Week of 25 February 2002

If you read the last weekly update, (18 February), you'll probably realize that I didn't have much time to edit that week, so I tried to make up for it this week, and I spent a great deal of time tinkering with the novel. What exactly do I mean by that? I go through the novel line by line and evaluate each sentence. I've mentioned in the web-site (FAQ -- General Questions) that my goals for writing style are "efficiency, conciseness and originality in uncluttered, vigorous prose," so that's the standard that I use when looking at each sentence in the novel. I ask myself: Is the sentence clear and understandable? Can it be shortened? Are my descriptions original without seeming to strain for originality? Does the dialogue sound believable? Does the sentence move the story forward? Is it necessary? It's a slow process, and in the course of a page, I might make a dozen small modifications. Taken individually, I doubt that anyone would notice the changes, but I believe that as a group, the novel simply reads and flows much better by the end.

I also listen to the "sound" of each sentence and paragraph. In other words, as I make these modifications, I then read them aloud to myself, and see whether it "flows" right. I think that a book should read well; by that, it should not only look good to the eye, but should sound good to the ear.

I also try to spot holes in the story. I've spotted two minor ones so far, and because I think they're important, and will make those changes as well.

Right now, I'm still in the midst of all of this, and I'll continue through the end of this week.

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