Be Your Own Editor

Jennifer writes:

I wrote a novel, and I am currently working on correcting the verb tense mistakes throughout. I am wondering, can I use some sentences in past (simple) tense and some in past progressive tense? Also, it is a novel written in first person, and I wanted to know if her interior dialogue can be written in present tense if she still feels the same way now, or if that also needs to be in past tense, as long as she felt that way then? Apparently I am totally confused and would appreciate help. Thanks!

Murky waters exist here, Jennifer, but I’ll try to help you navigate them more confidently.

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Ben writes:

I recently decided to actually write a novel, something I have been kicking around for years. I recently read your article on e-marketing and had a few questions for you. I obviously haven’t sold my manuscript, I haven’t even finished it yet, but you are the first person I’ve found who I can ask questions to directly so I hope you will have patience with me. I currently only have one sample chapter completed and was wondering, do you wait until your manuscript is complete before searching for publishers, or do you use samples to begin the search early? Any advice you have would be wonderful.

Congratulations on writing your first chapter, Ben. Now get back to work.

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A question from Dennis:

Lisa,
I am looking for an editor for my 64,000-word manuscript. It’s a memoir that focuses on the effects on my life of the death of my 18-yr-old sister. She was murdered by a serial killer. Agents refer to the work as a true crime narrative. I think of true crime as focusing on the killer, crime scene, forensics, hunt, capture, etc. I deal with that, in detail, including the execution, but the real story is how the event could have changed me, made me cynical. Instead, I decided to honor her by changing my life in a positive way. Is that a true crime narrative? Can you suggest how I can go about finding “the right” editor?

A sensitive question that demands a sensitive answer. And a sensitive editor.

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H Devaraja Rao wrote:

Meteors fall. Why,then, “meteoric rise”?

Actually, meteor refers to the visual phenomenon that we see (and sometimes call a “shooting star”) when a particle from outer space enters the Earth’s atmosphere. Something to do with the extreme heat. Those few that survive this experience and actually fall to Earth are called meteorites. So there.

In any case, my guess is that the expression refers not to direction, but to speed. Or explosiveness. Besides, “meteoric rise” is a cliche, and we writers want to avoid those. Thanks for the fun question, though . . . I always appreciate people who think about such things!

JC writes:

I write in the fantasy genre and there are certain expectations that readers
have where language is concerned. However, the copy-editor I’m working with has balked at my use of “upon,” to the point where she changed all of them into “on.” She must have done a search and replace all because “whereupon” became “whereon.” *sigh*

My question is: How can I convince her that “upon” sounds more appropriate after words like “wait,” “lay,” “set,” “look,” and in phrases like “upon the instant,” “evening was upon them”?

JC, your question brings up two other questions: Does good writing mean different things in different genres? and, Why do you have to “convince” your copyeditor of something?

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Ed is faced with a difficult situation:

How does one go about finding ghostwriters who will work for royalties? A partner and I are working on an autobiography. The story is a fantastic one and I am sure it will find a large audience. We have almost completed the proposal and have many of the notes already written down and a sample chapter finished. Our problem is financial in that we can not afford to pay up front for someone to write the book. I have contacted a few authors but as of yet have not found anyone with the time or interest to collaborate. Any help would be used to its fullest.

This is a tricky one, Ed. The trouble is, no matter how good the book ends up being, you can’t guarantee any ghostwriter that they’ll ever actually receive any royalties.

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