Interesting! What lenses have served you well when editing? I imagine it varies depending on the piece, but I feel like some stand out more than others.
Yeah it depends. I hardly ever get through all of them. I found this article which uses some interesting lenses (https://brevitymag.com/craft-essays/revising-with-lenses/). And of course there are lenses we learned at WOP. Normally I start with "what needs to be deleted," which I guess is code for "what bores me?" Then looking for cliches is pretty easy, right? Clarity is also a good one to do. But I'm still a baby writer :) I'm often changing my ways and trying new stuff. What about you? Do lenses feature in your editing?
Aha, I might try this out in my next essay - to more experiments!
In my previous essay, my way of editing was rewriting my drafts until I find one that is more compressed. It seemed to work for me, but I'm not sure if it's sustainable. And the last touch is usually the lens that looks for sloppy writing, meaning writing that doesn't sound good when you actually dictate it.
Thanks Emily. I must say I don’t always use this approach when editing. Sometimes I do try cooking a banquet all at once. There’s proba value in both. Just depends what mood I’m in ☺️
Interesting! What lenses have served you well when editing? I imagine it varies depending on the piece, but I feel like some stand out more than others.
Yeah it depends. I hardly ever get through all of them. I found this article which uses some interesting lenses (https://brevitymag.com/craft-essays/revising-with-lenses/). And of course there are lenses we learned at WOP. Normally I start with "what needs to be deleted," which I guess is code for "what bores me?" Then looking for cliches is pretty easy, right? Clarity is also a good one to do. But I'm still a baby writer :) I'm often changing my ways and trying new stuff. What about you? Do lenses feature in your editing?
Aha, I might try this out in my next essay - to more experiments!
In my previous essay, my way of editing was rewriting my drafts until I find one that is more compressed. It seemed to work for me, but I'm not sure if it's sustainable. And the last touch is usually the lens that looks for sloppy writing, meaning writing that doesn't sound good when you actually dictate it.
True gems.
The one lens approach is smart. I will give this a try.
Go for it, lemme know how it goes
Such a great read! And an extra window into how you work as an editor which has helped to shape some of my writing. Nicely done!
Thanks Emily. I must say I don’t always use this approach when editing. Sometimes I do try cooking a banquet all at once. There’s proba value in both. Just depends what mood I’m in ☺️