A few thoughts on editing

[Thalian]

For myself, I try and focus on just writing and making it as presentable as possible the first time around, but when I'm going at a good clip that's obviously not going to happen, however I have provided a solid base to work from.

Mid-writing I do not do any editing in case I notice a plot issue that can easily be patched up. Otherwise if I notice something else I add it to my list so I don't overlook it when I eventually get around to fully editing my work.

 

[BWFoster78]

I listen to a lot of podcasts on writing, interviews of authors and read a lot of books on writing by authors. Not one of them, ever, has ever suggested doing an extensive edit of a work before it's finished. They universally decry that method and say that it will prevent you from completing the work. I'm willing to be proven wrong by someone pointing to an example of that happening, but it hasn't happened yet.

My own experience also tells me that this is true.

I respect your method. I hope that you're the guy to disprove the rule. But I don't have my hopes up.

I think this depends a lot on where on the learning curve you are. My knowledge of writing is still increasing at a pretty good clip. I'd say that most people on this forum are in the same boat.

Getting my mistakes pointed out accelerates my learning. If I wrote my entire book at the level at which I started, after I got it edited, I'd have to rewrite it after figuring out all my mistakes. After the second draft, I'd have to do it again with all my new mistakes. My thinking is that it would take a lot longer that way.

Conversely, if I were further up the learning curve where I'm not increasing in skill nearly as rapidly, I can see the value in completing the entire first draft before doing any editing.

Currently, my goal is to write 1000 words and then edit a scene, repeating that until I finish the rough draft.

EDIT: Additional Point - If the author should finish his entire draft before editing, why are they posting anything for critique at all? By the act of requesting a review, they are signaling that the piece is ready for edit, right?

 

[BWFoster78]

To me this can be a double edge sword. Before I give a critique, I try to ballpark where a writer is in terms of their development, so I know how harsh I can be, and what I should target in terms of comments to nudge them hopefully in the right direction. I've seen people pushed too hard and they stop listening even if everything said is valid. To me, it's about knowing what to say and when to say it. I don't want to overload someone with info they may or may not be ready for.

This is always a tough call. I understand your point; you don't want to discourage them.

If a work is pretty bad, I'll usually only edit the first few paragraphs. Give them something to work on. Hopefully, I'm not overwhelming them that way. The better a work is, the deeper I go into it.

 

[BWFoster78]

The version of MS Word I use pretty much won't let me make common grammar or spelling mistakes

-shudders at the thought of Word's grammar check.

Be careful. Word makes a lot of mistakes, both telling you to fix things that are okay and not telling you about things that aren't.

 

[BWFoster78]

I'm officially adding a caveat to my methodology:

This method is only valid if you're still at a phase where your skill at writing is rapidly improving. If you're higher up the learning curve, the increase in ability you'll gain from an early edit isn't significant enough to overcome the lack of efficiency resulting from deviating from concentrating solely on your initial draft.

 

[Penpilot]

If I wrote my entire book at the level at which I started, after I got it edited, I'd have to rewrite it after figuring out all my mistakes. After the second draft, I'd have to do it again with all my new mistakes. My thinking is that it would take a lot longer that way.

I think you just described what I'm going through right now with my WIP. I got better half way through writing the first draft, same thing happened with the 2nd, and with the 3rd draft, it's starting to level off. The way I deal with it is I only make macro level edits, meaning if it's a huge plot change or shift in direction, I stop and go back. If it's just smaller edits like, continuity and stuff like that, I make a notes on a master to change list and move on.

EDIT: Additional Point - If the author should finish his entire draft before editing, why are they posting anything for critique at all? By the act of requesting a review, they are signaling that the piece is ready for edit, right?

I agree. I think it would be helpful if people mention what draft they're on or what specific things to pay attention to or to ignore.

 

[Caged Maiden]

You know what hurts me a lot? I have ten novels hand-written, and they date back to 2003, when I completed the first one. I try to edit while I type them, and it is beyond frustrating. The one novel I wrote for NaNo last year was so much quicker because I just typed and typed, and it's MUCH easier to go back and edit that. The moral of this story? Change is good. I used to write by hand because I can do it faster than typing and I ended up several times losing ideas because they occurred to me faster than I could type. However, now that I am going back and having to type up stories from piles of loose lined paper with hurriedly scrawled text everywhere... well I'm feeling the pain, let me tell you.

 

[BWFoster78]

You know what hurts me a lot? I have ten novels hand-written, and they date back to 2003, when I completed the first one. I try to edit while I type them, and it is beyond frustrating. The one novel I wrote for NaNo last year was so much quicker because I just typed and typed, and it's MUCH easier to go back and edit that. The moral of this story? Change is good. I used to write by hand because I can do it faster than typing and I ended up several times losing ideas because they occurred to me faster than I could type. However, now that I am going back and having to type up stories from piles of loose lined paper with hurriedly scrawled text everywhere... well I'm feeling the pain, let me tell you.

I can't even imagine writing anything by hand. I type faster than I write, and it's in a form I can easily edit.

 

[Steerpike]

The critique forums can be a learning tool. You don't necessarily have to post your works-in-progress there (in fact, I rarely do that on writing sites). Instead, if there is something you are trying to do, like nail down how to write action, or approach a POV you don't often use, you can write something up and post it, then apply what you learn to your WIP.

I write both on the computer and in longhand. Depends on my mood. I find the way my brain works will vary depending on what my hands are doing. Sometimes, I'm a lot more creative and the writing just flows better with longhand. Other times it is the keyboard.

 

[ThinkerX]

-shudders at the thought of Word's grammar check.

Be careful. Word makes a lot of mistakes, both telling you to fix things that are okay and not telling you about things that aren't.

Oh...I am only too well aware of Words problems. Now and again I will let stand what it calls a grammatical error, or deliberately create such in the interest of making something more interesting.

Still, though, it is useful enough for spotting a lot of the basic problems, things that would need fixed anyhow.

 

[The Din]

I'm with BWFoster, I like editing as I go and having it make sense the first time round. Sure I go back through the manuscript and edit it again (and again and again) when I'm done, but it's nice to have some of the hard yards already done. I can imagine having an entire unedited 100k would be daunting.

Doing it this way, you are also better in tune with any over-used words/phrases and usually catch mistakes the first time. before you go on to repeat them a dosen times. It helps to tie down the characters voice early on too, before it gets drowned by a torrent of information.

 

[BWFoster78]

I'm with BWFoster, I like editing as I go and having it make sense the first time round. Sure I go back through the manuscript and edit it again (and again and again) when I'm done, but it's nice to have some of the hard yards already done. I can imagine having an entire unedited 100k would be daunting.

Doing it this way, you are also better in tune with any over-used words/phrases and usually catch mistakes the first time. before you go on to repeat them a dosen times. It helps to tie down the characters voice early on too, before it gets drowned by a torrent of information.

Yay!!! Someone agrees with me.