Reviews from

Writing Journey

Viewing comments for Chapter 6 "Editors!!!!"
Help with writing, mine and yours.

48 total reviews 
Comment from Douglas Goff
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Ha! Ha! And yes, third Ha! This was great! I could not help but chuckle because it seems this is way too common.


This line made me out right laugh:
There won't be any o'clock in my writing.
(I have omitted these myself.)

I do enjoy your works. Thank you for sharing g your endeavors.


 Comment Written 02-Sep-2023


reply by the author on 02-Sep-2023
    There was enough interesting response and some more issues bright to light, I might do the same next week. I'll think about it. Thank you for the support.
Comment from prettybluebirds
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I just finished a proofreading course, and talk about confusion. I found out I didn't know a lot of stuff I thought I knew. Hyphens and commas are the most mind-boggling to the hang of. I do try to leave out that and had whenever I can. Your advice is appreciated.

 Comment Written 02-Sep-2023


reply by the author on 02-Sep-2023
    Thank you for the support.
Comment from Terry Broxson
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Barbara, I certainly relate to this post. Of course, you have made a big dent in me using "that" and also "next." And I certainly leave out those little words, too, and sometimes a big one!

In the little book about Santa Claus that I have coming out in the near future. I hired an editor to read and correct it twice, before it went to the publisher. An editor for the publisher read it. She only had a few suggestions.

It went to proofreading, and there were extensive edits almost every line. I reviewed it again, caught a couple of things. I didn't think it was possible to find any more errors.

But I paid to put it through a cold read by a proof reader who had never seen the story. She found 18 more edits. And there may still be some there, I know I will never see. Thank you sharing your experiences. Terry.;

 Comment Written 01-Sep-2023


reply by the author on 02-Sep-2023
    Editors are necessary. I just wish they would all agree on how it's supposed to be. It would be a lot easier to figure out. Thank you for the support.
Comment from BethShelby
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I agree with you some of the rules are confusing. I remember when you had me taking the "that" our of my writing. I would omit most of them and someone would insist they be put back. I think most us use the word "that" when we talk. and we don't see as we review we assume it is missing a word. I'm not it nearly as mush as I did. The hyphen always has me puzzeled too. Like you I leave out the the little words but when I read I think they are there.

 Comment Written 01-Sep-2023


reply by the author on 01-Sep-2023
    Writing dialogue is completely different than writing narrative, because we don't speak grammatically correct. I have done additional research and 'that' is out. Thank you for the support.
Comment from JSD
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Jeez. What a nightmare. Makes me want to stick to poetry where you can just say, 'poetic licence'. (Or license to the Americans - Lol.) I guess it's important, and yet I can read books that have mistakes in, even by famous authors. I want to say, though, that in the end the communication of ideas is up to the writer and if it communicates who cares if there's a hyphen or a 'that'. And that's it from me.

 Comment Written 01-Sep-2023


reply by the author on 01-Sep-2023
    Thank you for the support.
Comment from Wendy G
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Lovely photo. And I agree with all you say about the editing business. It can be so confusing. We were taught that while it is fine to omit "that" when speaking it should be included in formal writing. That might be just the Australian way which does differ in a few areas. I think we follow the british system. Personally I think it should be left to one's own preference. I understand the hyphens I think! Anyway congratulations on having published so many books. It's a wonderful achievement.
Wendy

 Comment Written 01-Sep-2023


reply by the author on 01-Sep-2023
    Thank you for the support.
Comment from Sanku
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I think Standard British English uses 'that ' which American English tend to omit ." he told me that he would come today" is how we were taught to write.But these days I see, ' He told he would come today". we might omit 'that' in spoken English .Similarly I see (that) these days 'he looked out the window ' rather than 'looked out of the window' is used widely .I got an explanation (that ) looking out of the window means the person is inside .But if the person is outside the window we would say 'looked through the window'..
Anyway Language is dynamic. it changes with time I suppose.

 Comment Written 01-Sep-2023


reply by the author on 01-Sep-2023
    Thank you for the support.
Comment from Ben Colder
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Some I have in my library. I concur with your statement about confusing. I have traveled this road which I called the editor trail. I went through the leave the that and some others out but in honesty none of my readers ever complained.
Best to you, Barbara in your publishing journey.

 Comment Written 01-Sep-2023


reply by the author on 01-Sep-2023
    Thank you for the support.
Comment from Liz O'Neill
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On of my favorite reviewers brought to my attention I used 'that' way too much. At first I didn't think the sentence would hold up without the word 'that'. I took a few away & saw everything was okay. I decided to count them. In about 7000 words, I had about 300 unnecessary thats. around little over 7,000 words I had 139 of them unnecessary 'that.'s Oooof, I think it was actually you.

 Comment Written 01-Sep-2023


reply by the author on 01-Sep-2023
    Thank you for the support. LOL It probably was.
reply by Liz O'Neill on 01-Sep-2023
    LOL
Comment from jmdg1954
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Barbara,
Thank you for these editing notes. I'm an accountant and can spin a set of numbers into various results. I guess it's the same with editing.

I can understand your frustration with regards to the editing process.

I will keep that "that" info in mind when I write.

As Bugs Bunny used to say...
That's all folks!
John

 Comment Written 01-Sep-2023


reply by the author on 01-Sep-2023
    Thank you for the support.