Editing: A Necessary Evil
August 14th 2007 03:54
Most writers despise editing, and I really understand why. Who wants to slaughter parts of their manuscript-even sometimes the whole thing-after spending weeks or months working on it?
Quite frankly, nobody I've ever met. Editing is a long process, especially when the novel you're editing is a PC (Piece of Crap) to begin with. You have to ask every scene, every character, every word, what it's doing in your novel.
But it's only with great editing that anyone ever got published. Someone once said that a great novel isn't written, it's rewritten. (I would say something along the lines of torn to pieces and then re-stuffed and re-sewn, but whatever.)
Keep in mind that when you do edit, you're making your work that much more likely to get published. Editing is a necessary evil if you want to get your work out there-unless you're planning on self publishing or putting it up on your website.
So when you edit, don't think of it as 'editing' or 'brutally murdering your manuscript and giving birth to a better one'. Think of it as taking one step closer to publication.
Quite frankly, nobody I've ever met. Editing is a long process, especially when the novel you're editing is a PC (Piece of Crap) to begin with. You have to ask every scene, every character, every word, what it's doing in your novel.
But it's only with great editing that anyone ever got published. Someone once said that a great novel isn't written, it's rewritten. (I would say something along the lines of torn to pieces and then re-stuffed and re-sewn, but whatever.)
Keep in mind that when you do edit, you're making your work that much more likely to get published. Editing is a necessary evil if you want to get your work out there-unless you're planning on self publishing or putting it up on your website.
So when you edit, don't think of it as 'editing' or 'brutally murdering your manuscript and giving birth to a better one'. Think of it as taking one step closer to publication.
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Comment by David
This is a really instructional post. It deserves to be more widely read.
Believe it or not. I'm one of those writers who enjoys the editing process even more than the initial writing process.
David ...
Comment by Dianna G
I Wish This Was 42
Fictional Worlds
Joking. Sometimes I hate editing, other times I love it and everything clicks into place. Same with writing, only I love writing more often.
Comment by Tracy
Movies and Life
Yes, this is an excellent piece of writing. I like editing a while after my writing and finding more concrete ways to express myself and cutting out unnecessary words.
Tracy
Comment by Dianna G
I Wish This Was 42
Fictional Worlds
You're wonderfully supportive
Hmmm... okay, maybe there are people who like editing. But they're the minority. Normal writers just look at you funny when you say that.
By the way, I'm not 'normal', but I'm looking at you funny anyway.
~Dianna
Comment by Tracy
Movies and Life
I don't think I believe in 'normal', if it exists then I'm not it and that's OK with me
I do keep the bits that I edit out in another Word doc as I do find it hard to get rid of bits I really like.
Byeee