How to Edit Your Novel | Advice from an Editor

[@EllenBrock]

Hey guys! Sorry about the background noise. Toby (my dog/assistant editor) was throwing a toy around trying to get my attention. Hope it's not too distracting. I hope you find this week's videos about editing helpful! Thanks for watching!

[@oleandra3759]

Toby rocks!

[@KutWrite]

Haha! I wouldn't have noticed if you hadn't mentioned it. I loved the outtakes at the end. BTW, I don't think the Dog Whisperer says "I need you to... " I think he says "Shhhhh!" Is Toby some kind of Wolfhound?

[@brunacosta8965]

My dog's name is Toby too

[@bytheBrooke]

Please don't disappear on us! What will we do without your beautiful red hair?! In all seriousness, your videos are always packed with great advice that hasn't been repeated over and over again. I always look forward to your uploads!

[@louv9389]

bytheBrooke Yea don't disappear lol you're smart sweet and beautiful you deserve more recognition on KZbin!

[@maxvoroshilov3207]

After a fiasco with an editor, who made me wait for four months coming up with nothing, I feel a bit stuck and your idea of an outline hit the nail.Muchas gracias!

[@The.Ghost.of.Tom.Joad.]

Dear Ellen Brock: You are a rock star. I watch your videos every day. And when I write, my work is better for having watched you. Thanks.

[@jennywhisconier7777]

Holy moly, Ellen! The first 90 seconds of this helped me SO MUCH, I can't even believe it - I've had this THING with word count eating up my time with piddling little changes with no end in sight -- exactly what I needed to hear to proceed-THANK YOU!

[@spec-productions5733]

Here we are, about 3 1/2 years after the date this video was put up. Fresh and timeless as ever. Great tips. I'll be exploring your library of videos! Subscribed and thumbs up.

[@pauligrossinoz]

That *revision planning document* is a superb idea. 👍👍👍 Once again, you have clearly and succinctly explained what I needed to know to help me with my story planning and writing. Thanks so much for this video! 😆😆😆

[@luisaah5707]

100% I love your revision tips. The other tips that relate to types of writers are also brilliant videos your created

[@Johnny5477]

This recent slate of videos has been fantastic. Thanks!

[@alanyount6756]

Thanks so much for this! I had no idea of where to begin with editing/revision!

[@patdavis2290]

thanks for taking the time to give back to the community. I'm right at this stage with my first book. I've got lots of things to fix.this video answered several worries that I had.

[@adriang6259]

You should write a textbook, you probably have one. I want one

[@Writing4Jesus247]

You have the cutest T-shirts! Awesome vids! So helpful and I love that they contain different and new advice.

[@Metatron141]

I keep a note pad and then do a visual of the character plotline. Then i place markers along the plotline where significant points take place ie inciting incident, ascending action etc as well as where important characters emerge and then depart from the hero's journey. I also do another line that runs parallel to this plotline. It is the character arc where important revelations take place. On another page I keep another line where I mark symbols, metaphors, contrasts and setting descriptions. Also another 4 line to mark conflicts. Three major conflicts must happen along with smaller conflicts. The solutions to those conflicts reveal more about the transformation of the character arc. Each of these lines will intersect and depart from each other at varying points. One thing about keeping this notebook it has taught me that everything in a story must coordinate with everything else or your story is going to be akward for the reader. Keep writing writers! 🙂👍

[@fadista7063]

love your videos--I am working on my first novel and your advice has been invaluable. I have watched these recent editing videos several times. And Toby is a doll ☺

[@maxvoroshilov3207]

Thanks for saving our souls! I 'm not kidding!

[@LesterSuggs]

Each of your videos is like a hang grenade in my latest book. You cause me to rethink, remake, & redo. A most excellent learning process, by fire :D

[@erengudny]

This was great advice. I've been looking for editing tips for forever and this is easily the most helpful I've seen!

[@annmurry8589]

I just revisited arcs and the ones I started last pass-through were still solid (but I clarified/ pinned it down / diagrammed it out neatly) and I added a few more. I also clarified a haunted house "character" that I'm even more excited about now. Using the love/hate/indifferent/lost strategy, I love 98.6% of the major themes, arcs, magic, tech, and settings (48 items each from 3 points of view). At least I will really enjoy working with this now, no matter what anyone else thinks.

[@tinaheard3866]

I just found you and your helpful videos !! Thank You so much for all the great info !

[@bookediting3761]

Great tips Great tips, especially the advice the start with structural/developmental editing.

[@cynthiastewart5171]

Thank you for this. You've been so helpful. My character arc has changed so much that the 2 scene back story I love so much is now in my "future" file. Working on my second revision and the batter is starting to look like a cake!

[@ZainDever]

Oh wow. I didn't know you have a KZbin channel. Your website helped me a lot!!

[@SysterYster]

Yes... a change causes disaster elsewhere. So true. I just decided to remove two characters in my book. SO MANY CHANGES!!! I also changed some stuff in the world. So many chapters to rewrite, and I don't know where the problems are, because I don't have an outline. Just have to read the whole thing again to find it. XD

[@Narx9]

This was really useful. Now, I got to add a few more scenes and chapters to my book though to wrap up several character arcs xD Question, I've always liked shorter books. Just my personal preference. Is it possible to publish ~150 page fiction novels? I just feel that when I am reading there is a sort of pride in "I read X many books this year!" And also, when I see a book shorter than 300 pages I am more willing to start it, and in our age of less and less adult readers, I feel that it makes sense. What do you think?

[@sunnyd.4705]

Hey! Ellen I Am watching your videos. Thanks ☺💐💐😊

[@csaucedo4926]

Thank you for this information! What is on like is...rough.

[@clintlowe3633]

Great stuff again! Do a vid on how to break through when you hit a brick wall in your story. A damn big brick wall.

[@tehufn]

You might need to go back a few chapters and start rewriting. Worked for me.

[@businessproyects2615]

Editors view: crafts their work carefully and forge your piece of art like a factory made piece of steel. Creative writer: I'm going to hammer this piece of iron till i get a sword, is going to be a great sword somehow.

[@nenadsharac]

Thanks for all. You rock! Can you talk about prologue and epilogue?

[@stephen3774]

I'll check out your site for your editing services. thank you

[@NadiWLJ]

Hello Ellen, I've just finished the first draft of my first book. Although I'm happy, I know a long process of editing lies ahead of me. Should I wait before I start editing? I feel like a little time off the novel could benefit me as I would the approach it with fresh eyes. What do you think?

[@jge8144]

Oh, I'm gonna miss you! I just found your channel😢 But, I enjoy your content and find them useful! One particular subject of writing I'm curious about is exactly what is a generic character and why r they bad, plus an example one. Additionally, I'm a little concerned about my reading: I don't like reading the first chapter. I don't if it's b/c it's a bad one or I want in the story now. I don't like writing the first oage/chapter in my drafts. Is this unusual? What should I do?

[@AmericanActionReport]

JG E, There are rounded characters, stock characters, flat characters, and stereotypes. You may be asking about stock characters, which are characters you recognize in many movies and stories: the tough Marine sergeant with a soft, understanding spot; the wise old magician, the evil witch. (Oddly enough, the handsome prince is a flat character; you know nothing about him, and he's easily interchangeable with every other prince in the fairy tales.) I often start out with stock characters then round them out and give them more depth. A backstory, even if you don't tell it, usually helps.

[@ATXTube]

Always helpful to me

[@Catsincages]

Finally she got to the hard part!

[@CAInandAIbel]

I feel like I should be taking notes with your videos 😅

[@Robeeh2]

Great advice thank you - again!X

[@antitiktokunion3894]

I’m making this book about Hitler, Stalin, Mao, Pol Pot, and other terrible events caused by humans called the Darker side of Humanity. I want this published so I can explain to humanity that supporting these things is terrible. But at the same time I’m nervous that I won’t get it published, also another question is are editors usually strict or mean?

[@lisamunoz5017]

Ahhh 😫😫😫 Editing is really hard at the moment. I’m coming up the end of my book, by there are a few things I want to change a lot of things.

[@CharlieHorse4363]

Big. Mood. What genre and age group do you write in?

[@rodschmidt8952]

Guilt-based character arc, insecurity-based character arc -- what others? Is there a list, somewhere, of all the choices for character arcs?

[@maadtee6281]

I will say prideful character arc, betrayal carc

[@jaynamorrowwrites]

Do you have a specific format for an outline? I'm thinking of hiring you to look at my outline, but I'm worried it only makes sense to me.

[@bigdaddycue]

Awesome content

[@orsettomorbido]

Nice video! :D

[@KreativeKill]

I clicked this video so fast my computer broke

[@peterkoinzell7983]

I thought editing involved more grammar. Which I sort of didn't want to change. This seems not as bad. I think I've been thinking about consistent characters the whole time and I like to think; is this like him, is this like her? I like my speech. My raunchy descriptions. I really didn't want to change it. Cool.

[@celetial3287]

grammar stuff is more proofreading, which is the last thing you do. editing is making changes to the story or improving the writing :)

[@peterkoinzell7983]

@@celetial3287 reminding me that I still haven't published anything in 3 years =/ lol thanks tho

[@Artstewsimpson]

I think that was helpful.

[@dennou2012]

Hi Ellen. A suggestion for a topic: Story Symbol.

[@iamcleaver6854]

What is that?

[@dennou2012]

Its attaching "meaning/feelings" to the major components in a story. I don't know too much about it :)

[@yapdog]

But... but, EB... PROBLEM #1: what if I need to edit my outline? Do I create an outline for that outline? If yes, PROBLEM #2: GO TO PROBLEM #1

[@tonyaosier1678]

Could you please update the information. Would like to see if there have been any changes

[@Stephaniealicianaturalhair]

Thank you for this!!!!

[@Thessalin]

No! No come back! 2 more! That's not enough! You can just post Toby videos and accidentally talk about writing. That's cool too.

[@1monki]

Maybe more cute poodle videos, does Toby do tricks?

[@PeterMacansky]

[@Grifiki]

"Book One. Book Two, and Book Three. One chapters 2 4 and 6. Two chapters 8 10 and 12. Three chapters 1 13 14 and the last whatever.?"

[@jazzmineanderson6330]

How can I contact you about editing?

[@ulliquarahyuga7534]

This sounds like a rabbit hole 😐