Comments on: Writing Wednesday: 5 Tips for Improving Your Self-Editing Skills

By: Ursula

Ursula — Tue, 06 Jun 2017 17:27:47 +0000

Thanks, Paperblanks Team!
Taking time is such a no-brainer indeed that I hesitated even to mention it. But since the internet, people tend to forget that almost nothing is really urgent. Oh, and never underestimate stinking cheese, we have different noses here in Switzerland. Maybe it’s the same with salmon in Canada?, but I don’t know about that.

I certainly found more than one Paperblanks journal, lol – I’m using 14 of them simultaneously at the moment (plus some from other brands, I admit), and have quite a few empty ones waiting in the pipeline. Love them all! I want to break into tears whenever I get to the last page, because it’s suddenly no longer a daily companion… But still beautiful anyway.

Have fun with writing upside down. Cheers, Ursula

By: Paperblanks

Paperblanks — Mon, 05 Jun 2017 16:47:41 +0000

In reply to Ursula.

Hi Ursula,

Thank you for such a thoughtful reply! Leaving your draft for a few months is an excellent tip. Whether it matured well with age (like a fine wine) or comes off as a bit of a stinker (like some cheese), at least you’ve had the benefit of the added perspective that comes from distance and time.

And your suggestions for transcribing your rough notes to the computer are great! We never thought about how the different journal closures would play a role, but we’re glad you found a Paperblanks journal that fits your writing style. We’ll have to try out the “upside down” writing, too 🙂

Best,
The Paperblanks Team

By: Ursula

Ursula — Thu, 01 Jun 2017 07:44:13 +0000

Time! All good things must mature, like cheese, meat, wine, soap and books. I leave a finished manuscript fermenting for at least 3 months, better is 6 months, or several weeks for a short story, article or essay. Work on something entirely different and have breaks in the meantime. Not easy with all the pressure and impatience out there, but so worth it. One’s own writing will look fresh and strange, as if written by someone else, and will be way easier to edit.

No multitasking! Never begin editing while still writing, never write while editing, just take notes on what you plan to add later in case something is missing. Writing and editing shouldn’t happen on the same day, not even with a break in between.

Write out first drafts entirely in longhand! I write in a notebook for weeks on end before I go about copy-typing a few chapters into the computer, which will be automatically a first editing round. No distraction, no seemingly “urgent” stuff coming in, deeper and slower thinking, no research while writing, less tiring physically and mentally. Go back to notebooks if you have to rewrite longer passages after editing. — Thank you Paperblanks for such great notebooks! Life is so much better since I use them.

Ergonomy tips for copy-typing from a notebook: use those with elastic instead of magnetic closures, as the flaps get into the way (alas, I love these too, so I use them anyway, but rather for research and outlining, all things I don’t need to put on screen later). Write upside down on the page that will be farther away from the computer, so you can flip the notebook around instead of distorting your neck while typing.