I try to go through my inbox and click on a title every now and then from a whole group of writers that I follow. I wish I had another week's worth of time in every day :)
Thank you for mentioning this. As someone who also has a problematic eyeball (who knew melanoma could happen in there?) I literally get fatigued eyes. Add to that my own writing and editing and—wow! I cannot read everything, but that I love what I DO read from a writerly-friend should be enough. I feel the same about them. If I'm too busy to read every one of their articles, I know they're too busy with life, their own writing, editing, and any number of things. It's okay. We try, and we share.
Thank you sharing. I write fantasy, epic with two to three worlds and you explained the editing process so well. I wish I could write succinctly so that I only needed one or two edits. I write very fast as the stories flow so quickly and I hate commas so I have to take the rough draft and go over it. In my current book I am editing the epub and it’s a very through edit as it’s the final version I find myself so damn tired. Thanks to you I understand!! I will be reading your articles now that I read this one. Your first sentence grabbed me. Thank you I would do a paid but right not money is so tight. Again thank you for the insight.
I hear you about money being tight! It looks like we'll be tightening the belt for the next 4 years. I tend to find a lot of errors when I do my voice over. That allows me to edit even as I'm creating podcast content. I've been doing a lot with voice recordings lately too. There are tools that give you very clean transcripts.
I have word read back a chapter at a time and I can hear if the dialogue works. I use a lot of dialogue to move the action along and to show not tell a big thing in fiction. And this last edit of the epub doc I am reading it aloud. I love hearing you do the same for your podcasts.i look forward to hearing your insights. I too had to let go of being sensitive of my work. My developmental editor told me I am lyrical prose writer. She said don’t let anyone change your voice. I use an editing AI program but it’s never accurate. Thanks for the response. I look forward to your work.
1000% to all of this. I forget my own articles days after, I don't think it's weird to not read your friends work but still respect and love their writing, and I even pay to subscribe to people that I don't read all their shit. I cherry-pick what I read and it has nothing to do if we're friends or not, some titles/topics will pop and others won't.
You nailed all of this, and I'm glad you said it. :)
I thought I was the only person to forget what they’ve written! I assumed I had some memory deficit. I’ll read things and say “did I write that?” Is it because of editing brain? How fascinating.
Thank you for saying this. I, too, don't have the time or the energy to read everything my writer friends write. Yes, I feel guilty for not reading their stuff, and I try to at least occasionally read something of theirs and comment if I can, just to let them know I'm there for them, but I just can't read everything all the time. I don't expect my writer friends to read everything I write, either.
There's so much content out there that we couldn't possibly expect anyone to consume all of it. If that were the case it would be a full-time job just reading all the newsletters!
For me, this sense of obligation applies not only to reading, but recommendations. A writer "friend" recommends me and I'm given the suggestion to "recommend back," but I don't always want to.
I will be reading more after cataract surgery. Until then, I have to read slowly, with one eye closed. Thank you for insightful posts!
I also do voice overs. Have you tried those? My wife prefers listening to reading, me too if I’m being honest!
Podcasts are fine, but I prefer reading.
I don't expect you to read my stories, either- even though we have similar thematic concerns.
I try to go through my inbox and click on a title every now and then from a whole group of writers that I follow. I wish I had another week's worth of time in every day :)
Thank you for mentioning this. As someone who also has a problematic eyeball (who knew melanoma could happen in there?) I literally get fatigued eyes. Add to that my own writing and editing and—wow! I cannot read everything, but that I love what I DO read from a writerly-friend should be enough. I feel the same about them. If I'm too busy to read every one of their articles, I know they're too busy with life, their own writing, editing, and any number of things. It's okay. We try, and we share.
The podcasts make it a lot easier. I enjoy listening to the stories of my writer friends. Like you, my eyes also get tired.
Thank you sharing. I write fantasy, epic with two to three worlds and you explained the editing process so well. I wish I could write succinctly so that I only needed one or two edits. I write very fast as the stories flow so quickly and I hate commas so I have to take the rough draft and go over it. In my current book I am editing the epub and it’s a very through edit as it’s the final version I find myself so damn tired. Thanks to you I understand!! I will be reading your articles now that I read this one. Your first sentence grabbed me. Thank you I would do a paid but right not money is so tight. Again thank you for the insight.
I hear you about money being tight! It looks like we'll be tightening the belt for the next 4 years. I tend to find a lot of errors when I do my voice over. That allows me to edit even as I'm creating podcast content. I've been doing a lot with voice recordings lately too. There are tools that give you very clean transcripts.
I have word read back a chapter at a time and I can hear if the dialogue works. I use a lot of dialogue to move the action along and to show not tell a big thing in fiction. And this last edit of the epub doc I am reading it aloud. I love hearing you do the same for your podcasts.i look forward to hearing your insights. I too had to let go of being sensitive of my work. My developmental editor told me I am lyrical prose writer. She said don’t let anyone change your voice. I use an editing AI program but it’s never accurate. Thanks for the response. I look forward to your work.
I read for enjoyment - but also for education.
I am so grateful that you are in my world.Please keep shining.🌟
Thanks Nancy! That's very sweet!
1000% to all of this. I forget my own articles days after, I don't think it's weird to not read your friends work but still respect and love their writing, and I even pay to subscribe to people that I don't read all their shit. I cherry-pick what I read and it has nothing to do if we're friends or not, some titles/topics will pop and others won't.
You nailed all of this, and I'm glad you said it. :)
I thought I was the only person to forget what they’ve written! I assumed I had some memory deficit. I’ll read things and say “did I write that?” Is it because of editing brain? How fascinating.
Thank you for saying this. I, too, don't have the time or the energy to read everything my writer friends write. Yes, I feel guilty for not reading their stuff, and I try to at least occasionally read something of theirs and comment if I can, just to let them know I'm there for them, but I just can't read everything all the time. I don't expect my writer friends to read everything I write, either.
There's so much content out there that we couldn't possibly expect anyone to consume all of it. If that were the case it would be a full-time job just reading all the newsletters!
For me, this sense of obligation applies not only to reading, but recommendations. A writer "friend" recommends me and I'm given the suggestion to "recommend back," but I don't always want to.
Ha! This is a great essay and so true in all regards.