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Description
The Art of Refining Prose

Many writers dread the editing process. Not only does it delay the showcase of prose, it can seem a tedious and painstaking task. Often, editing is more time-consuming than the initial writing and consequently, it is either ignored altogether or briefly indulged. This is a great shame. Sincere editing not only proves a pleasurable experience but invaluable to prose, as this is a wonderful opportunity to buff, polish and tighten the impact of one's writing.

Some might argue that editing is not only unnecessary, but detrimental to the “raw concept” of one’s inspiration. The answer to this is simple: select a prose that hasn’t been edited and compare against one that has. It’s soon evident that a well-edited piece is not only easier to read, but communicates the author’s ideas with greater clarity. Few Bestsellers hit the shelves having skipped the editing office. And unless the author has behind them years upon years of writing experience, it’s very difficult (if not impossible!) to produce a perfect piece on the first go. Even published writers utilise extra eyes to pick up important errors. Therefore, it’s worthwhile as a developing writer to set aside the ego and seriously review one’s prose.

Hand in hand with editing, is the question of "When should editing be done"? While there is no "right" answer, it is usually suggested the editing be done after the completion of the first draft. This is to prevent writers getting stuck on the finer points of editing, only to lose focus and become frustrated when the story doesn't get finished. For other writers, it's handy to edit during writer's block to help review what they've done so far and what's yet to come. Other writers prefer to set a quota for each day (example: ten pages per day), to ensure they complete writing. However, it is important to keep in mind that over-editing can actually spoil one's prose. Some writers are so caught up in editing that they never actually let go of a story. While some writers are destined to produce a one-off masterpiece, others are meant to write numerous unsuccessful stories before producing masterpieces. Therefore, be warned: some stories are meant to be nothing more than a learning experience, through which your writing skills are carefully perfected for future projects. So don't be disappointed by errors found in editing. These errors can only point the way towards improvement and growth.

This article will be focusing on some of the subtler points of editing. It is assumed that the basics of editing - spelling check, grammar and punctuation – has already been conducted. So without further ado, consider the following points:

1) A Balance of Detail

This is without a doubt, the most difficult area when tackling prose. Many writers struggle with how much detail to include and what information to exclude. When the urge strikes to itemize and elaborate every detail in the scene – pause and ask this important question: Is this description really necessary? In practice, excess detail often dilutes impact, rather than contributing. It can also make for a long and drawn out read, which risks losing the interest of the reader. Any detail used should be actively functional in the story. In other words, it hints or tells the reader something important about the scene, character or event in question. And often, it is better to be a minimalist and not give too much away. This way, it leaves the readers with questions that they must answer by filling in details for themselves or discover more by continue reading. Especially when writing a long story, detail can be left later on in the prose, after a good connection with the reader has been established.

2) The Flow of a Story

During editing, have the courage to be ruthless and remove any words, sentences or paragraphs that simply just don’t work. Maybe it reads a little awkwardly. Or perhaps the content doesn’t fit with a particular scene or place in the story. Well save the text somewhere and use it again later, if appropriate. Re-read the amended section and test the story’s impact. The most important thing is reading flow. Above all else, the writing must flow well to make it easy for the reader to follow. Not only is this skilled writing, it’s courteous writing. Gradually leading the reader through the story ensures that they keep up with the plot. Otherwise, they might get left behind by the charge of your inspiration.

3) Engage the Reader’s Imagination

Many writers are so caught up in expressing themselves in writing, that they forget a very important person: their reader. Writing is not a one-person show. It is actually a relationship between writer and reader; working two ways, not one. All writers write to be read. Thus, it’s silly to neglect the reader. When writing, always keep the reader as the focus. Ask, what would the reader like to discover? How can this information be introduced in a creative but interesting way? How can subtle hints be woven into the story so the reader is participating as they read, rather than distanced as a bystander? It pays not to forget that at the other end, is an emotional human being with experiences of their own. The reader isn’t a robot – they have a valid imagination of their own and therefore, more than capable of making assumptions, thoughts and notes. As a result, it’s not necessary to bombard the reader with information. This merely insults the intelligence of the reader. Rather, subtly dropping hints and giving the reader space to generate their individual impressions makes for a far more engaging read. Not to mention, a more satisfied reader.

4) Writing from the Character’s Perspective

Successful portrayal of any character is more difficult than it first seems. Not only does it require a lot of imagination, the style in which the character’s thoughts are expressed must be carefully communicated. During the editing process, review which perspective has been used: 1st, 2nd or 3rd.

When writing in the 1st Person, be wary of sneaking in details from an observer’s perspective. Ideally, 1st Person is expressed as “I felt, I thought, I reached for”. Therefore, using description such as “My hair was tossled like candy-floss by the sea breeze” is actually cheating. Unless the character is looking into mirror, how do they know this? Thus, it should be very clear that when writing in the 1st person, it should be akin to living in the very mind and body of the character. It’s more about the character’s observations of the outside word through their eyes, not a 3rd person. Focus on the character’s thoughts and emotions and make it personal.

Writing in the 2nd Person is not often used, but shares similar traits to the 1st Person perspective. 2nd Person is expressed as, “You did, you reacted, you thought”. Since it actively places the reader in the character’s seat, be wary about sneaking in 3rd person observations. This is entirely dependent on the tone and style of writing also.

Writing in 3rd Person is generally easier with introducing outside information. This is usually expressed as, “He felt, she did, they thought”. Since events are described from the perspective of an observer, it allows more flexibility with exterior detail. The catch being, it becomes less personal for any one character. Again, this is dependent on writing style and tone.

While writing in 1st, 2nd or 3rd Person is more or less a guide, be wary of the perspective used in the story. Slight variance to another perspective must be done subtly and thoughtfully, so as not to dissociate the connection between reader and character.

5) Using Dialogue Tags

The “He said,” and “She said” is often struggled with. The key with dialogue tags is to keep them unobtrusive. What does this mean? Well pick up a favourite book and have a read of a section of dialogue. Once you’ve read it, go back and count all the tags. Did you even know what tags were used? Or was the dialogue so compelling, the tags failed to matter? Dialogue tags are designed like the word ‘the’. Such words are frequently used because they serve to clarify the scene without drawing too much attention to themselves. Therefore, getting creative with dialogue tags (ie He simpered, she lamented, he bleated) can actually distract from the story. If dialogue tags are needed to accentuate the dialogue, then one should question whether the dialogue is worthy. Often, the words said should be comprehensible enough to set the tone and mood. Tags should only be there to avoid confusion, especially when there are more than two characters. When there is only one character or a pair of characters, the sequence of the dialogue should be clear in itself.

6) *CRACK* KAPOW! Surprise!

A lazy action scene reads like a 60s Batman and Robin Show. Any decent hope of action and reaction is hidden behind blazing words like CRASH! BANG! And WHOOPASS! Seriously, don’t even think about it. This is writing of the poorest kind. There are many ways to write action scenes but one way, is to imagine describing a movie scene. As the director, what particular blow or contact would draw the focus? How quickly would the scene occur and what time is there for character reaction? Or better yet, do some research and pick up some thrillers books or movies. Study how other writers/directors bring out the tension of the moment (hopefully) without being cliché. Sometimes, imagining what's been written as a movie can be very helpful in determining what needs improvement and what is working well.

7) Working with Imagery
So many writers are eager to pack their writing with similes and metaphors, going above and beyond to invent new ways of presenting the scene. However, it is important to review the purpose of imagery. It's a wonderful way of tapping into the reader's visual centre and can really help inject life to the story. But equally important is being able to tell the difference between good and bad imagery. There are two key things to remember: Avoid using cliche imagery and clumsy imagery. This is why:

a) Cliche Imagery: These are similes and metaphors that are far too over-used, to the point that they no longer generate effective visuals for the reader. Example: "snapped out of his work" or ""dark shadows" (Duh!) and ""my love is like a red, red, rose". Images like these would cause Shakespeare to *facepalm* so please, please avoid this downfall.

b) Clumsy Imagery: Sadly, the other extreme is over-stretching of creative imagery. For example: "Pain gushed from his side, leaving ribbons of crimson fluid running down the cold limestone" - not only do images like this lack in subtlety, it's almost overkill and uninteresting for the reader. Worse still, overdone imagery can create confusing visuals. For example, in the example above, is the pain decreasing if it's gushing from the character's side? How exactly does fluid look like neat ribbon? And while your reader is hung up on the imagery, trying to make sense of it all, they've forgotten where they were up to in the story. So be on the lookout for bad imagery and get rid of them - Pronto.

To combat poor imagery, it is strongly suggested that you practice tapping into the visual world throughout your daily life. Learn to be more observant - what smells, tastes, sensations and sights cause a reaction you? How do you react to these? Try describing them. If an idea comes to you, jot it down, even if you don't have a story to use it in. This is ideal practice and flexing of your descriptive skills, for the real thing.

Conclusion

In conclusion, don’t be afraid to take any prose aside and investigate its structure. Be scrupulous and really interrogate the usefulness and place of every word. What job is this line doing? How does this paragraph contribute to the story? Does this reference help the reader or impede their reading flow? Only after review will prose begin to shine. This act of consideration finds its reward in a delighted reader. Happy editing folks.

Description
The Art of Refining Prose

Many writers dread the editing process. Not only does it delay the showcase of prose, it can seem a tedious and painstaking task. Often, editing is more time-consuming than the initial writing and consequently, it is either ignored altogether or briefly indulged. This is a great shame. Sincere editing not only proves a pleasurable experience but invaluable to prose, as this is a wonderful opportunity to buff, polish and tighten the impact of one's writing.

Some might argue that editing is not only unnecessary, but detrimental to the “raw concept” of one’s inspiration. The answer to this is simple: select a prose that hasn’t been edited and compare against one that has. It’s soon evident that a well-edited piece is not only easier to read, but communicates the author’s ideas with greater clarity. Few Bestsellers hit the shelves having skipped the editing office. And unless the author has behind them years upon years of writing experience, it’s very difficult (if not impossible!) to produce a perfect piece on the first go. Even published writers utilise extra eyes to pick up important errors. Therefore, it’s worthwhile as a developing writer to set aside the ego and seriously review one’s prose.

Hand in hand with editing, is the question of "When should editing be done"? While there is no "right" answer, it is usually suggested the editing be done after the completion of the first draft. This is to prevent writers getting stuck on the finer points of editing, only to lose focus and become frustrated when the story doesn't get finished. For other writers, it's handy to edit during writer's block to help review what they've done so far and what's yet to come. Other writers prefer to set a quota for each day (example: ten pages per day), to ensure they complete writing. However, it is important to keep in mind that over-editing can actually spoil one's prose. Some writers are so caught up in editing that they never actually let go of a story. While some writers are destined to produce a one-off masterpiece, others are meant to write numerous unsuccessful stories before producing masterpieces. Therefore, be warned: some stories are meant to be nothing more than a learning experience, through which your writing skills are carefully perfected for future projects. So don't be disappointed by errors found in editing. These errors can only point the way towards improvement and growth.

This article will be focusing on some of the subtler points of editing. It is assumed that the basics of editing - spelling check, grammar and punctuation – has already been conducted. So without further ado, consider the following points:

1) A Balance of Detail

This is without a doubt, the most difficult area when tackling prose. Many writers struggle with how much detail to include and what information to exclude. When the urge strikes to itemize and elaborate every detail in the scene – pause and ask this important question: Is this description really necessary? In practice, excess detail often dilutes impact, rather than contributing. It can also make for a long and drawn out read, which risks losing the interest of the reader. Any detail used should be actively functional in the story. In other words, it hints or tells the reader something important about the scene, character or event in question. And often, it is better to be a minimalist and not give too much away. This way, it leaves the readers with questions that they must answer by filling in details for themselves or discover more by continue reading. Especially when writing a long story, detail can be left later on in the prose, after a good connection with the reader has been established.

2) The Flow of a Story

During editing, have the courage to be ruthless and remove any words, sentences or paragraphs that simply just don’t work. Maybe it reads a little awkwardly. Or perhaps the content doesn’t fit with a particular scene or place in the story. Well save the text somewhere and use it again later, if appropriate. Re-read the amended section and test the story’s impact. The most important thing is reading flow. Above all else, the writing must flow well to make it easy for the reader to follow. Not only is this skilled writing, it’s courteous writing. Gradually leading the reader through the story ensures that they keep up with the plot. Otherwise, they might get left behind by the charge of your inspiration.

3) Engage the Reader’s Imagination

Many writers are so caught up in expressing themselves in writing, that they forget a very important person: their reader. Writing is not a one-person show. It is actually a relationship between writer and reader; working two ways, not one. All writers write to be read. Thus, it’s silly to neglect the reader. When writing, always keep the reader as the focus. Ask, what would the reader like to discover? How can this information be introduced in a creative but interesting way? How can subtle hints be woven into the story so the reader is participating as they read, rather than distanced as a bystander? It pays not to forget that at the other end, is an emotional human being with experiences of their own. The reader isn’t a robot – they have a valid imagination of their own and therefore, more than capable of making assumptions, thoughts and notes. As a result, it’s not necessary to bombard the reader with information. This merely insults the intelligence of the reader. Rather, subtly dropping hints and giving the reader space to generate their individual impressions makes for a far more engaging read. Not to mention, a more satisfied reader.

4) Writing from the Character’s Perspective

Successful portrayal of any character is more difficult than it first seems. Not only does it require a lot of imagination, the style in which the character’s thoughts are expressed must be carefully communicated. During the editing process, review which perspective has been used: 1st, 2nd or 3rd.

When writing in the 1st Person, be wary of sneaking in details from an observer’s perspective. Ideally, 1st Person is expressed as “I felt, I thought, I reached for”. Therefore, using description such as “My hair was tossled like candy-floss by the sea breeze” is actually cheating. Unless the character is looking into mirror, how do they know this? Thus, it should be very clear that when writing in the 1st person, it should be akin to living in the very mind and body of the character. It’s more about the character’s observations of the outside word through their eyes, not a 3rd person. Focus on the character’s thoughts and emotions and make it personal.

Writing in the 2nd Person is not often used, but shares similar traits to the 1st Person perspective. 2nd Person is expressed as, “You did, you reacted, you thought”. Since it actively places the reader in the character’s seat, be wary about sneaking in 3rd person observations. This is entirely dependent on the tone and style of writing also.

Writing in 3rd Person is generally easier with introducing outside information. This is usually expressed as, “He felt, she did, they thought”. Since events are described from the perspective of an observer, it allows more flexibility with exterior detail. The catch being, it becomes less personal for any one character. Again, this is dependent on writing style and tone.

While writing in 1st, 2nd or 3rd Person is more or less a guide, be wary of the perspective used in the story. Slight variance to another perspective must be done subtly and thoughtfully, so as not to dissociate the connection between reader and character.

5) Using Dialogue Tags

The “He said,” and “She said” is often struggled with. The key with dialogue tags is to keep them unobtrusive. What does this mean? Well pick up a favourite book and have a read of a section of dialogue. Once you’ve read it, go back and count all the tags. Did you even know what tags were used? Or was the dialogue so compelling, the tags failed to matter? Dialogue tags are designed like the word ‘the’. Such words are frequently used because they serve to clarify the scene without drawing too much attention to themselves. Therefore, getting creative with dialogue tags (ie He simpered, she lamented, he bleated) can actually distract from the story. If dialogue tags are needed to accentuate the dialogue, then one should question whether the dialogue is worthy. Often, the words said should be comprehensible enough to set the tone and mood. Tags should only be there to avoid confusion, especially when there are more than two characters. When there is only one character or a pair of characters, the sequence of the dialogue should be clear in itself.

6) *CRACK* KAPOW! Surprise!

A lazy action scene reads like a 60s Batman and Robin Show. Any decent hope of action and reaction is hidden behind blazing words like CRASH! BANG! And WHOOPASS! Seriously, don’t even think about it. This is writing of the poorest kind. There are many ways to write action scenes but one way, is to imagine describing a movie scene. As the director, what particular blow or contact would draw the focus? How quickly would the scene occur and what time is there for character reaction? Or better yet, do some research and pick up some thrillers books or movies. Study how other writers/directors bring out the tension of the moment (hopefully) without being cliché. Sometimes, imagining what's been written as a movie can be very helpful in determining what needs improvement and what is working well.

7) Working with Imagery
So many writers are eager to pack their writing with similes and metaphors, going above and beyond to invent new ways of presenting the scene. However, it is important to review the purpose of imagery. It's a wonderful way of tapping into the reader's visual centre and can really help inject life to the story. But equally important is being able to tell the difference between good and bad imagery. There are two key things to remember: Avoid using cliche imagery and clumsy imagery. This is why:

a) Cliche Imagery: These are similes and metaphors that are far too over-used, to the point that they no longer generate effective visuals for the reader. Example: "snapped out of his work" or ""dark shadows" (Duh!) and ""my love is like a red, red, rose". Images like these would cause Shakespeare to *facepalm* so please, please avoid this downfall.

b) Clumsy Imagery: Sadly, the other extreme is over-stretching of creative imagery. For example: "Pain gushed from his side, leaving ribbons of crimson fluid running down the cold limestone" - not only do images like this lack in subtlety, it's almost overkill and uninteresting for the reader. Worse still, overdone imagery can create confusing visuals. For example, in the example above, is the pain decreasing if it's gushing from the character's side? How exactly does fluid look like neat ribbon? And while your reader is hung up on the imagery, trying to make sense of it all, they've forgotten where they were up to in the story. So be on the lookout for bad imagery and get rid of them - Pronto.

To combat poor imagery, it is strongly suggested that you practice tapping into the visual world throughout your daily life. Learn to be more observant - what smells, tastes, sensations and sights cause a reaction you? How do you react to these? Try describing them. If an idea comes to you, jot it down, even if you don't have a story to use it in. This is ideal practice and flexing of your descriptive skills, for the real thing.

Conclusion

In conclusion, don’t be afraid to take any prose aside and investigate its structure. Be scrupulous and really interrogate the usefulness and place of every word. What job is this line doing? How does this paragraph contribute to the story? Does this reference help the reader or impede their reading flow? Only after review will prose begin to shine. This act of consideration finds its reward in a delighted reader. Happy editing folks.