Editing
This week I'm in editing mode. I finished the first draft of Zanna's Outlaw, the first book in a new series set in Texas, and gave myself last week to let the story sit, give my mind a chance to refresh and take care of home and family stuff. That was one week I should have wrote, as my muse was flowing and I found myself writing notes and leaving them on my desk. This week, I was pumped and ready to go, but the muse wasn't. It finally kicked in yesterday, and I got more accomplished in one day than I did in two.
Editing can be a blessing and a hassle, at the same time. Spelling and punctuation are easy. Your eyes are fresh and reading material you haven't in a while, so those mistakes leap out at you. Tightening your scenes and chapters and polishing your characters and plot can sometimes make you crazy. Or, at least they do for me.
It's the little things I obsess over; a paragraph that doesn't flow the way I'd like, a point I'm trying to make, not repeating something that I've written in a previous chapter, clearly expressing my character's thoughts and feelings. But I don't give up. I keep at it, and eventually what I'm trying to express works its way out of my mind and onto the computer screen.
Sometimes, I have a good day and breeze thru chapters. Some may require a slight bit of tweaking, and others require nothing at all. I wish I had more days like that, but in my heart, I want the story to be the best it can be. This is my chance to correct what I think is wrong. I'll grumble and get agitated, but in the end, I'll be satisfied.
I don't have a list of do's and don't's for editing and the order to do them. I think for everyone the process differs. I usually jump right in at page one and go. I have my notes and a good of idea of my weak spots. I put my notes in order so that when I get to that part in the story, I can see what I wanted to add or delete. As for the weak spots, I look for ways to make them better; word choice, adding something to the scene or strengthening my character's actions. I do a lot of flipping back and forth between the pages, paying attention to setting and plot details and points that move the story forward. I also look for things that don't work or could be better explained.
Obsess over minor things. Get frustrated. Change a whole scene. Add one or delete one. But whatever you do, keep going and enjoy this time of the creative process. Once you reach the end, your story will be better and your writing stronger. You'll feel a sense of accomplishment and know in that moment that the sweat and the laboring were well worth it. I know I do.
Editing can be a blessing and a hassle, at the same time. Spelling and punctuation are easy. Your eyes are fresh and reading material you haven't in a while, so those mistakes leap out at you. Tightening your scenes and chapters and polishing your characters and plot can sometimes make you crazy. Or, at least they do for me.
It's the little things I obsess over; a paragraph that doesn't flow the way I'd like, a point I'm trying to make, not repeating something that I've written in a previous chapter, clearly expressing my character's thoughts and feelings. But I don't give up. I keep at it, and eventually what I'm trying to express works its way out of my mind and onto the computer screen.
Sometimes, I have a good day and breeze thru chapters. Some may require a slight bit of tweaking, and others require nothing at all. I wish I had more days like that, but in my heart, I want the story to be the best it can be. This is my chance to correct what I think is wrong. I'll grumble and get agitated, but in the end, I'll be satisfied.
I don't have a list of do's and don't's for editing and the order to do them. I think for everyone the process differs. I usually jump right in at page one and go. I have my notes and a good of idea of my weak spots. I put my notes in order so that when I get to that part in the story, I can see what I wanted to add or delete. As for the weak spots, I look for ways to make them better; word choice, adding something to the scene or strengthening my character's actions. I do a lot of flipping back and forth between the pages, paying attention to setting and plot details and points that move the story forward. I also look for things that don't work or could be better explained.
Obsess over minor things. Get frustrated. Change a whole scene. Add one or delete one. But whatever you do, keep going and enjoy this time of the creative process. Once you reach the end, your story will be better and your writing stronger. You'll feel a sense of accomplishment and know in that moment that the sweat and the laboring were well worth it. I know I do.
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Hi Mike:I use a critique partner from beginning to end on the 1st draft, and then again if I come across a problem when editing. I pick Stacey's mind constantly, to make sure the plot flows and makes sense, and the same with my characters. She's great for finding scenes when a character strays from who they are, whether in voice or in action. Honestly, I don't know what I'd do without her. She's wonderful in keeping me grounded, lending support and listening when I'm having a very bad week in writing.
Juls
It just goes to show, behind every great writer there's a critique partner. Mike
www.rmichaelphillips.com
The other thing that helps me is an independent eye after I'm done. I've got a friend who is an avid reader and is willing to give an unbiased assessment of the manuscript. I give the manuscript to him with the expectation of a critical review. He understands I don't want to hear how great the story is, (although secretly I'm hoping one day he'll return a story without a single change), I want to know what's wrong with it. Are the characters strong enough and do they have depth? Does the flow of the plot make sense? Does it have a good pace? Etc, etc, etc. I may grumble a bit with his suggestions, and I may not agree with them all, but I consider everything and make the changes where needed. In the long run the manuscripts have been improved by his independent eye.
R. Michael Phillips
www.rmichaelphillips.com