Burlesque your writing – how less is more.

[NoirMagus]

I'm running an editing workshop at the Steampunk NZ Festival Weekend.

https://www.facebook.com/events/628940477309183/

I have most of my presentation sorted but thought is would be interesting to seek editing tips from the denizens of this forum, as presumably we all read and write in the genre.

So what tips on editing do you have?

Thanks,

Gareth

[MWBailey]

I'm notoriously wordy as all heck, but still, I'd say to use the old Strunk and White maxim: Omit Needless Words. From what I found in your FB post, I'd say you're already well aware of that mindset, but it can't hurt (much) to reiterate it a bit.

[NoirMagus]

From what I found in your FB post, I'd say you're already well aware of that mindset, but it can't hurt (much) to reiterate it a bit.

It was an interesting process being edited. I had already been through the manuscript myriad times and thought it was well pruned, but not according to my editor. It seems there was plenty more dead wood to remove 

Even now in the final proof reads a couple of weeks before it goes to the printers it's still being tweaked.

[gaslampfantasy]

I try to be succinct.

[Peter Brassbeard]

"brevity is the soul of wit" William Shakespeare

[Athanor]

Ah, but ol' Willum from Stratford was a bit loquacious himself at times....

Will all great Neptune’s ocean wash this blood
Clean from my hand? No, this my hand will rather
The multitudinous seas incarnadine,
Making the green one red.

(Macbeth, Act 2, scene 2.)

But, of course, iambic pentameter has its limitations.

Athanor.