| You've spent long hours writing your story. You | | | | you are careful, you can catch these minor |
| have made sure each character has been fleshed | | | | repeats and replace the overused word with a |
| out, the plot is to die for, and the ending is | | | | more suitable one. Buy a good thesaurus and use |
| breathtaking. Now, you're ready to start | | | | it. |
| submitting your piece, right? | | | | 5. Beware of run-on sentences. A sentence with |
| Wrong. | | | | too many clauses and phrases can be confusing. |
| Writing your story is only half the task. Once you | | | | Try breaking a run-on sentence into two, or |
| get your story written, it's time to begin revising | | | | shortening it. |
| your work. Revising is an important part of | | | | 6. Be careful of words that sound the same, but |
| writing. You want your work to be as perfect as | | | | have different meanings. They're-there-their all |
| humanly possible, so revising is essential. Spelling | | | | sound the same, but don't mean the same. Same |
| errors and grammar problems are only part of | | | | with it's-its. Remember your spell checker isn't |
| what you need to look for. Run-on sentences, plot | | | | going to catch these kinds of typos, you have to. |
| lines that go nowhere and incorrect words also | | | | 7. Use exclamation points only when one of the |
| need to be addressed. | | | | characters, or the writer, is actually exclaiming. It |
| When you are ready to start revising your piece, | | | | was a wild, exciting ride. Period. No exclamation |
| keep these eight things in mind. | | | | point. But with, "What a wild, exciting ride!" the |
| 1. Read it aloud. Your ears will catch awkward | | | | exclamation point is right. Be sure to use question |
| wording your eyes missed. If you are stumbling | | | | marks correctly too. |
| over parts, or having to go back and re-read | | | | 8. Use your spell check or dictionary to make |
| something, then it needs to be either reworded or | | | | sure that words you're unsure of are spelled |
| expanded. | | | | correctly. Spell checker will catch probably 95% of |
| 2. Listen to your characters' dialogue. Does it | | | | all misspells. The rest you'll have to catch by |
| sound natural? Does it fit the characters? Be sure | | | | reading your piece. |
| you don't have too much dialect in your dialogue. | | | | Having another person read your work and circle |
| Ya'll is a nice way to show a character is from | | | | any parts that don't make sense, or need to be |
| the South, but if every other word out of your | | | | revised, will also help you polish your prose. I |
| character's mouth is ya'll, then it can get tedious | | | | know some writers, especially new ones, have |
| to read. Remember a little goes a long way. | | | | trouble allowing others to read their work. But |
| 3. Tie up all the loose ends of your story's plot. If | | | | that is part of the writing process, allowing the |
| you have a minor plot line going be sure to end it. | | | | outside world a look at your story. |
| Don't leave your reader hanging at the end | | | | Take your time with your revisions. Writing isn't a |
| wondering what happened to Tony when he went | | | | race to see who can cross the finish line first. It's |
| off down that dark alley to help the main | | | | an adventure to a distant land with new and |
| character look for clues. | | | | exciting people to meet. So sit back and enjoy |
| 4. Avoid using the same word over and over. | | | | the ride. And don't forget to write! |
| Every writer does this, even the most famous. If | | | | |