something I plan to learn how to use very soon.

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Jody Hedlund

September 2, 2009 at 6:13 pm

I'm glad life is back to normal! We missed you for the month of August! 🙂

I edit mine chapter by chapter and save each chapter in a new file after I revise it. It's easier to pick up where you left off with editing, rather than having to scroll through or do a page find with the entire document.

So you'll have to clue us in on what kinds of things your dad found! Was he hard or easy on you?

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Tara

September 2, 2009 at 10:41 pm

La-La-la, la, la-La…Edits can be overwhelming–especially from a professional like your dad. I prefer to work on my original manuscript, so I toggle between one word doc and the other. Good luck! And congrats on feeling sunny-side up.

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Jill Kemerer

September 2, 2009 at 11:53 pm

Oh, definitely do a “save as” to make a second draft. You want to keep the first draft just in case. It only takes a second to create a copy! I feel better if I'm editing a fresh copy, because I know if I change something and regret it, all I have to do is go back to the original version.

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Tabitha Bird

September 3, 2009 at 10:53 am

Glad you are back with us in blogging world. And yeah, i think that reaction is very normal. I feel the same way when I sit down to revise. good luck 🙂

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sherrinda

September 3, 2009 at 11:51 am

Eileen, Power For The Course, indeed! I'm glad I'm normal. 🙂

Katie, I love that quote!!! Soooo true! Thanks for sharing.

T. Anne, so you KNOW the feeling of less work and more time at home…heaven, isn't it?

Jennifer, I was thinking that was the best way to edit…with folders for edits and then the first draft. Good, I'm on track!

Kristen, I like the idea of a hard copy, but that gets so expensive printing the whole thing out. 😦 I did print one copy and some family members are passing it around. ha!

Keli, you must have it down right! I love seeing your progress in your editing updates! And look at the success you are having!!!! woohooo!

Jeanne, so how is your work going? Crazy busy, I bet! It is nice to be hear my ketchup girl name again!!! lol

Jessica, you get nervous??? Hard to believe. You seem so assured in your writing.

Heather, you will love the track changes!!! It is such a great tool.

Jody, your busy period is about to start, isn't it, with all your teaching you will be doing. 🙂 My dad was hard…just like I asked him to be, but he did it in such an encouraging way, it wasn't too painful! I so want to learn!!!!

Tara, sunny-side up! What a perfect way to describe the giddy feeling I've been having. 🙂

Jill, thanks for the advice. From what I am hearing, that is the best way to edit. 🙂

Tabitha, it is good to be back!!! I've missed everyone!

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Erica Vetsch

September 3, 2009 at 3:27 pm

Yay for getting back to normal. 🙂

Editing…Since I'm currently editing a ms, this is a timely question.

Right now I'm using track changes to make adjustments to a ms that has been through content edits. When I get it all done, my plan is to save the document under another name, then accept the changes and go back and see what I've got. The edits are so extensive at the moment that the ms looks like it is bleeding red type.

Six and a half more chapters to go.

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Weronika

September 3, 2009 at 10:46 pm

SHERRINDA. *happy dance*

It's so great to have you back with us here and, boy, oh, boy, do I wish I could do what you're doing–work, run some errands, and then write and read.

Gah. Life.

Can't wait to hear what you have to say about the edits. I'd say figure out whether or not you need to rewrite the chapter; if yes, start a new doc. If no, then just accept the changes in what your dad sent you and then copy & paste it back into the original file, adding in what you need.

Cheers!

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