Best Editing Tips for Writers Series: 1

Christina Goebel, M.A.

I developed this editing series for fiction and nonfiction authors to save them time and money. After having edited for many authors and poets, I will tackle worst offenders here. Today’s topic is eliminating useless words. Let’s examine some.

Sentences Needing Work

I am going to go to the store.

Are you preparing to leave?

He began to write furiously.

I am starting to believe that you have an excuse for everything.

The examples above contain words that serve no purpose in the sentence, and they are untrue. I am not going to to go the store. I am going.

Let me show you edits for the sentences above.

Revised Sentences

I am going to the store. (Didn’t need “to go.” )

Are you leaving? (Didn’t need “preparing to.” Notice the verb change.)

He wrote furiously. (Didn’t need “began to.” Notice the verb change.)

I believe you have an excuse for everything. (Didn’t need “starting to.”)

Further Edits

A further edit for the final sentence might be:

You have an excuse for everything. (After all, if I say it, then I believe it, yes?)

I suggest when drafting and editing your books or writing that you develop a suspicion of the word to. Am I using to as a preposition that indicates movement, such as “to the store”? Those are okay. Can I remove the phrase using to and the sentence will still make sense? If you can remove the phrase using to, do so.

In the final example, I removed I believe. Sometimes, saying I believe is useful. Other times, you won’t need to say that. Examine words you use frequently and if you or your characters say I believe often, have a good reason for the repetition.

Why Edit My Work?

Some people hate editing rules, but they are practical and meaningful. When you remove the extra words, your writing reads cleaner and truer. When I edit for the most advanced writers, I spend more time removing words that make their writing sound less unique and ensure they use more action, dialogue, and literary devices.

How to Save Money on Editing Services

If you hire editors for line editing (correcting the small mistakes like those above), Heaven help you. They charge more than other editors because it takes them hours longer. If you learn editing techniques, you then only need a lighter editing job, saving you money.

Future editing examples I provide will address some of the issues above, but next, I will share other problematic words and structures.

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