How To Accept Editing Your Draft Novel is Like Adding Magic Sauce to a Meal #MondayBlogs
I have become a huge fan of editing and revising a draft novel.
This wasn’t always the case. I started writing seriously many moons ago and the word, ‘editing’ used to make me groan. I also couldn’t understand why anyone would repeatedly go over their draft novels. That felt like a form of writer madness.
As my writing journey has progressed I have developed a love for editing. If only time machines were available for hire. I would definitely be nipping back to edit the hell out of my old stories,
Why the secret sauce?
Accept you have a wandering mind when writing. You don’t actually see this until you start editing your book but as you are downloading your story from your brain there is a chance other stuff will come as well. I always find unwanted things in my draft novels when editing. I either find traces of my own life (family names, pet names, things from shopping lists and scenes from other books I have been writing) or random stuff that has nothing to do with the actual story.
Your mind will also stray from the path or your novel plan. If your mind is like mine it will go in search of excitement by itself and it won’t ask permission. Editing gets you back on track which means a tighter story.
You are too close to the detail when writing a novel. A structural edit helps you see the bigger picture, the plot, sub plots and the pacing.
It also detects those parts of your story which you have glossed over and whispered, ‘l’ll figure out later.’ In addition it will also shine a spotlight on other areas of weakness.
Cutting emotional ties with your story and characters is hard. This is the part I struggle with the most. By the end of the first drafts my character are like close friends. The thought of changing them or *whispers* deleting makes me want to cry. A good character edit will cause discomfort, it will get rid of dead wood but there is a pay off. You will end up with believable and fully rounded characters with desires and motivations.
This is what I have learnt you have to get comfortable with creative pain. The successful writers welcome the discomfort that editing brings as they know it’s good for their work.
Editing is the magic sauce. Your first draft is simply the cooking of the basic ingredients. Editing is where you create the flavour, the layers and the texture.
My last point is that editors are special human beings. Use them. 
