A Little Proving Time (Author Toolbox Blog Hop)
You’ve finished that mammoth, first draft, and now what? If you’re anything like me, you’re on a high and want to dive straight in with the edits, however, this may not be the best process for you just as it isn’t for me. I do my best editing when my work has been left for a few weeks. I call this the proving period.
I work best when I can detach from my WIP for a few weeks, but I am not here to tell you what you are doing is right or wrong, just to offer my two pence on what works for me.
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Pros of a Proving Period
You can come back to your WIP and start editing with an objective set of eyes. It can be easy to skirt over errors when your brain knows what the sentence ‘should’ say. A break will help prevent burn out. We all need a chance to recoup, and writing really can be a draining process.You have the opportunity to focus on something else. This allows those creative juices to keep flowing on another project.
Cons of a Proving Period
You may prefer to have your storyline fresh in your mind as you head into the edits.It makes the whole process longer. Writing is not a short process anyway, so a proving period certainly doesn’t help speed up editing.If you are easily distracted, a long proving process could see you heading into other projects and not wanting to return to the dreaded edits.
I definitely benefit from a proving period. I prefer to dip into other projects before I edit my work. The objectivity is also a big plus for me.
Do you leave your WIP to prove before you edit? Do you have any tips and tricks for improving the editing process?
You can check out the other #authortoolboxbloghop participants and their posts here.
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Content belongs to KJ Chapman
