My Path to Successful Publication, I Hope!

I am continuing to edit my romance story before even trying to format or create a cover and take the next steps.

I am re-learning about editing. Yesterday I went through the story and got rid of as many non-essential words I could find without subtracting from the story.

I also used the 'find/replace'-editing tool on the MS Word menu bar. In the find part of the drop down box I typed, 'had'. Sometimes the word is needed. Often it puts the story into passive rather than active voice. As each 'had' was found, I determined if it was used correctly or if it needed replacing.

I am by no means a grammar perfect writer. If I had the means to hire an editor to correct my grammar, I would without hesitation. Even as I am writing this, I went online and read about active and passive voice. I got into a little confusion when the article was about 'infinitive phrase in the passive voice'.  What?????

In "Editing Made Easy", Bruce Kaplan so explains the rules of writing and identifies when a rule is really a style. I love that he provides so many helpful examples. Check it out, 
Clik here now to see what it's all about

Today I am going to record the story to 'hear' if the dialog sounds right. Since four main characters have speaking parts in the story I need to be sure they have different voice tones. What and how they say something needs to be true to the character.  

You can try a trial period of this recording software product FREE.
Click Here Now-Go to New Window to Check it Out

Which reminds me, I also need to be sure each main character is identified well through description. I don't need to have a burly muscular man speaking like a 'Casper Milquetoast' Does that give away my generation? He was a cartoon character in the early 1900s and the word 'milquetoast' came to mean 'weak, mild, soft-spoken, hesitant. That voice in a story would not fit a strong, muscular character.

A good part of today will be spent reading, re-reading, checking grammar points and most likely inserting descriptions where needed for clarity.

I think I'm going to have a busy day.