I thought I’d use this time of reflection to point out some of the articles at The Editor’s Blog. Articles you might have missed. Articles you might want to share with others. Articles that meant something special for me.

Most Popular
The most popular articles at The Editor’s Blog are—

Duties of an Editor

Punctuation in Dialogue

Format Your Novel for Submission

More visitors to the blog come specifically for these articles than any others.  Other articles may be more popular for a day or two, especially if they’re linked at Facebook or Twitter or on another blog (and thanks for all the links!), but these three articles are read day in and day out without fail.

Two other articles that get a lot of reads are—

Creating Emotion in the Reader

Sex in Fiction—Do They or Don’t They

Chances are that if you’re a regular visitor to the blog, you’ve already read these five. If not, you might want to visit them.

Articles I consider must-reads
While I write all my articles as a means of helping or encouraging either writers or editors, I do have a few I consider must-reads for either or both writers and editors. These include—

Checklist for Editors

Clear and Simple Writing Advice

Conflict—Beyond Arguments and Fist Fights

Edit in an Instant? Ain’t Gonna Happen

Beyond the Basics—Push the Story and Push Yourself

Engage Readers Through Character Reaction

How to Write a Novel

I could go on and on, but you can find the articles you need by searching the blog. These, however, are some you might want to visit or revisit.

My Favorites
Yes, I have favorite articles. The list is not always the same from day to day, but here are a few I think you’d enjoy—

Setting—The Time and Place of Story

The Princess Bride—Storytelling Done Right

Write with Fire

Don’t Let Your Writing be Ordinary

Take Me Somewhere New—Tell Me a Story

Novelist as Director

______________________________________

I hope you enjoy each visit to The Editor’s Blog. I sometimes offer craft suggestions, sometimes offer encouragement. I hope both types of articles help you with your writing and/or editing career.

To search a list of all the articles, visit the Archives where articles are listed in alphabetical order.

*******

I sincerely hope you made strides toward your writing goals last year and are encouraged to meet more of them in 2012.

I wish you good writing and great editing.

Write well. Write often. And edit wisely.

***

What is NaNoWriMo? It’s a month of writing like a mad person, getting words to a story down on paper, and aiming for a total of 50,000 in thirty days.

Yep. Write a novel in a month.

You can do it. Yes, you can write 50,000 words in a month. That’s less than a chapter a day.

The folks at NoNoWriMo are encouraging and entertaining—they’ll hold your feet to the fire in the kindest way imaginable. They can give you ideas, tell you where to meet with other NaNoers, inspire your weary brain.

If you need a spur to write something new, if you want to have some fun, if writing is a chore or moving too slowly or is just plain boring, join NaNoWriMo and go after a story with zeal.

Reminders of how to succeed with NaNoWriMo:

Write every day

Turn off your self-editor

Have fun

Expect to write something exceptional

Expect to write something lousy

Know that you won’t write every day

Don’t yell at the spouse, the kids, or the dog if they interrupt your creative flow

Did I say have fun and shut off the self-edit witch? Just write. And write some more. And then add a little bit more.

By the end of the month, you’ll have a start on your next story. It won’t be perfect, but face it—not one of your first drafts is perfect. It’s a draft. Let the imagination soar. Be brave. Be bold.

Write untethered and free.

Be a NaNoWriMo winner.

There are different levels of editing, so the answer to the question of what an editor should do can be complex. But every editor can adhere to some standards—

Return edited manuscripts on time.

Keep abreast of current spellings (words change spelling with time) and technical jargon.

Read a manuscript more than once.

Refuse to hold back skills, knowledge, opinions. The client is paying for honesty and diligence.

Be frank.  Don’t be swayed by a client’s talent or fame or subject knowledge.

Look up supposed facts—dates, events, history.

Point out sections that sound like gibberish.

Point out sections that sing.

Turn down an edit if the manuscript isn’t ready.

Suggest a different beginning, if warranted.

Suggest a different ending, if needed.

Recommend cutting characters, phrases, paragraphs, scenes, chapters, dialogue, description and events that don’t adhere to or enhance the story’s plot or tone.

Don’t just cut—make concrete suggestions for changing or adding to the story.

Learn genre requirements and expectations.

Be open to something new or unexpected.

Remember that it’s not your story.

*******

Looking for the specifics of an editor’s job? Read Duties of an Editor/How Editors Help Writers.

***

The left sidebar here at The Editor’s Blog is filled with links for some of my favorite reference materials. I recommend each of these for both writers and editors. (The right sidebar may contain additional writing resources that I feature when I find a book I think others will enjoy.)

There are different kinds of writing resources, including reference books for grammar & punctuation, style aids, and books filled with tips on how to start writing or encouragement to keep writing. All are valid resources, depending on your need.

While you may not check out a particular book until you need a specific answer to a writing problem, I suggest that you read one or two writing books—on craft or encouragement or grammar rules—each year. Going to a source for a specific need gets the job done. But these books are filled with so much more, it seems a shame when their wealth of knowledge sits on a shelf, ignored.

Read a grammar/punctuation book every year. You’ll learn something new. I guarantee it.

If you need practice with a particular skill or writing area, pull out one of Julia Cameron’s books and go through the writing exercises in it.

Invest in a good dictionary or two or three. No, we can’t all afford the full Oxford English Dictionary. But the Shorter OED is well worth the money if correct word usage is integral for your career.

If you’ve lost the fire for storytelling, grab a book from one of your favorite authors and immerse yourself in a fictional world to relight the flame.

♦ ♦ ♦

From my recommendations—

Grammatically Correct by Anne Stilman. My absolute favorite grammar & punctuation resource. I try to read this cover to cover every two years. It’s easy to follow, the examples are clear, and it covers nearly every question I’ve ever had on punctuation and grammar.

New Oxford Dictionary for Writers and Editors. This one sits on my desk next to my Chicago Manual of Style. I use it for spelling (one word, two words, or hyphenated word) more than for definitions.

How to Grow a Novel by Sol Stein. This one has writing tips, but when I read it, I’m reminded of what I love about writing. I use How to Grow a Novel to charge my writing batteries.

Chicago Manual of Style.  If you’re writing for anyone who uses this as their style foundation, you need it too. Actually, you just need it because it’s got information every writer needs and examples that are clear. The 16th edition is the current edition. 

Self-Editing for Fiction Writers by Renni Browne & Dave King. Every writer should be editing his own work. Although publishers still have copy editors and others who help clean up your manuscript, writers owe those who’ll read their work the best manuscript they can produce. Self-Writing for Fiction Writers (as well as How to Be Your Own Best Editor by Barry Tarshis) can give you an edge, show you the areas you need to edit or rewrite before submitting.

How Not to Write a Novel by Howard Mittelmark & Sandra Newman. Funny, sometimes biting, advice on what not to do if you want to be published. This is one you’ll even quote to friends who aren’t writers. The advice is solid and the read enjoyable.

Beginnings, Middles & Ends by Nancy Kress. One of my favorites from the Writer’s Digest series, The Elements of Fiction Writing. If you’re a beginner, this one’s an excellent starting point. If you’ve been writing for years, use this as a refresher.

Revision & Self-Editing: Techniques for transforming your first draft into a finished novel by James Scott Bell. Even though this is geared toward revision, the information here and the way it’s presented will be helpful no matter what stage of the writing process you’re in.

One of my bookshelves… 

Reference Books for Writers