When Editing, Change Your Font!

 It doesn't get mentioned enough. But one thing that happens and happens quickly when you're writing a story is that you get used to the font, you get used to your words, you know what you're talking about. 

And because of that, it's possible to, even if you're doing your best, just miss stuff as you give your masterpiece a read. In fact, this is one reason for editors--a fresh pair of eyes that haven't read the same words ten times and thus just miss the fact that "there" should be "their." 

Now, while there is no substitute for having another set of eyes look at your work, there is one thing you can do, especially in this era of word processing programs.

Change your font, size, and spacing, and see what happens. To use an example from one of my very rough first drafts:

***

The buzz of the alarm woke Alyana up from under her nest of blankets. She yawned once, then reached out and hit the alarm, stilling it.

“It’s early…” a sleepy voice murmured from the other bed.

“No, you didn’t wind your clock up,” Alyana said as she threw the blankets off and walked over to the window, staring out at the rising sun. “If you don’t hurry, you’ll miss breakfast, Dana.”

“Don’t care…” the vaguely person-shaped pile of blankets said. 

“How late were you out last night?” Alyana asked. She ran her fingers through her dark hair, pulling it over her shoulder. 

Vs. 

The buzz of the alarm woke Alyana up from under her nest of blankets. She yawned once, then reached out and hit the alarm, stilling it.

“It’s early…” a sleepy voice murmured from the other bed.

“No, you didn’t wind your clock up,” Alyana said as she threw the blankets off and walked over to the window, staring out at the rising sun. “If you don’t hurry, you’ll miss breakfast, Dana.”

“Don’t care…” the vaguely person-shaped pile of blankets said. 

“How late were you out last night?” Alyana asked. She ran her fingers through her dark hair, pulling it over her shoulder. 

***

The two passages look completely different and thus, your eyes aren't just going to pass over them because they've seen those words a million times. There's a subconscious "hold on a moment" going on that lets you see, at least partially, your work as new again. 

If you want to get wild, you can always change the color of your words. I know some writers who do that, but others find it unhelpful and actually annoying. That gets into personal preference, but if you find bright pink to call out the inner detective in your editing sense, go for it. That's the lovely thing about modern computers--it doesn't cost you anything other than one or two keystrokes. 

So go crazy!  Set your second read text to 18 point Helvetica Bold and see what happens!

The Single Most Important Writing Tip

 From President Calvin Coolidge:

“Nothing in this world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent. The slogan Press On! has solved and always will solve the problems of the human race.”

You will find nothing more important. Wonder how that guy who doesn't write nearly as well as others ends up on the top 100? He's probably been ramming his head against the wall until he managed to push through.

Wonder why the guy who can write a page that reads like God himself wrote it hasn't published a thing? Because he didn't push through and is waiting for "Something" to happen to make his writing good enough. And it'll never be good enough. 

Keep pushing. Because only by pushing through will you find success.

 

I hate setting up social media. (And how it relates to writing)

 I know I have to do it. It's vital for well, just about any business these days. But it's terrible and I feel like I'm going to make a mistake and get yelled at for accidentally spamming everyone in China with an offer for a sex product that I didn't even type in.

But this is an interesting point to consider as a writer. The people who were born in the 2000s have never really experienced a time when social media wasn't a thing. There are adults living today who have never been out of immediate reach of Twitter, or the Internet, or Wiki to provide them with wisdom. 

Well, a certain value of wisdom. But if we're writing, especially fiction set in the present, that has to be taken into account. Why isn't the kid calling the cops? Why aren't they googling "strange glowing screaming skull that is following us?"  If they go missing, why isn't Dad using the "locate" function for their phones to find out where they are?

The answer can be as varied as the story. But remember--"it works until it is convenient for the story for it to not work and then it doesn't" can be used... once. 

Maybe. 

But your audience will notice if you use that everytime an Internet connection via our heroe's 5G connection would come in handy. 

Now back to setting up social media. Now where is the rabbit I'm supposed to sacrifice...

Check out Daily Writing Tips!

 If you're an author, or just someone who wants to see some neat stuff about the theory and craft of writing, you could do worse than checking out Daily Writing Tips, a blog full of tricks, tips and wisdom, by Maeve Maddox and Mark Nichol. give it a look and you won't be disappointed! 

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