SRS Lash Flash #1: Catherine Onder of HarperCollins

I'm very excited to welcome Catherine Onder, my editor at HarperCollins for A LIGHT THAT NEVER GOES OUT. I had the pleasure of meeting her in person last October when I flew out to say hello. She is camera-shy but completely gorgeous, trust me!

We just put the last revisions of A LIGHT to bed, and it has been a wonder to work with such a savvy and perceptive person. She doesn't let me get away with anything, Smackdowners! Convolution? Nope. Dubious clarity? Nuh-uh. Extra words, begone: we whittled the manuscript down by 10,000, and now it's a lean, fast-paced race to the end. Yes!

I asked Catherine for her best revision tip to share with you, and here's what she said:

Keep an eye out for unnecessary adjectives and adverbs, and prune away! Let your prose do the work by being immediate and direct. Think of it as spring cleaning—you’ll be de-cluttering your manuscript of superfluous knick-knacks.

Check out the LASH FLASH from Kirby Larson over at Jolie's blog today, and crack the whip, Smackdowners! Tomorrow: The Revision Report...