Editorial Notes = clarifying information, additional insight, annotations

Hiya Reader,

As a child of working parents in the seventies and eighties, I grew up on a steady diet of engineered, processed food. White bread “fortified” with a fraction of the nutrients taken out in processing, carcinogenic pink bologna, square slices of “cheese food” glowing yellow-orange in plastic wrap. “Read the labels,” I taught my children. “If you can’t pronounce it, if it doesn’t seem like a name for food, you probably shouldn’t eat it.”

Thanks to reader Kay, I now have a new appreciation for what I'm looking for when I read. You're welcome.

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Example of the Week

Sometimes this is a good example—or a great one. Sometimes this is a bad example—or just a funny blooper. Sometimes a combination. You never know.

Along the lines of reading labels, I present:

Thank goodness we cleared this up. I might have used the product wrong!

Actionable Tip of the Week

A trick to add to your self-editing toolbox right now!

"Show, don't tell."

How many times have you heard this advice? A lot, I suspect, because it's good advice. In fact, I've given it countless times to students and writers over three decades.

But is it the right strategy for every writing situation? (Hint: no.)

​Read the rest of the article at this link.​

Reader Question of the Week

Nicholas wrote: Most craft books say that editing and writing are two different types of writing. But is it ? When you write a sentence aren't editing it in an unconscious way to get it right?

Nicholas! We're talking about a couple of different kinds of editing here.

On the sentence level, editing is micro. The tree view. Replacing words, tweaking phrasing, adjusting language/tone/flow in the moment as part of the generative process.

Developmental editing, on the other hand, requires the 30,000-foot view. Structure, organization, pacing, clarity.

First drafts help us discover our raw material, but larger, forest-view qualities generally aren't apparent on an as-you-go basis. With few (literally exceptional) exceptions, our first work does not contain necessary clarity, focus, and depth readers expect and need. Writing without editing might feel freeing, but editing is where the magic really happens — at least in terms of audience outcomes.

If you're interested in putting forward your best work in service to a reader, plan to edit.

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Link of the Week

For the readers like me who are approximately 847 millionth in line for a book or often flummoxed by titles on the list of want-to-read-but-library-doesn't-own-this book, I present to you a list of libraries where you can get a non-resident card for a nominal fee. BRB.

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I ❤️ Hearing from You!

Comments? Just reply to this email or click this link. I respond to every email—that's a promise.

Thanks for reading!

~Helene, your writing sherpa

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P.S.

Speaking of the need to edit: I have two spots left for book coaching/manuscript editing clients this spring. If you're ready to grab one for yourself (or refer to a friend), get in touch soon before they're taken!

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