Novel Editing, Plotting Help, Writers Resources

Brenda Hill

Don't Make This Mistake


The following paragraphs passed a computer's word processing spelling & grammar check.

Are They Correct?

Tom stood by his mailbox, scanning the dirt rode for the first sign of the male truck. Would it come today? Would long-waited letter of expectance arrive?


On won hand, he wanted to sea it, was anxious for any contact with the agent he'd chosen. He had also heard at writers conferences that when agent is interested inn a writers work, they'd call. Since they hadn't, he could only hope he was the acceptation, that perhaps the agency was to busy.
    
So he waited bye the mailbox, hoping, yet dreading to sea the letter.

After Editing:


Tom stood by his mailbox, scanning the dirt road for the first sign of the mail truck. Would it come today? Would the long-awaited letter of acceptance arrive?
            
On one hand, he wanted to see his SASE, was eager for any contact with the agent he'd chosen. He had also heard agents at writers' conferences say they personally call when interested. Since Tom had not received a call, he could only hope the agent was too busy. 
            
So he waited by the mailbox, hoping, yet dreading to see the letter.



We write and we rewrite, often a dozen times or more. At that point, typos and errors fade into oblivion because our brain helps us by supplying the correct word. Or we memorize the text, which is fine until we change a sentence or cut and paste and unknowingly omit a word or sentence.

Or perhaps we've gone over it so many times we're no longer objective.

 Different theories and suggestions tell us how to overcome that obstacle, but it's known in the writing world that to produce a professional manuscript we need professional editing. Objective editing.
 

I did. Tom Clancy did. Even Stephen King did. 
 
How about you?