EDIT TECHNIQUES AND ADVICE FROM PUBLISHED YA AUTHORS

Writers (aspiring and established) you don't want to miss this!

After days of blood, sweat, tears, tracking, hunting, searching, lurking, running, chasing, possibly some skipping, and definitely some minor stalking, I've rounded up edit advice from the best (IMO) writers in YA.

Amy Christine Parker, ya thriller author of GATED.

http://amychristineparker.blogspot.com/

Christina Farley, ya paranormal/fantasy author of GILDED.

http://christinafarley.com/books/

J. A. Souders, ya sci-fi author of the Elysium Trilogy, RENEGADE and REVELATIONS.

http://jasouders.com/

Larissa Hardesty, writer of ya paranormal and thriller

http://lchardesty.blogspot.com/

 These awesomely talented authors also happen to be my friends, so they didn't mind me peeking in their windows and jumping out from behind their cars. LOL J/K

I compiled a list of four questions for each of them based on their editing experience, skills, and favored techniques, which I will now share with you wonderfully talented peeps!  I know!  Get your pens ready or your copy and paste fingers. You don't want to miss this advice!

Here are the questions.

They'll also be listed below along with the authors feedback.

1. What edit technique/s work best for you?
2. Did you always use the same edit technique/s or have they evolved over the years?
3. How many different strategies did you try before finding one or two that fit your writing style best?
4. What editing advice to you have for new and established writers?

Amy Christine Parker, author of Gated

1. What edit technique/s work best for you? 

My editing process is slow and happens almost the moment I start a draft. I write long hand in composition notebooks and then type in what I’ve written, revising that first time as I type. Once I’m done drafting I need to print out the entire draft so I can see it and physically manipulate it: spread it out by chapter across my floor, possibly rearrange the chapter order. I make notecards that summarize each chapter, tell how the character or plot is supposed to change and what I will have to do to make sure those changes occur which I clip to the top page of each chapter. I am so old school and find it incredibly difficult for some reason to do this on a computer even though Scrivener can basically perform all of what I do digitally. There is something about seeing the words on paper, of seeing the book spread out before me that helps me get in the right frame of mind to do what I need to to fix it. I also don’t put the chapters into one document until I’ve gotten one round of edits out of the way at least and I’m sure of the chapter order, that I don’t need to rewrite a whole part.

2. Did you always use the same edit technique/s or have they evolved over the years? 

I have basically used the same technique all along. I’ve refined a few things, but if anything instead of getting less old school I seem to be getting more—even doing all my story plotting and planning on several cork boards—my office is going to look like a police investigation room pretty soon with pictures/profiles of characters, setting, etc lined up along the wall next to my story board. I seem utterly organized, but the truth is the writing is always a bit of a pantsing process even with all that I’ve done to work through the plot ahead of time. The editing stage is where I feel like the true story emerges for me. I do think that I have maybe refined the process so it’s as quick as it’s going to get....which isn’t quick at all!

3. How many different strategies did you try before finding one or two that fit your writing style best? 

I tried them all! I am a huge researcher and adopter of any method I think will help me, but in the end I’m finding that I am meant to write/edit the way I write/edit and that any ideas/styles I pick up will need to be adapted into that framework to work.

4. What editing advice to you have for new and established writers? 

The editing stage is the time to become detached. I think your characters, world, and entire rough draft need to be created from both an emotional and intellectual space, but the editing process is about pinpointing weaknesses, highlighting strengths, and strategizing about how to make the book the best it can be. There is no room for emotional decision making. You need to come at it like a surgeon-- cool, calm, and utterly focused on fixing what’s broken, not rhapsodizing about a character, plot situation, or section of prose that makes you feel better about yourself as a writer--or worse--strokes your ego. This is the time to better the story plain and simple and in order to do that many times you have to cut out stuff you absolutely love because it isn’t crucial to the plot. I can almost feel the shift occur for me when it’s time to revise.

Christina Farley, author of Gilded

1.     What edit technique/s work best for you?

Write first, then edit.

For me I do best if I write the whole manuscript out and then afterwards go through and make my revisions. I like to focus on whole picture such as the plot and characterization. From there I go deeper by making sure the story is layered, loose ends are tied up and finally getting all of those grammar nuisances figured.

2. Did you always use the same edit technique/s or have they evolved over the years?

I used to write a couple of chapters at a time, perfect those and then send them to my critique partners. They would give me feedback on those chapters and then I’d move to the next round of chapters. This is how I learned to write, engage my readers, and make sure each chapter had its own arc within itself.  

But now I’m finding, not only do I not have time to do this because I have deadlines, but I like to write the whole story on the computer first. Even if half of it doesn’t make sense, it gives the story a fuller feel and the characters come to life for me because I’m not continually stopping and starting.

3. How many different strategies did you try before finding one or two that fit your writing style best?

When I first started writing GILDED, I wrote it in first person past tense. But I just didn’t feel like past tense was portraying Jae Hwa and her voice accurately. She’s an immediate, full-action kind of girl and I wanted that tone to be portrayed. So I wrote it in two different pov’s before I got it right. 

But I have written other books in different pov’s and tenses. For me it’s the character that drives my pov and sometimes I have to pay around with the story before I get it right.

4. What editing advice to you have for new and established writers?

My advice for new writers is to learn everything you can and focus on the joy of writing. Read stacks of books and don’t be afraid to try different pov’s, different voices and different genres. You’ll find what works best for you and your voice. 

For established authors: Write your story first. Then tackle big picture issues such as plot and characterization. From there, whittle down to focus on world building and voice. In the final drafts hone in on grammar, word structure and word choice.

Jessica Souders, author of RENEGADE AND REVELATIONS

1. What edit technique/s work best for you?

  Okay, so, I'm not sure if you wanted how I edit with my editor, or when I'm editing myself and/or with crit. partners, so I'll do both! :)   Honestly, I'm not sure I have a "technique" per se, but this is what works best for me.  When I've finished my first draft of a book, I generally try to let it sit for at least a week. (Ideally, I'd let it sit for a month, but let's face it I generally don't have time to let things sit for even that week. Sometimes I even have to send my work to my CPs as I finish the chapters to make deadlines in time). Then I read through it again on my computer, inputing my changes with track changes so I can see what I've changed. Then I let it sit for another week and do the same thing again. Then I send it to crit partners and let them do their thing and tear it apart. I input the changes I agree with. Then I make sure all the track changes are off and then I send the document to my kindle and read it through again, marking any changes on a notepad. Then I send it to my agent or editor depending on what series i'm working on and my timeframe. When my agent/editor gets me notes, I read them, then let them sit for a few days so I can think about them. Then I take a notebook and split the edit letter into three parts. Part 1 is things I agree with and will change. Part 2 is things I don't really feel positive or negative about, so I'll change it. And Part 3 is things I absolutely don't agree with. Then I edit my work with Part 1 and Part 2. Then I read Part 3 over again and see if I still don't agree with them. Then I talk them over with my crit partners for perspective. Usually half of the changes I didn't want to make, I figure out that they're actually good suggestions and I take them. The other half, I write down why I don't agree with them and send that list with the new version of the book and send it off to my editor/agent.

2. Did you always use the same edit technique/s or have they evolved over the years?

   My editing techniques have definitely changed over the years. When I first started, I'd edit the MS almost immediately after I'd finished it. I had NO idea what a Crit. Partner was and never used them. Of course, as I delved deeper into publishing, I realized that I needed other people to help me and found crit. partners. Then they evolved even more once I got my agent. I realized that as much as I loved the positive feedback I got from my crit partners, I NEEDED to hear what was wrong with my MS more than I needed the praise, so I had to figure out what advice was best for my book and what wasn't. Then I had to come up with a faster way to edit when I got my editor, because there was times where in order to make deadline, I didn't have the luxury of waiting a week between drafts. So, for me, it was more of an evolution and trial and error to figure out what works best. I'm sure if you ask me this question 10 years from now, my answer would be the same, but my editing style will be completely different.

3. How many different strategies did you try before finding one or two that fit your writing style best?

See answer above? LOL. I'm not sure it's a matter of times so much as it's a matter of time. And now you're asking what in the world does THAT mean? The evolution of my editing style was slow and took many years to get where I am now and I'm still adjusting it to fit what I need, which is also always evolving. The more I grow as a writer(and I'm certain we never stop growing) and the more I learn, the more I change how I edit. And since I don't really subscribe to a particular strategy in general, and I write in more than one genre, how I edit is completely fluid.

4. What editing advice to you have for new and established writers?

My first piece of advice would be to invest in a copy of Self-Editing for Fiction Writers. It's an excellent book that really delves into how to self-edit, which you absolutely need to know how to do. It really helped me grow as a writer and I still refer back to it at times. I'd also suggest getting a copy of the Emotion Thesaurus and keep it next to you when editing. You'd be amazed at how many times you use the same word or phrase to describe an emotion and I've found this book to be invaluable when I wasn't quite sure how to convey a feeling the way I wanted to.  Also, have people who you can trust to tell you the absolute truth about your book read through it and make suggestions and then learn how to take criticism and be objective when you read through them. Don't just take everything they suggest, but don't ignore it out of hand either. Having Golden word syndrome doesn't help anybody, least of all you. No matter how awesome you are, there is always something someone will see that they think could make it better, so you have to learn how to decide when and how to take the advice. And that advice may not be what your book needs, but it triggers something that does. And know when enough is enough. No book will EVER be perfect. And there comes a point when a writer just needs to say "enough" and send it to an agent or an editor. And no matter what, NEVER give up. Writing and editing is hard work, but it's so worth it in the end.

Larissa Hardesty, ya paranormal and thriller writer

1. What edit technique/s work best for you?

I like to have my critique partners read through my manuscript a chapter or two at a time once I have the first draft written (or sometimes even while I'm drafting). Then I go through my manuscript and incorporate their suggestions while fixing the things that came up in my own mind as I drafted. Then I send the full manuscript to two or three beta readers for their thoughts. Once I get the beta readers' thoughts back, I usually print the manuscript and read through it with those critiques in mind, handwriting nay changes or comments of my own as I go. When I type those changes in, I do more fine-tuning. Depending on my level of confidence in the manuscript, I may send it to two more betas, or I may start sending it out. 

2. Did you always use the same edit technique/s or have they evolved over the years?

This is pretty similar to how I started, but I've definitely deepened my ability to revise though the years. 

3. How many different strategies did you try before finding one or two that fit your writing style best?

I don't recall actively trying different strategies. I really go with my gut and what feels like it's working for me. I've seen posts and vlogs on revision and thought, "Oh, that is definitely not for me."

4. What editing advice to you have for new and established writers?

Find what works for you. Just because someone is a NYT Bestselling author doesn't mean they know everything, or that the way they write or revise is going to work for you. And your way, if it works for you, isn't wrong (unless you ignore all critique and think your work is perfect--in that case, you're wrong). But don't be afraid to try a new way if it sounds interesting to you. Inflexibility is your enemy. ;)