Comments on: What’s your favorite “macro” editing technique?

By: Jordan

Jordan — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 21:35:02 +0000

@Trish—Awesome! Highly recommend Edittorrent!

@Andrew—Good luck with your revisions!

@Terresa—Thanks for the follow up!

@Mary—I can take a look at the chart, but I imagine it’s pretty hard for someone to understand unless they’ve studied Larry Brooks’s structure (and I have, so I might not be much help). On the other hand, it’s very helpful for a publisher as well as a writer to look at their own work that way.

For personal use, you can just copy and paste the chart above into a spreadsheet program. To pass out or use in a presentation, I’d appreciate it if you included the web address (URL) on the page/powerpoint slide. Thanks!

@Michelle—Well, yeah, it’s a lot harder to edit something before you’ve written it . I’ve tried to fill out my chart as I write, but it got to be too much interruption to my writing. Thanks!

By: michelle

michelle — Sun, 17 Jan 2010 22:18:00 +0000

While I use Story Structure for my plot, I make “chapter” (scene) cards after the first draft is written. I find it too restricting beforehand. Then I am able to lay them out on my table and mess with them untill I get the right order of it all. The scene charts really help me.

Jordan, Thank you for your allways informative and thoughtful posts. You do a great job here.

By: Mary E. Ulrich

Mary E. Ulrich — Sun, 17 Jan 2010 00:15:54 +0000

I created a chart based on Larry Brooks book, but I’m a rookie at this. Is there any way to send it to you for your review and suggestions? I’ve been passing it out when queries come in and asking authors to return it with their manuscripts. I’ve just had one person do it, so I’m not sure if it is working or not.

I would love to be able to get a copy of your worksheet. Pretty please?

By: Terresa Wellborn

Terresa Wellborn — Sat, 16 Jan 2010 18:14:49 +0000

This is a great system. I’ve never done anything like it.

Btw, I took the MFA/writer question to the SCBWI conference I attended last week. I asked Sydney Salter (J/YA author of 3 published books) her opinion of an aspiring writer going for an MFA. She said pretty much this, “Why? Do you want to be a professor?” And I said, “No, I want to write. I want to learn to become a better writer.” And she replied, “Well, then, write!”

Needless to say, I feel as if I’ve arrived at my answer.

By: Iapetus999

Iapetus999 — Sat, 16 Jan 2010 16:45:26 +0000

I’m working with cards right now, but now that I think about it, I’m missing a few things on the cards.
Sigh. That probably means I’ll have to do another pass through them.
Missing that “goal” and “disaster” section.
Will check out those links!