Publisher Description

Hundreds of books have been written on the art of writing. Here at last is a book by two professional editors to teach writers the essential editing techniques of the trade that turn promising manuscripts into published novels and short this completely revised and updated second edition, Renni Browne and Dave King teach you, the writer, how to apply the professional book editing techniques they have developed to your own work. Chapters on dialogue, exposition, point of view, interior monologue, and other techniques take you through the same processes an expert editor would go through to perfect your manuscript. Each point is illustrated with examples, many drawn from the hundreds of books Browne and King have essential guide for writers teaches you how to:

• Show, Don't Tell: Master the crucial difference between narrative summary and immediate scenes to draw readers into the world you've created.
• Sharpen Your Dialogue: Move beyond mechanics to eliminate formality, find each character's unique voice, and make every conversation advance your story.
• Strengthen Point of View: Learn to control narrative distance and maintain a consistent viewpoint to build a powerful, intimate connection with your reader.
• Refine Character and Pacing: Unobtrusively weave in characterization and exposition, and use proportion to control your story's rhythm and flow.
• Develop a Professional Voice: Identify and eliminate amateurish habits, from clichés to weak verbs, to give your writing a sophisticated, polished edge.

Back Cover

Hundreds of books have been written on the art of writing. Here at last is a book by two professional editors to teach writers the techniques of the editing trade that turn promising manuscripts into published novels and short stories. In this completely revised and updated second edition, Renni Browne and Dave King teach you, the writer, how to apply the editing techniques they have developed to your own work. Chapters on dialogue, exposition, point of view, interior monologue, and other techniques take you through the same processes an expert editor would go through to perfect your manuscript. Each point is illustrated with examples, many drawn from the hundreds of books Browne and King have edited.

Review

"An entire book on improving what you've written is Self-Editing for Fiction Writers, which comes from professional editors who know their stuff." - Los Angeles Times Book Review"My students--including the published novelists--ought to read Self-Editing for Fiction Writers once a year, the Show and Tell chapter even more often." Sol Stein, author of Stein on Writing - Sol Stein, author of Stein on Writing

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