Edit Your Story

Edit Your Story
You've written a GOOD story. But before you turn it in, edit it — go over the story again, fixing mistakes, maybe rewriting some things — and turn it into a GREAT story. Here's how.
1. Make sure you have included who - what - when - where - why - how.
2. Don't editorialize. That means, don't put in what you think or believe. For example, don't
write: "Science is the most useful subject you can take in school." That's your opinion
and other people might disagree with you. And, besides, how can you prove it?
3. Write clearly, using simple words. Imagine that you are telling the story to your friend.
4. Check the spelling of all words, especially people's names.
5. Make sure your quotes are accurate and in the proper form, like this:
"I enjoy being a safety patrol," Carol said. Remember: the comma goes inside the
quote mark.
6. Numbers. Spell out numbers 1 to 9, and use figures for 10 and above.

For example, "We have two cars and 12 children."
-- Spell out a number at the beginning of a sentence.

Wrong: "120 children are in the fourth grade."

Right: "One hundred and twenty children
are in the fourth grade."
Or,
"There are 120 children in the fourth grade."

It is OK to start a sentence with the number of a year: "2001 has been an exciting year."

Practice your editing skills with the story below, and then edit your own story.
A large family of bats is pretty scary. They have started living on the roof of hammond elementary. Every night at that time of day when the sun is just going down they fly off the roof and circle overhead in search of food and then after about 1 hour they all return to the roof to sleep for the night. "Bats help the environment by eating mosquitoes and other harmful insects", says Mrs. Robbbertson, our science teacher.