How to Edit a Novel Using an Outline
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- Опубликовано: 1 авг 2024
- I recommend you watch my previous video on editing first: • How to Edit Your Novel...
Working through each scene of your novel (I recommend using an outline to do this) is a great early step in the editing process. It can help you to grasp the necessary large-scale changes and it can help pinpoint where you need to brainstorm new ideas. As always, start with the big picture and then work your way to smaller details. 
Хобби
0:38 - Tip 1: Cut Irrelevant Scenes
1:38 -Tip 2: Add Conflict to or Cut Scenes without Conflict
3:27 - Tip 3: Cut Redundant Scenes
4:05 - Tip 4: Find Where Scenes Need to Be Added
4:53 - Tip 5: Cut Abandoned Ideas
6:04 - Tip 6:
Hey guys! I hope you like the second part of my series on editing. Tomorrow I'll be talking about editing your characters. I also hope you like the Toby bloopers at the end! Thanks for watching!
Ellen Brock I hope you know that Toby is stealing your thunder
Ellen Brock I've just startede writing my first noveller and were looking for guidelines. I came by your videos and the are hands down the Best og there. Amazone, thanks you. I love the format, deep enough to drive me forward and short enough to be used on the fly, not interrupting my writing flow. A million thanks
Sorry for the spellcheker...
Toby: Woof!
Ellen: Hey, Toby, I need you to be quiet.
Toby: ...woof.
Ellen: No.
Love the dog. LOL
Best writing advice on RUclips. Also, I love Toby.
right?
I'd like to hear your recommendation for "model books". Like books that are really good with the plot construct, or voice, or good introductions, etc. Reading is a great way to learn how to write, so I'd like to know where it would be good to go.
Your videos are worth more than the money and time I've spent on most of the books on the craft.
Such a gentle doggo.
You deserve more subscribers. Very professional explanation and production
I see a blossoming of a gifted communicator and teacher! In the understanding, that obligations, You have to fulfill, in order to feed Your assistant, keep You from full throttle RUclips, an idea: independent videos with "edits" of "classics", people like to emulate. That with focus on the pitfalls for unsuspecting copycats. ;-) Keep up the good work; And the good spirit!
I love these videos! So clear, to the point, and relevant.
Your videos keep popping up which means I have been left with no choice but to subscribe 😄 Great video
Looking forward to the next video 👍
Ellen, I wonder if you could go into more detail at a later date, of the next step the editing process, like how you line edit, etc. With maybe you going through a 1st page of a few brave souls who don't mind you ripping apart their work on the internet. That would be amazing to see what you look for in the prose, stuff like that.
Yes, I'm planning to do this! I just need to figure out how to go about it. I'm hesitant to make an example of someone publicly (even with permission) because it can be quite painful and embarrassing.
Brilliant tips and love Toby! You are both adorable.
You have a beautiful dog!
Toby...ssh!
This video was great. Really gave me confidence on editing (and, well, the whole writing process!).
You are so helpful. I thank you and wish you the best.
Thank you for this helpful video. I like the bloopers too. :)
Such a cute puppy...
Great video as usual. You have a gorgeous dog!
this was very helpful ❤ thank you!
You are really good! Thank you!
Thank you Erin, very helpful
Thanks for the great advice! Can you make a video of tips for adding conflict?
Hi Ellen and many thanks for your great videos - a suggestions: you should add a slide at the end with your name and website info - a few seconds - thanks again!
Love Toby!
"Saggy Middle" - LOL
I'm a new subscriber (a few days) and I love watching your videos, it's motivating me for my first novel. I was wondering if you could make a video about foreshadowing? What are good and bad ways of foreshadowing? Have a good day!
DelphineFrench yes, this...good question. You’re the best Ellen!
Very useful advice 👌 I would like to hear your tips in podcast
Good advice.
Ellen, I did not know that you were a dog person. your dog looks happy. Good for you.
You totally got this. THANK YOU for your generosity & skill. I will join your bootcamp. I hope you will accept my request to edit my memoir.
Ellen,
Thanks for the tips. Can you add more examples after providing your tips?
Really useful. Thank ypu :D
So basically make sure every scene is the character trying to get a certain goal and also has something in the way of that goal. But you can also have scenes where they achieve the goal or subgoal I would assume. Otherwise cut the scene?
Allot of these sound like ways to keep track of continuity.
At least for shows I find some of them rely too much on conflict and I tend to get burned out trying to stay involved or immersed with the story.
Well, I've finally left your Group. little One (Ellen). But I will still watch your Videos. TCB.
In editing, I often remind myself, "Have the self discipline to throw away good scenes so that all you have left are great ones."
Could you please explain how to approach an agent or a publisher ?
I feel like act 2A of my novel is too long (11 chapters instead of 6-7 like acts 1, 2B, and C _and_ most of 2A’s chapters are not important to the plot), but I need to keep those chapters in because a lot of time passes in between act 1 and act 2B. Since the plot runs alongside real-life events, Act 1 *has* to take place in September 2019 and Act 2B *has* to begin in March 2020. Otherwise, I would just shorten the length of 2A and cut some chapters in the process. I feel like doing a timeskip of several months would not only be jarring but also make the characters feel more distant since character and relationship development would be glossed over, but the entirety of 2A is a bad case of sagging middle syndrome. What should I do?
Toby needs a walk :)
Hi Ellen,
You often say to cut irrelevant scenes, but my story is full of parallel and side stories that don't advance the plot of the main characters.
I think my side stories are interesting, not slow or boring at all, and I think they enrich and compliment the overall ambiance.
Are there any ways to keep them? If they're brief and fast paced is it alright? Or, is there any thing else you can go over along these lines?
Hey Ellen. I was wondering if you had any book recommendations for editors.
Hey Kimi - I like "The Story Grid Method" by Shawn Coyne.
How do I get a Third Floor without a First?. Easy. Plan your Chapters with your Character POV as you go along
how do you use the outline? mark it up with different colored ink or highlighter, what needs to be changed, and cross out the parts I don't want? just curious because it sounds like the outline could get to be a huge mess. The way I work, it would!
You can use color coding or you can just save multiple versions of the outline and hack it up and reassemble it in different documents (that's what I usually do). I also like to break it up into quarters so I'm not dealing with such a big chunk of scenes all together. I have a big monitor so I like to open the original outline beside a blank document and then paste and reorder scenes into the new document until I'm happy with it. This allows you to keep and reference the original forever.
I'm thinking of printing it out and actually cutting it up, moving stuff around. Good idea to divide it up. thanks!
The way I do it is I buy different colour index cards. Put scenes on cards and put them in an index card holder.
Then I can move scenes and use different colour cards to highlight issues. Tear up scenes. Replace scenes etc
How do you edit a historical novel?
What do you think about editors making the cuts? I remember Stephen King talking about "The Stand" and its original state from 1978 (I think) and how he was given the option of doing the edits himself, or editors would do it for him.
Any pros and cons to either/or? As a novice it feels like someone else might know more than I would, but there is this feeling of, "I want this or that" to my own tale.
And does Toby agree?
I'm not sure about Stephen King's situation with The Stand, but it's more likely that he was referring to line editing (changing the wording of sentences or the flow of paragraphs) rather than developmental (big picture) editing. I don't know of any editors who will do developmental editing (moving, adding, and changing scenes) for the writer. That said, mega-famous authors get special treatment and opportunities not available to unpublished or mid-list authors. In most cases, editors might recommend removing a scene and might recommend specific details of an entirely new scene, but they won't usually make the changes themselves. For substantial line editing (an editor changing the sentences for you), it's a personal choice but it tends to be cost prohibitive if you're talking about hiring a freelancer. I'm not sure if this helps!
Yeah, it was editing the book to a much smaller size. I don't think it was said how or what sections. It was more a, "This is far too big, it won't sell" type of thing, and he was given the option of you do it or we do it.
And, for the record, everything you say helps!
Ellen Brock is there a word count to shoot for?
I have a question: do you plan on making some videos about revising/editing an actual piece of writing, instead of 'just' the theory?
You produce amazing content, keep it up :3
Do you mean a video where I edit something on camera? I've been working on this, however I'm not sure who would want to be victimized in this way. Ha ha. This is something I'm trying to figure out though.
Ellen Brock I volunteer as tribute :)
Yup, precisely that. I also thought about that problem HAHAHAHA!
Maybe that problem culd be circumvent by not telling who the writing belongs to. (Other than asking for permission to film it, but that's obvious).
Or maybe I could use my childhood writing again, or a viewer's childhood writing (if they were willing). That would be a fun editing transformation.
Ellen Brock I would be actually willing to volunteer "manuscript"
Lookit Toby profilin' -- LOL!
what if the characters are somewhere in which they just have to wait for something, for example: a ship, but you dont want to skip the time?
Possibly add a conflict. Your characters are forced to act with another or actively avoid them.
If you have a fantasy, military or other setting that has a lot of new rules this time could be used for exposition via briefing. Especially if you’re lacking a person in your group who’s unfamiliar with the rules to explain what’s happening in a more natural way.
Deimos in terms of conflict, how can i add it in situations like that?
Michal K i'd always thought conflict = drama, that is really good to know
You could use that time for a side story that is related to the main story. Maybe he/she spends his/her time investigating someone who might be a traitor/spy/love interest/abused. Maybe that other person ends up having a big impact on the rest of the story even if they die or never show p again.
How you define a scene?
I have a video series from last year that explains scene structure if you want more information. A scene is a unit of goal, conflict, and resolution. There are often multiple scenes in a chapter.
a scene is eight hundred words. who/what/when/where goes int the first fifty words, and the rest goes in the remaining 750 words. Why is the larger goal of the book. Good luck with your story.
You might have already addressed this question, but what breed of dog is Toby. He looks like a Standard Poodle, without the crown fluff.
Yes, that's exactly right. He's a standard poodle but we don't give him a poodle cut. He's either super fluffy or shaved. Here's a picture of him fluffy if you want to see: pbs.twimg.com/media/DFwaHRQXUAETOfl.jpg:large
Ellen Brock Standard Poodle are awesome. We had our baby for 16 years. It was gut wrenching to say goodbye. Love seeing yours. Thanks for everything!
Ellen, how does a writer email you?
My contact information is on my website: ellenbrockediting.com
Bro why she the plug bro
Toby plz! *boof*