The Art of Storytelling

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Course Notes
Session Two – The Art of Storytelling

Introduction – The Art of Storytelling
We use the word ‘story’ throughout this series of workshops. The word story has two
distinct meanings when used in general conversation; story as in a work of narrative
fiction and story as in a newspaper article. Both meanings are equally relevant here.
Good non-fiction writing covers both versions of story; the clear concise reporting that
the best journalism provides and the creativity and audience engagement that is inherent
in the best works of fiction.
Sourcingideas for stories
Sourcing story ideas can be a challenge. You may start without any ideas about what
specifically to write about, you may have a few ideas, or you may have many. Most
people start with a vision of the sort of things they want to write about and (hopefully)
produce a few fabulous pieces of work. But then the inspiration can dry up. The intent
is there, you believe in the issue you want to tackle but just can’t think of anything new
to say. Writing generally, but particularly writing for the internet demands new material.
If you aren’t updating your site regularly the search engines start to notice and you don’t
come up as high on searches anymore. People stop dropping by your blog to see what
you have to say and after a while your site goes into hiatus.
Even if you think you have lots to say it always helps to have places to start when
thinking about what to write.
Your own experiences
The most obvious place to start is yourself. There are any number of blogs out there
that detail people’s lives. The day to day, the apparently mundane made interesting by a
personal perspective, a different slant, an individual experience.
Consider the following blogs and how they use everyday experiences as a source of
inspiration for the writing:
 http://douglascootey.com/ (Depression & ADHD)
 http://thebloggess.com/(the everyday )
 http://www.tynan.com/(betterment, self help)

 http://djennedjenno.blogspot.com.au/(life in Mali)
 http://thesecretlifeofamanicdepressive.wordpress.com/
Other pieces of writing might detail people’s experience in a particular context. Review
blogs detail experiences at places the writers have visited or things they have
experienced. Memories or reminiscences can provide an abundance of material, or you
might like to write ‘how to’ articles about something you have done or achieved.

Your passions
If a diary of your life isn’t for you but you still want to write about a personal passion
think about coming at it from a different perspective. Particularly one that gives an
obvious starting point for each article you write. There are a myriad of ways to use a
theme or concept to provide focus for your site or blog. Some interesting examples
include:
 http://ww2today.com/ is a fascinating blog driven by someone’s interest in
World War 2. It tells what happened on this day 70 years ago.
 Julia Powells, Julie & Julia blog saw her cook every recipe from a Julia Child’s
cookbook over the course of a year. The subsequent book detailing that
experience went on to become a successful film.
 Hello Sunday morning: https://www.hellosundaymorning.org is a site seeking
to change Australia’s drinking culture. They write: “Our purpose is to provide
a platform for individuals to create meaningful change in their lives by taking
a short break from alcohol. By sharing their story, each persons' stand is a
unique and essential contribution to a better drinking culture. Hello Sunday
Morning is a way for any individual to take a break from drinking and recreate
the drinking culture around us. Since 2010, over 20,000 people have signed up
to go 3 months or more without alcohol, and blog about their journey on
Hello Sunday Morning.”
 http://blog.inkyfool.com/search?updated-max=2014-04-
10T12:15:00%2B01:00&max-results=7, just loves words.
Recentnews/ developments/research findings
Another way to generate story ideas is to use recent research and news as a jump of
point for your creativity. There are a huge number of news blogs and sites that use
current events as the basis of their writing. Whilst many of the better known sites like
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/ have large numbers of writers tackling a huge range of
issues, other’s like Andrew Revkin’s blog for the New York Times
http://dotearth.blogs.nytimes.com/ have only one author.

You can also use news or research developments as a jump off point. It can be the
stimulus for an article about a personal memory, or an opinion piece that sits in a more
intimate blog. Examples of these include:
http://thesecretlifeofamanicdepressive.wordpress.com/ using the death of Rik Mayall to
(in part) reminisce about childhood or
http://www.abc.net.au/rampup/articles/2014/06/18/4027063.htm which uses the
weekend suicide of a Sydney couple convicted of killing their son as impetus for an
opinion piece about the murder of people with a disability.

Should you write it?
Not all inspiration is necessarily good inspiration. Once you have an idea for a story it’s
useful to consider whether or not it’s a story you should write. This is particularly true if
you are writing about anything other than your own experiences. And even with your
own experiences there may be ethical considerations that may stop you putting pen to
paper, or indeed fingers to keys.
Whilst this is not an exhaustive list some things to consider before writing your piece
include:
Questions to consider:
A. What impact will this story have on others?
B. Are you an appropriate person to be writing about this?
C. Would anyone want to know what you think about this issue?
D. What perspective do you bring to the issue?
E. Is what you are going to write about relevant for your audience?
F. Will you add anything new by writing on it?
To provide context to the above questions imagine you write a blog which reviews
restaurants (you wouldn’t be alone - there are an awful lot of them).
Scenario A -What impactwill this story have on others? - A cafe that a
friend of yours frequents weekly is next on your list to be reviewed. They say the cafe is
fabulous but for whatever reason on the day you visit the food and service are both
pretty lousy. Do you write about it? Does that answer change if you know a bad review
will dramatically affect their business?

Scenario B – Are you an appropriate personto be writing about
this? – You are vegetarian a new steak restaurant with a couple of vegetarian option
opens locally. Do you review it?
Scenario C – Would anyonewantto know whatyou think aboutthis
issue? – A new restaurant opens serving halal food. They have secluded dining booths
and are obviously targeting an Islamic customer base. You are not a muslim. Do you
review it? What if you had spent the last 10 years living in Beirut? Would that affect
your decision?
Scenario D – What perspectivedo you bring to the issue? – A
restaurant owned by a mate of a mate opens. Do you review it? And if so do you
declare that you know the owners? How much do you think that clouds your
impressions? If you choose to write on it how will doing so affect the authenticity of
your blog?
Scenario E - Is what you are going to write aboutrelevantfor your
audience?– You read about Kale being only 15th
on a list of ‘powerhouse veggies’.
Watercress is number one on the list. You grow watercress at home very successfully.
Do you write about it?
Scenario F –Will you add anything new by writing on it? You visit
Melbourne restaurant Chin Chin. You have a fabulous evening. The food is great and
you are dying to write the review. Do you? Does your opinion change if you know that
213 bloggers have reviewed it before you?
Everyone will have different answers to the above depending on their individual
perspectives. There are no right and wrong answers but asking the question should
inform your decision whether or not your story idea is an appropriate one for you.
Ensuring you confine yourself to stories that appropriate for you and your audience is

key in establishing authenticity. This concept of authenticity is something which will be
explored in more detail later in the course.
The table below offers a quick checklist for use in decision making.
Consideration Yes/No
Have I considered anyone that the story will negatively impact?
Am I am appropriate person to be writing this story?
Will others be interested in what I think about this issue?
Is my perspective on this issue compromised in any way?
Will my audience find this topic relevant?
Will I add anything new to the body of knowledge/understanding on this
issue by writing about it?

Writing your Story
If you have followed this course in a linear manner thus far you should now be at the
point of writing. You will have identified a story, or concept to write about and have
verified that it is suitable for you and your intended audience. Perhaps you will have
tracked your progress on your project planner. This next section takes you through
aspects of the writing process from outlining to editing.
Step One – Outlining
What is an Outline? – An outline is a general description or plan which indicates the
central features of the work. It usually consists of an introduction, leading into a body,
perhaps with subheadings, which leads, in turn, to a conclusion.
Outlines should be clear and concise, and encapsulate the essence of the piece of work you
are writing. Most outlines are broken down into the following sections:
Introduction: – An introduction sets the scene, it captures attention, introduces the
argument, signposts what the reader can expect. In essence in the introduction you tell
them what you are going to tell them throughout the article/story. The outline of your
introduction will briefly indicate what it includes.
Body: – The body is the meat of your piece of writing. It contains the detail or your
story/argument. If you are writing, particularly for the web, the body may include sub
headings to allow the reader easy access to specific information. The body of your
article is where you tell them, tell them and tell them again but with nuance, style and
with a tone that will keep them engaged. An outline of the body of your piece will
reference the basic features of your argument/narrative.
Conclusions: – Good conclusions tell them what you’ve told them but leave them
wanting more. In the case of social media they may include an invitation to comment,
and/or a teaser about what your next post might be about. An outline of your
conclusion will briefly indicate those things.

An example outline:
In the previous section we considered examples from a restaurant review blog. We will
continue to use that example throughout this section of the course. Below is an
example outline of a review post. It is basic and unrefined because it doesn’t need to be
more than that. If it was an outline for a major academic or opinion piece it would be
more detailed and thought out but for many stories/posts you write you may not need
much more than is included below:
Outline – Zaatar Review to be posted Friday 10th
June
Introduction - Introduce restaurant, location, parking, transport options.
Body to cover:
 Menu – Lebanese pizzas, dips, filled flatbreads, salads mezze
 Food Quality – Fresh, Delicious, Child friendly,
 Ambience – Noisy, welcoming, child friendly
 Service – Quick. Order at counter
 Value – Excellent. Very cheap
 Other - Best at lunchtime
Conclusion - Impact of visit, award a score. Highlight next week’s restaurant –
Taste of Thai.
Here is the article the above was outlining. Does the article cover off the items
mentioned?
Example article – restaurant review blog post.
ZAATAR – Lunch for two for $2.00?
Where in Melbourne can you get lunch for 2 people for $2.00? Coburg – that’s
where. At Zaatar on Sydney Road $2.00 buys you two (delicious) zaatar topped
pizzas and in case you want something to wash them down with there are bottles
of tap water and glasses ready on the bench. Zaatar is situated on the Corner of

Sydney Rd and Munro St in Coburg. There is easy parking near by and the
Sydney Road tram stops right outside.
The restaurant takes its name from the Middle Eastern spice mixture (zaatar)
which includes a wild thyme or oregano, sumac, sesame seeds and salt.
According to local rumour it is run by George, Ameen and Wadi Choueiri, sons of
the founder of A1 Bakery. After A1 was sold they apparently fell out with its new
owners and set up by themselves. Maybe this is true, maybe not, but either way
it doesn’t affect the quality of the food.
When I visited (not for the first time) last week - a lunch reward for a 4 year old
who had behaved impeccably at the dentists -I was feeling rich so we splashed
out on more than just the pizzas. We had the mezze plate with dip and salad, a
cheese pie, a latte, and a gingerbread man.
The mezze plate allows you to choose 3 mezze – I had a potato and pea ball, the
pumpkin kibbeh and cheese pastry called a sambousik. Of these the cheese
sambousik was, for me, the clear winner. The pumpkin kibbeh was pleasant
enough and the potato and pea ball was OK- not bad just unremarkable. There
were some meat options but I ignored them in favour of the veg. Which brings
us nicely on to the subject of salad.
The reason I go to Zaatar at least once a week is their Tabouleh. There are two
choices of salad to have with your mezze: Tabouleh and Fattoush. Whilst I really
like their Fatoush I absolutely love their tabouleh. Lots of parsley, lots of tomato
(yeah I know, not for everyone...) and a lovely lemony flavour. Zaatar’s chefs
seem to have an odd relationship with lemon. While the Tabouleh and eggplant
dip are beautifully acidic, their homous, for me, needs more lemon. Its really nice
and smooth but too too rich without the acidic counterpoint. Anyway today I
chose the eggplant as that tends to be reliably good.
My son, on the other hand, likes Zaatar for the cheese pies. Today he polished it
off before I could taste it, much like the gingerbread man he followed it with.

Previous experience tells me that this cheese pie was probably very similar to
most of the pizza/pie options: quick, easy, tasty and filling.
At Zaatar you order at the counter, get a number and your food arrives at the
table quickly. If you want to order more you go back up to the counter where
the service is efficient and friendly. The seating area is large (easier to get a pram
into the than equally fabulous Al Alamy up the road), and although it is often
pretty busy I have never not found a table. Zaatar is open until 8pm each
evening but is probably best suited to lunch when it’s noisy, busy and excellent,
excellent value. 8/10
Next week we are off to a Taste of Thai to see whether they deserve
the ‘92% like’ they are currently getting on Urbanspoon.

Resources for outlining:
General: http://www.skilledup.com/learn/digital-content/how-to-write-an-outline-
techniques-resources/
Mind mapping: www.apus.edu/ctl/students/skills-development/mindmapping.docx
Task: Outline a story for your site.
Step Two- Writing your story:
Your progress thus far: You have identified an idea for a story. You believe you are the
right person to be writing the story. You have outlined what you are going to say. Now
is the time to say it.
Building a story
Building a story is about considered content. It’s about using clear, precise, easily
understood language. It is about signposting and plot or conceptual development. It is
about ensuring that your story stays on point. Finally it’s about ensuring that each post
or article you write should live up to a simple test - One story = one idea.
Contentconsiderations
Strong non-fiction (excluding autobiographical works) writing is well-researched, contains
arguments which are supported by strong evidence, and is clear in its intent.
Using Data
When writing a piece, particularly an opinion or commentary piece there will frequently
be a need to draw on data to support your story. Data can be incredibly useful, it can

highlight problems, be used to illustrate a point or to point to an area of success. But
that does not mean it doesn’t have its down side.
You may be familiar with the phrase “lies, damned lies, and statistics”. This term was
popularised in the US by Mark Twain, he wrote: “There are three kinds of lies: lies,
damned lies, and statistics.” Statistics are used with remarkable frequency to either
prove or disprove all manner of arguments. They can be persuasive, they can be used to
highlight, illustrate and inform but they can also be used to obscure.
This New York Times article highlights some of the issues with using data, particularly big
data and drawing conclusions or inferences based on it:
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/04/07/opinion/eight-no-nine-problems-with-big-
data.html?_r=0
Importance of accuracy
Did Humphrey Bogart utter the phrase “Play it again Sam” in Casablanca?
No, Casablanca fans will know that the words he actually said were: “You played it for
her; you can play it for me. ... If she can stand to listen to it, I can. Play it”. A small point
admittedly, but reproducing the words differently changes the intensity and the way the
words are received.
While the Casablancaexample is fairly innocuous, some misquotes are more problematic.
The phrase “I invented the internet” is often attributed to Al Gore. The words he actually
used were: “During my service in the United States Congress, I took the initiative in
creating the Internet. I took the initiative in moving forward a whole range of initiatives
that have proven to be important to our country's economic growth and environmental
protection, improvements in our educational system.” While most people are not going
to believe that Al Gore invented the internet, quoting him as saying he did as part of a
persuasive piece, as some journalists did during a presidential campaign, is problematic
as it doesn’t accurately represent what he said.
The message here is: Don’t take everything you read for granted. It may look like it
comes from a reliable source, but that doesn’t mean it is accurate. If you are using

material from another source then attribute it. For example: by saying “Michelle Gratton
reported in the Age that......” you are both; protecting your own reputation and also
allowing your readers to verify your version of events.
Task : Consider this article by Joanna Blythmann
http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2014/mar/23/everything-you-know-about-
unhealthy-foods-is-wrong#start-of-comments
Then read the comments, especially those which point to the contents of the research
she references. Consider how sound you think her arguments are? How does she use
evidence, data and statistics? Is the article self serving or does it add to the body of
knowledge on the issue? Or a bit of both?
Clear, precise, easily understood language.
The point here is very simple. Good writing needs to be understood. The language
needs to be accessible. Meaning needs to be clear and the words chosen need to be
precise. Write a piece with words that only 10% of the community can comprehend and
you have reduced your potential audience by 90%. Write a story cluttered with
unnecessary adjectives, or worse – adverbs, and many will stop reading. Write a story
that is vague or too general and your point will be lost. Good writing states its point
and uses the most appropriate, most easily understood words to do it.
Things to consider:
Avoid jargon, slang, and acronymns
Do you really need that adjective? Or adverb?
If it isn’t central to your argument or story leave it out.
Take some advice from Elmore Leonard - “I try to leave out the parts that people skip”.
We will revisit this concept and consider aspects of language and the do’s and don’ts of
writing during Session 3.
One story = one idea

How often have you read an article and been confused about what it was trying to say?
How often have you watched a TV show and wondered about characters that have
simply disappeared or plot strands that were introduced and then ignored? The best
stories don’t do that.
While the best stories can be complex they still tend to built around a single idea, and
when they stop being about one idea they start to lose their power. Think about the TV
show Homeland and the subplots involving Dana’s personal life? Relevant or
interesting? Most critiques of the series don’t think so. Did you start watching Lost but
get so confused that you simply gave up? Or what about all those books you started
but never finished? Perhaps the reason you haven’t finished them is because the story
just didn’t work. The idea that drew you in was somehow lost in the telling.
Of course there are many stories that work, which are genuinely interesting from start to
finish. Often it’s because they contain a simple idea. Harry Potter books always involve
him battling evil in the form of Lord Voldemort. The Caroline Wilson pieces from last
session which called for James Hird’s sacking. The central idea is clear – Essendon must
sever ties with James Hird. Seth Godin’s blog posts; little anecdotes or pieces of learning
– each one a single idea.
Signposting and plot development
Signposting is the author telling the reader what they are about to read or reminding
them what they have just read. For example there are signposts throughout these
training materials. This section starts with the following signpost:
“If you have followed this course in a linear manner thus far you should
now be at the point of writing. You will have identified a story, or
concept to write about and have verified that it is suitable for you and
your intended audience. Perhaps you will have tracked your progress on
your project planner. This next section takes you through aspects of the
writing process from outlining to editing.”

The section introduction above signposts what you have learnt and what you are about
to cover.
A Plot is not something you automatically associate with non-fiction but actually plot
exists in many non-fiction works. Some sort of conflict or complication around which
plot can develop is key in much non-fiction work. Read the longer essays and articles in
this week’s Sunday Supplement and you will probably find all the things we usually
associate with fiction: characters, a story containing conflict, or an issue to be resolved,
along with some sort of ending (or call to action).
Signposting and plot development are topic areas to large to considered in any depth in
these workshops. However if you are considering writing long essays and/or creative
nonfiction they are concepts you may wish to explore in greater depth. Some resources
you may find useful include:
Signposting:
http://writingcenter.fas.harvard.edu/pages/topic-sentences-and-signposting
http://www.port.ac.uk/media/contacts-and-departments/student-support-
services/ask/downloads/Better-essays---signposting.pdf
Plot:
http://idiotsguides.com/static/quickguides/reference/writing-non-fiction-the-
ingredients-every-story-needs.html
http://blogs.slj.com/nonfictionmatters/2009/02/09/nonfiction-and-plot/
http://www.swensonbookdevelopment.com/blog/2013/in-search-of-structure-finding-
your-non-fiction-narrative-arc/
Building a Story Task: Watch the below video. Think about how this story was built; its
language, the signposting, its plot and conceptual development. How many ideas does
the story contain?
Talk from UK disability rights Commission
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FZfOVNwjFU0

Generating audience engagement
Writing your story isn’t just about the mechanics of language or the dynamics of plot it
is also about ensuring the audience is engaged.
Personalising a story – using characters to personify an issue.
One technique often used to engage an audience is to use characters to personify an
issue. A lot of TV advertising takes this route, particularly advertising which is designed
to bring about behavioural change. The TAC ads don't just tell you what might happen
in a car crash. They show you with real people.
This technique isn't just used in advertising. It is used in a whole range of material
ranging from the simple picture books - the moral of this story is......- which is designed
to impact on children's behaviour, to more complex works like Morgan Spurlock’s Super
Size Me. Super Size me is a film in which the narrator (Morgan Spurlock) uses his own
body to personalise issues around the consumption of fast food in the US. The trailer
can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I1Lkyb6SU5U. In the film
Spurlock confines himself to a diet of MacDonald’s food for 30 days and films the
results. The impact is far more persuasive than a conventional documentary about the
perils of poor nutrition could ever dream of being.
Creating the context - Consider how what you write will be received. A range of things
dictate this:
o Content - Style - what you write will dictate whether or not your work will be
read and also the context in which it is received.
Take this line from Tim Flannery's Country. "If you ever see a fresh kangaroo
carcass lying beside the road it is well worth stopping to take a look." This is
starts Chapter 2, a chapter which is, in essence, about differences between
different species of Kangaroos - a subject that has the potential to be
exceedingly dry in different hands.
That first line draws you in and from there you; meet the man who first
announced that Eastern and Western grey kangaroos are different (an

American who liked to strain rice through old socks), visit with Joseph Banks
and early attempts classify the animal, and end up in the Morwell's open cut
coal mines with some fossilised bones which seem to suggest that kangaroos
have lived in Victoria for at least 2 million years.
If Flannery had dealt with this subject another way, used different words,
many readers might not get beyond the first sentence. Instead, he draws the
reader in, keeps them engaged and they, presumably, emerge far more
knowledgeable about kangaroos. "An adult eastern grey can outrun a
greyhound or a horse, swim a mile and still have the energy to drown a
harassing hound with its great hind feet." (Flannery, 2004) An impressive feat
indeed.
The content creates part of the readers context, it dictates how they receive
information, how much of it is likely to be absorbed and which parts of it will
remain with the reader and which will be lost the moment after reading them.
o Accessibility- As we touched on earlier; if you are aiming for anything other
than a very small audience then ensuring your work is accessible is particularly
important. In the example above Tim Flannery used anecdotes to ensure
some of his drier scientifc material was accessible to wider audience. He used
content to ensure accessibility. But often accessibility is about the language
you use, particularly if you are writing about subject matter that is particularly
technical, scientific or is not something most people would come across every
day.
Consider someone suffering from COPD who wants to blog about how the
condition has affected their lives on a day to day basis. Firstly does everyone
know what COPD is? Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is an umbrella
term for a number of lung diseases that prevent proper breathing, the most
common examples being; emphysema, chronic bronchitis and chronic asthma.
Complications for someone with COPD may include: pneumonia, osteoporosis,

hypoxaemia, oedema, anxiety and depression. Treatments might include:
bronchodilator medication, expectorants, pulmonary rehabilitation, and
corticosteroids.
How many of those words do you recognise? How many do you think the
writers potential audience might know? That author has a choice, if they want
to appeal to an audience beyond other people with COPD (and perhaps a few
medicos and people close to people with COPD) then they need to either
explain those terms or use others to describe what is happening to them.
o Authors Voice - Authors voice is a concept we discuss throughout this
course. It informs how an audience will react to your work and it gives your
writing its individual feel and style.
Some author's voices are more pronounced than others. We previously
considered Caroline's Wilson's work when discussing good communication.
Thinking back to those articles, can you hear her voice coming through the
work? If you watch the one of her to camera pieces it becomes even more
obvious. Not only does she have a distinct writing voice but she writes like
she speaks. Or should that be speaks like she writes? Caro’s style is not for
everyone and she has her critics, as much for tone as for the content of her
written pieces.
Depending on your motivations for writing it may be important to consider the audience
reaction when establishing your own unique voice. Andrew Bolt's strident written voice
has the potential to alienate as many people as it attracts:
http://blogs.news.com.au/heraldsun/andrewbolt/. While Charles Dickens might have
gotten away with flowery overblown descriptions they are not for everyone. (Project
Gutenberg - http://www.gutenberg.org/offers free ebooks you'll find many of his works
there if you aren't familiar with his writing style) And I suspect you have to be a pirate
to write like one, me hearties, or spend an awful lot of time on research. In essence you
want to choose a voice you are comfortable with and which suits the material you are
writing about.

Using humour can be incredibly effective - for example in
http://laloronthewold.blogspot.com.au/ ,. but it won't necessarily work for every subject
area or suit every writer. Neither will an overly familiar or alternatively an overly
aggressive tone.
The authors voice you establish has to be one which comes easily. It will take
a lot of the work out of writing and sound a lot less laboured that attempting
anything else. This is not to say you shouldn't experiment with different styles
as it might take a while to see which voice elicits the greatest audience
response.
Task – To review this section of the course consider the The Little Frenchman clip:
http://www.acmi.net.au/dst_little_frenchman.htm and analyse its approach to building a
story, personalising a story, creating the context and its use of author’s voice.
Step Three – Editing your story
Editing your story can be hard. Many people find it hard to edit their own work. You
know what you mean and as a result it can be difficult to assess whether others will too.
Here are a few simple rules to keep your editing on track:
 The 24 hour rule - Let it sit. Applying the 24 hour rule gives you time to digest
what you wrote. Removing yourself from the work (even if it is only for a day)
tends to make it easier to assess how easy your writing is to comprehend. It
also allows space for your emotions to change. Whilst you don’t necessarily want
to lose the emotion in your work. Things written under duress can be the
incredibly powerful, but only when the emotion on the paper is the one you want
to express. An angry post about waiting times at your local GP might not sit well
within a blog about mindfulness, but it could work really well in one which relies
on describing day to day experiences for its content.

 Edit for structure & content first then spelling and grammar later. It can be
difficult to edit for both structure and content at the same time as spelling and
grammar. Edit the structure and content first as otherwise you may end up
editing material that you are never going to use, or miss material you added after
your spelling and grammar edit.
 Reduce your word count. Most people overwrite; use unnecessary words and/or
superfluous sentences. Don’t be afraid to delete material that adds nothing to
your argument or narrative.
 Don’t over edit. Over editing has the potential to remove all the individuality and
passion from your work. Once you have edited for structure, content, spelling
and grammar move on. You have other things to communicate about.
Editing Resources:
For an entertaining article about editing your novel: http://io9.com/5520058/4-danger-
signs-to-search-for-before-sending-off-your-novel

The Art of Storytelling

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