1. The comma you spent ages deliberating over becomes obsolete when you go back and change the sentence.
2. You think you have it right then look at it later and wonder if you had been in the twilight zone when you did the last edit.
3. Saying I'm just going to read this through and next thing, the pen is in your hand and your read through becomes a re-write.
4. No matter how many times you go over it you always find a mistake or something that could be changed.
5. Computer 'Spell check' is an editing help and a hazard.
6. Semi colon, colon, comma - no matter what the textbook tells you, Editors disagree on usage.
7. Printing it out in hard copy and then finding a mistake on the first page that jumps the all lines up a page.
8. Over editing
9. Over eating
10. Self doubt
11. Procrastination - e.g. I'll make a coffee then go through this - again!!!
12. I'll just go through this chapter - then four hours later the beds still need to be made.
13. Waking up at night and find yourself going over it and can't go back to sleep until you get up and fix it.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
8 comments:
Oh Robin you've seen me edit! I've learned to stop worrying about the comma thing for just that reason. In the end I'll just follow the style guide of the publisher and use it how they want me to.
It just kills the former English teacher in me though.
Editing isn't fun...so I just don't do it. But, then I'm only publishing a blog (lol). Isn't that what editors do? Are you just afraid of how they will scramble your words?
Shelly
http://www.thiseclecticlife.com
YES!!!
These must be universal issues, huh? Because darn if it doesn't seem like you're in my house, watching me, too!
Ditto, ditto, ditto, ditto! The story of my life, lol. Seems funny when you read it but I know it's NOT! =)
As a former Sped teacher, I just have to ask...do you read aloud or in your head? Because I basically speed read and can skip over words, if editing, I can only imagine what I would miss.
OH yes, I totally understand. Overeating and procrastination or I'll get hepped up on Diet Coke and forget to drink my 2liters of water.
Happy TT!!!
Do I read aloud or in my head? If I have hard copy I read aloud, if I'm on my laptop in my head. - How stupid is that, I never thought about it until you asked.
I loved number one. I used to keep a file of all the various sentences and paragraphs I edited out because I would agonize over them and really wish they could stay. After a while, however, I found I never reread them. It was easier to write on the fly and reinvent things.
You list brought a smile to my lips. Nice work.
Please visit my Thursday Thirteen
~Douglas
-=-
The Splintered Mind - Overcoming Neurological Disabilities With Lots Of Humor And Attitude
Post a Comment