Read–>Research–>Rewrite

Edit 101: A great technique that I have found useful for reviewing my work (after the basic spelling, grammar and sentence lengths, etc.) is to read through a chapter–>research on areas lacking detail and then–>rewrite. Let’s take an example from the 2nd to last chapter in my new book:

I gaze at my surroundings, soaking in the ambience. Beyond the pool and a sixty-foot yacht, sparkling blue water laps the high walls of Dubrovnik’s Old Town, a bastion protecting us from prying eyes. Rows of olive and citrus trees flood the bank behind us, and the gardener waves when he spots me.

After a short google on “fruit trees in Dubrovnik” my rewrite looked like this:

I gaze at my surroundings, soaking in the ambience. A classic sixty-foot yacht lies tied alongside the pier and, beyond, sparkling blue water wraps the high walls of Dubrovnik’s Old Town, protecting us from prying eyes. Rows of olive, apple and citrus trees flood the bank behind us, and a gardener waves when he spots me. He’s gathering bitter oranges from laden branches with a grin as bright as the day.

Notes: a later reference to the yacht required more detail earlier, hence the rearranging and greater emphasis in the second version. The gardener needed a more solid platform, rather than a passing mention.

There you have a minor, but important revision tool

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