A Mini-guide On How To Line Edit! Im Gonna Try And Make A Big Long Post Later, But For Those Who Dont

A mini-guide on how to line edit! I’m gonna try and make a big long post later, but for those who don’t want to read a lot of words, here’s some quick tips!

What is line editing?

Line editing is a level of editing focusing on the sentences & paragraphs. It looks at the structure of each sentence to see if it’s conveying the idea the best it can. You want to upgrade the prose and clean up the text.

When do I do line editing?

After developmental (or “big picture”) editing, before copyediting (grammar & spelling). Don’t do line edits before you really workshop your piece, because you might end up getting rid of a lot of sections in developmental edits.

Ok, but Kels, what do I do?

Right, here are the quick-and-dirty line editing tips I use:

Use the “find” tool to search up your crutch words and get rid of them. These are words like: very, definitely, just, kind of, sort of, somewhat, somehow, maybe, enough, really, seem, sudden, guess, etc. etc. Everyone has different crutch words—I personally use “just” a LOT so I went and got rid of most of them! I tend to keep crutch words in dialogue to make it sound more natural, but up to you!

Look at your “that”s. Most of the time, a “that” in a sentence can be deleted. Read the sentence without the “that” and see if it makes sense. for example: “She told me that yesterday was her birthday.” vs “She told me yesterday was her birthday.” You can do without the “that” and it makes for cleaner, more concise writing!

(this is a pain BUT) read every sentence out loud. You might notice weird turns of phrase that you’d be better off changing, or clunky phrasing, missing words, weird pacing etc. if reading the WHOLE thing seems like A LOT (it is) do it one chapter or scene at a time and take a break! this will help u notice all of the weird small things that you just don’t pick up on while reading in your head

look at sentence structure! do you have a lot of long sentences? too many short sentences? a looooong paragraph of description that isn’t broken up? do a lot of your sentences start with the same word/phrase (like “He went upstairs / He called his mom / “Hi mom…” / He thought it was weird….” all in one paragraph, even with some other stuff between it?) make sure you’re changing up the composition so your readers dont get glossy-eyed!

read your dialogue out loud SEVERAL times. each time try for a new inflection. make sure it reads the way you want it to. make sure it sounds like something a real person would say. look at it again, and make sure it matches the character. make sure it’s not too heavy-handed or cliche or obvious to the theme.

look at your metaphors & similes. is there a better, more creative way you can say that?

word choice! word choice word choice word choice. this goes along with the reading aloud and metaphor bit, but pay close attention to the word choice. Are you using strong verbs/adjectives? was that an adverb you can get rid of? can you use one word there instead of two? 

double check plot and character inconsistencies. this goes past just dialogue—look at actions & thoughts, too. while a lot of this might be caught in developmental edits, some stuff is bound to slip by. question EVERYTHING.

Some more resources: 

Line Editing article | ShaelinWrites video | Alexa Donne video | Crutch Words list 

best of luck, writers! 

Writing a novel when you imagine all you stories in film format is hard because there’s really no written equivalent of “lens flare” or “slow motion montage backed by Gregorian choir”

Writer's Guide: Writing about Alcoholic Drinks and Cocktails

Or how to write believable bar and nightclub scenes. I often find myself helping friends with their WIPs and often it as a bartender, I find myself having to correct them on bar and mixology terminology. So here's my quick guide to keeping your lingo on the straight and narrow.

Terminology

DASH/SPLASH: a drop of a mixer such as juice or flavouring.

MIXER: non alcholic beveraged served with the measure of alcohol in the same glass.

NEAT: Plain, without any addition of ice or a mixture. Just the alcohol.

ON THE ROCKS: Served over Ice.

STRAIGHT UP: The cocktail is chilled with ice and strained into a glass with no ice

DIRTY – if somebody asks for a dirty martini, you add olive juice, the more juice the dirtier it is

DRY- A dry martini includes a drop of vermouth and an extra dry martini contains a drop of scotch swirled in the glass and drained before adding the gin

BACK – a ‘back’ is a drink that accompanies an alcholic beverage such as water or Coke, but isn't mixed.

GARNISH – something added to a drink such as a lime or lemon or orange.

TWIST - a twist is literally a twist of fruit skin in the drink.

BITTERS – a herbal alcoholic blend added to cocktails.

RIMMED - the glass is coated in salt or sugar to enhance the taste.

VIRGIN- non alcoholic

MOCKTAIL- a virgin cocktail

DOUBLE - Two measures of the same alcohol in the same glass. A bartender can only legally serve a double in the same glass. They cannot serve you a triple.

Equipment

COCKTAIL SHAKER - it is a metal cup that fits into a glass, used to shake the components of your drink together with ice to chill it.

STRAINER- used to seperate ice in the shaker from the liquid within as you pour it into the glass.

MEASURES- these are little metal cylinders meant to measure out the pours of the alcohol. You pour the alcohol from the bottle into the measure and then put it into the glass. It's imperative that the right measure goes into the glass or the drink will taste of shit.

BAR SPOON – a long spoon meant to mix the drink.

OPTIC- it is a mechanism that attaches a bottle to an automatic pourer. The bartender usually fits the glass under the spout and pushes up to release the amount which cuts off at the single measure.

SHOT GLASS- a shot glass is a small glass to contain one measure

PINT GLASS- a glass used for serving pints of lager or ale

HALF PINT GLASS - a tulip shaped glass half the measure of a pint glass

SPEEDWELL/TAPS/DRAFT: are the taps used to pour beer from kegs stored under the bar floor.

SLIM JIM/HIGH BALL GLASS- It is a tall straight holding 8 to 12 ounces and used for cocktails served on the rocks such as a Gin and Tonic.

ROCKS GLASS - or an old fashioned glass, it is short and round. These glasses are used for drinks such as Old Fashioneds or Sazerac

COUPE GLASS- Are broad round stemmed glasses used for cocktails that are chill and served without ice such as a Manhattan, Boulevardier or a Gimlet

MARTINI GLASS - a martini glass is that classic stemmed "v" shaped glass, used to serve drinks without mixers such as Martini and Cosmopolitans

MARGARITA GLASS - is a large, round bowl like glass with a broad and a tall stem used for Margaritas and Daiquiris

HURRICANE GLASS- a tall tulip-like shaped glass with a flared rim and short stem. It holds 20 ounces which means it is the perfect glass to serve iced cocktails in such as Pina Colada, Singapore Sling, Hurricane

Alcoholic Drinks

Vodka- Vodka is made from potatoes or fermented cereal grains. It has a strong taste and scent. It is usually consumed neat with a mixer such as Coke or Orange juice or cranberry juice or in cocktails like Martini, Bloody Mary and Cosmopolitan.

Whisky/Whiskey- Whiskey is a distilled alcoholic beverage, made from fermented grain mash such as barley, corn, rye, and wheat. It gets its flavour form being fermented in casks for long period of time. When serving a whiskey, one asks whether they want ice or a mixer. Everyone has their own preference. I prefer mine like myself, strong and Irish. Scotch is Scottish Brewed whisky.

Rum- Rum is made by fermenting and distilling sugarcane molasses/juice. It is aged in oak barrels. It has a sweet taste.

Beer: is made out of cereal grains and served chilled in bottles or pulled from taps/speedwells.

Ale: Ale in the middle ages referred to beer brewed without hops (a kind of flowering plant that gives beer its bitter taste). It is sweeter and would typically have a fruity aftertaste.

Stout- is a darker beer sometimes brewed from roasted malt, coming in a sweet version and dry version, the most famous stout being Guinness.

Poitín- (pronounced as pot-cheen) is made from cereals, grain, whey, sugar beet, molasses and potatoes. It is a Dangerous Drink (honestly i still don't know how I ended up in that field with a traffic cone and a Shetland pony) and technically illegal. Country folk in Ireland used to brew it in secrets in stills hidden on their land.

Vermouth: Is made from infused with roots, barks, flowers, seeds, herbs, spices, brandy but vermouth is classed aromatized wine. It comes sweet or dry

Gin- is made from juniper, coriander, citrus peel, cinnamon, almond or liquorice and grain alcohol. Gin has a strong scent and taste and is usually served in a martini or a tonic water.

Schnapps- refers to any strong, clear alcoholic beverage. It is considered one of the best types of spirits because of its pure and delicate aroma. Lesson: never drink peach schnapps.

Cocktails and Drinks

Irish Coffee: an Irish coffee is adding whiskey to coffee and sugar and topping it with cream. As a bartender, I would honestly rather cut my arm off than make one of these.

Baby Guinness: Is a shot made by pouting Tia Maria or Kaluah into a shot glass and spreading Baileys on the top so it looks like a small pint of Guinness.

Silver Bullet: a shot of mixed tequila and sambuca.

Long Island Iced Tea:  The Long Island contains vodka, gin, tequila, light rum, lemon juice, triple sec and cola. It has a real kick.

Mai Tai: is made with light and dark rum, lime juice, orange curacao, orgeat syrup and rock candy syrup and served with a mint garnish.

Manhattan: The Manhattan is made with rye whiskey, sweet vermouth and bitters.

Margarita: The margarita is made with tequila, cointreau and lime juice.

Mojito: a mojito is made with muddled mint, white rum, lime juice, simple syrup and soda.

Martini: a martini is made of gin, dry vermouth and garnished with a lemon twist or olives.

Mimosa: a mimosa is a made with sparkling wine and orange juice.

Mint Julep: Made with Kentucky bourbon, simple syrup, mint leaves and crushed ice

Pina Colada: is made with white rum, dark rum, pineapple juice and coconut cream

Screwdriver: Vodka and Orange juice

Tequila Sunrise: tequila, orange juice and grenadine

Tom Collins: made with spiked lemonade, sparkling water, lemon juice, simple syrup and gin

Whiskey Sour: is made with powdered sugar, seltzer, lemon juice and whiskey.

White Russian: made with vodka, coffee liqueur and cream.

Black Russian: made with two parts coffee liqueur and five parts vodka.

Gin and Tonic: gin served with tonic water

Bloody Mary: made with vodka and tomato juice mixed with lemon juice, hot sauce, Worcestershire sauce, horseradish, fresh herbs, brown sugar and cracked black pepper.

Brandy Alexander: served straight up and made with brandy, cognac, creme de cacao and cream

Cosmopolitan: Made with citrus vodka, Cointreau, cranberry juice and fresh lime juice

Daiquiri: made with rum, lime juice and sugar.

Gimlet: gin and lime juice

My Top 10 Bartending Rules and Responsibilities

Overpouring is never an option. You can seriously hurt somebody by overpouring, not to mention spoil the drink and ruin your sales. You only serve people what they ask and never more.

When somebody has had enough, you stop serving them. After a while, you know when to cut somebody off.

Never leave bottles on the counter or in reach of customers. Your expensive spirits should never be in reach of anybody but you.

If you tell somebody your selling them premium and top shelf alcohol, you cannot substitute with cheaper licqor. It's illegal.

As a bartender, your eyes always have to be scanning a crowd. You can't leave people hanging.

The golden rule - if you see somebody messing with someone's drink, you chuck it if you can or warn the person. And you get that son of a bitch out of your pub.

50% of the job is cleaning. You have to clean your tools constantly. You cannot reuse measures and spouts, you have to wash everything. Beer traps are clean out every night, rubber mats are washed and anything you have used has to be clean.

You have to hand dry your glasses. You never polish a pint glass as it fucks up the pint. You polish your cocktail glasses, shot glasses and straight glasses.

If someone seems down or on their own, you try make conversation. Often you'll hear some disturbing stuff but always try lend an ear or make everyone feel included.

If you break a glass in the ice bucket, you got to get rid of the ice.

someone in a fanfic: s-stutters in embarrassment

me, closing the tab: sorry I must go

Resources For Creating Characters

Physical Appearance

Face Shapes

Hair Types

Hair Colors

Hair Styles

Facial Hair

Eyebrows

Eye Shapes

Eye Colors

Lip Shapes

Skin Colors

Skin Types

Height Comparison

Types Of Piercings

Body Types

More Specific Words For Body Types

Nose Shapes

Voices

Speech Patterns

Speech Impediments

Distinguishable Facial Features

Fashion Styles

Personality

Hobbies

Archetypes

Secrets

Quirks

Mannerisms

Bad Habits

Fears

Religions

Mental Disorders

Pet Peeves

Strengths

Weaknesses

Flaws

Talents & Skills

Character Motivations

Miscellaneous

Character Building Chart

Character Name Generator

Basic Character Appearance Generator

Character Detail Generators

Backstory & Origin Generators

Outfit, Costume, Clothing, & Wardrobe Generators

Basic Character Premise Generator

Character Cast Generator

Alternative Character Cast Generator

Zombie Generator

Vampire Generator

Teen Generator

Pirate Generator

Music Band Generator

Murder Mystery Victim Generator

Merperson Generator

Fairy Generator

Fantasy & Sci-Fi Race Generator

Elemental Person Generator

Deity Generator

Villain Generator

Other Resources From Wordsnstuff

Resources For Describing Physical Things

Resources For Describing Characters

Resources For Describing Emotions

Resources For Writing Sketchy Topics

Useful Writing Resources

Useful Writing Resources II

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50 Magical Origins...

You touched a strange rune-covered stone and was engulfed by its glowing energies.

You were bitten by a strange creature that then disappeared into the wilderness.

You hugged a tree that was attuned to a place of great power.

You ate a immortal insect that still sits in your stomach.

You accidentally transported yourself to the Astral Plane after consuming a strange magical substance.

You spoke to a phantasmal being while you slept.

You accidentally entered the ceremonial chambers of a lost temple.

Your ancestor claimed to be a powerful medicine man, but in fact worked with otherworldly magics to heal others.

Your skin became fused with a strange alloy metal dust, which was actually the ground up scales of a metallic dragon!

You found an ancient idol of unknown origins buried in an old field.

You took part in an arcane military experiment to develop a humanoid war machine.

You were exposed the strange energies of a glowing meteorite.

You breathed the magical spores of a prehistoric mould recovered from an amber chunk.

You fell ill from a mysterious illness that rode to earth on the surface of an alien space capsule.

You discovered a cave filled with giant crystals that released pulsating, glowing energies.

You were stung by several transmuted wasps that had been warped with a new form of magic.

Your father or mother was secretly an inter-dimensional traveller.

You were born of a failed cloning experiment and escaped the grounds before being destroyed.

Your grand-father was a performer who made some dark deals to gain fame and fortune.

You survived a magical explosion!

You were exposed to wild cosmic powers while picking through the remains of fallen space junk.

You accidentally breathed in the dust of a King’s tomb while exploring a ruined structure.

Your body was transformed after breathing in a toxic alchemical smog.

You consumed some unknown fruit found deep in a savage jungle.

You came into contact with a strange sludge flowing out of a flooded ditch near an old alchemist’s shop.

You participated in a strange experiment involving man-made magical fields.

You performed a magical ritual found in a strange, dusty old book.

You drank the waters of a mystical fountain.

You had a strange, almost allergic reaction to an experimental magical potion.

You consumed a strange tasting herbal tea while visiting an cackling old fortune teller.

You great grand-mother was the high priestess of a savage tribe.

You were taught ancient secrets of mind over matter by an elderly mage.

You survived a fall into a vat containing a strange new alchemical substance.

You were struck by lightning while visiting a historical site during a brewing storm.

You were bitten by a lizard while visiting a series of old magically ruined towns located far away from any modern civilization.

You were exposed to a previously unknown mineral ore during a mining accident.

You were kidnapped by strange creatures and forced to participate in bizarre experiments.

Your latent magical powers activated when you were accidentally electrocuted.

You snorted a bizarre looking ash while getting high on street drugs at a dive bar.

You consumed a bizarre tasting elixir purchased from an old alchemist’s shop.

You fell into a bizarre, dream-filled trance when visiting an old medieval tower.

You rode in a boat that was in engulfed with strange energies from a magical sea storm.

You survived the accidental release of a magical modified disease.

You purchased a mysterious ancient war mask from a back alley antique store.

You survived being struck by a falling crystalline meteor, with a shard still buried in your back.

You were once an Imp, but a strange surge of magic during your “Promotion” trapped your Soul in a Mortal Humanoid body.

You were once part of an illegal gambling ring, winning a Wizard’s Spellbook in a Game of Chance. Sometimes you find yourself writing in that old Wizard’s hand-writing.

You were grievously wounded by a powerful Dragon, but not before landing a blow on the creature. Your bloods mingled and some of its powers were shunted into you!

Your Soul wandered the depths of the Shadowfell, before arriving at the Fortress of Memories, where pity was taken upon you and you were reincarnated as a second chance at life.

You worked at an old clock tower. One day time seemed to stop for just a moment while you stood before the gears, but then it ticked along once more…