Edit Your Work and Don’t Forget To Edit Your Life

We as writers talk about editing a lot because it’s part of our profession. But editing is something we also do in our everyday lives. We make plans that may have to change, so we edit and reschedule. When we speak, we should think before we verbalize a typo, which can be corrected by apologizing and changing to the correct word. We edit our lives when we delete things or people from our lives. We proofread important documents before signing them (or we should) to ensure we agree with what’ we’re signing. A writer would never just throw a first draft into the world. A writer’s work needs a timeout, a timeframe to marinate in itself while the writer distances herself for awhile, so she can come back with fresh eyes and perspective on her work to edit and revise before it’s ready for the professional editor. It’s a process like life. We must edit our work like we must remember to make the edits in our life in the same fashion. Like cleaning out our homes, every once in awhile it’s healthy to take a pause and take stock of what we have around us, in our homes, sometimes even with the people in our lives. Decluttering is editing – eliminating. Perhaps a bad habit would be a good editing project to work on? Bad attitude? No problem, you can edit that too – if you want to. Is there someone in your life who brings a black cloud around whenever in your orbit? Maybe it’s time to take a look at what serves your best interest. Does this person make you uncomfortable or shed negative vibes when in your presence? It may be time to assess and perhaps edit them out of your orbit. Sometimes we get too comfortable with our life, habits and circles, and become a little complacent forgeting we’re in charge of our own life, and forgeting we have the power to edit. If we aren’t satisfied with the story we’re living, we are the editors of our own lives. It’s up to us to proofread the story we live in and decide the changes we need to make to have our story reflect the life we want it to be by editing out the unnecessary words and characters that hold back our story to allow it to flow better and read the way we desire, to permit a happy ending. ©DGKaye2020