Writing the first draft and editing

LessonsToLiveBy · May 3, 2013

D.K.T. said:
All excellent points, and I would one more: "editing" has several meanings, and it's important to know what kind of editing you're doing at any given time.

This is so true. There is a huge difference (to me, at least) between how I do an 'early edit' vs a 'final edit' regarding word choice, etc., and how I do an early redraft to get the action in the right place at the right time.

Personally, if I don't have a full draft of the story (or at least the chapter) it is not useful for me to spend a lot of time on detailed, line by line edits, since some element of the story may get changed, requiring all my careful edits to be tossed.

Another benefit of waiting for detailed editing -- avoiding repetition in phrases, descriptions, etc.

Linda Adams · May 3, 2013

It's not wrong to revise as you go along, but it may be a good idea to pick your battles wisely. I revise as I go along, but I only focus on the big picture issues that will affect other parts of the story. I usually will go back and revise once those elements begin to affect the other parts of the story.

Before, I just went back and tweeked a sentence and there, sometimes working on things because I was stuck. What end up happening is that I spent a lot of time on scenes that I later realized I didn't need.

So now I ignore the problems that only affect that scene or will be relatively easy to find and fix. I note them on a master list of fixes so I don't forget:

Search for "it was" and "there was"

When characters move from room to room, add details for room layout and sense of time. Or cut it back by putting in, "Ten minutes later..."
Imply some aspect of when the war happened once each time it is mentioned.
Make clear size of museum, so everyone doesn't think Smithsonian.

S. Eli · May 3, 2013

I try to keep myself from micro-editing, like going back and changing the wording every read through because that'll keep me from ever finishing. Though, sometimes if I don't do massive changes while writing I'll lose interest so I have to do big re-formats. I feel like either way, you just have to try out different methods before you discover which one works.

Crescendo2020 · May 3, 2013

Well, what I did was edited after I started feeling a temporary loss of creativity. Correcting misspells and things like that doesn't require it. For me, at least so far, creating more requires that I'm already interested in what I've already written. When what I've already written bothers me, it punctures my creative tires. That's just me, and I'm very, completely amateur. So take it with salty grain.

nomadictendencies · May 3, 2013

I do 'edit' as I go, but I try to keep this to a minimum and only allow myself to macro-edit. I find myself doing so most often to maintain consistency of plot. I do make a rule of not [line] editing sentence structure, wording etc 'til after I've finished because there's a chance it may be deleted.

ellio · May 4, 2013

My usual pattern is doing 20k word chunks, write 20k then edit then repeat. works for me. if i tried to write the full thing without edits my writing would turn to sludge by the end.

shadowwalker · May 4, 2013

LessonsToLiveBy said:
I agree with everyone who said it is a personal preference. One thing I would add is that I believe there is a linkage (or can be) between being able to 'move ahead' with the story and whether you work from an outline or not.

The outlining is in the same category as when one edits - personal preference. I've only outlined one story and it's the only story I've yet to finish.

As to what editing entails - mine is the whole ball of wax - when I'm done with a page or a chapter, it's done unless one of my betas brings up something. The only thing left when the story is complete is the last polish.

AshleyEpidemic · May 4, 2013

There are no rules to editing. I'm one of the people who would never finish anything if I had to work on it as I went. Nothing is every good enough and I get trapped in a cycle. Plus I need others input and its hard to get input when I don't know all the nuances of the story yet, myself.

I outline my story first, making sure I have a sequential list of all the major things that need to happen in the story. Then I write. After I've let the story sit, I begin to edit. My first pass through I tend to focus on making sure things connect logically and the sentence structure is how I like it. Then I take another break. When I come back this sweep is about making sure the words and grammar are the best that I can make them without my eyes glossing over mistakes, which they do. Then it's off to betas. Then another sweep. Then betas. Then I deem it ready. But that is my process and mine alone.

Chekurtab · May 7, 2013

I think you got the full range of opinions here. I also think the beginners should edit more often than the seasoned authors. I don't look at editing as a distraction, but a learning process. No matter how experienced you are.

hologram · May 7, 2013

SevasTra82 said:
Or at least, glancing over to make sure what I typed made sense, didn't "tell" but rather "showed"...etc. And I had to stop myself, and this question popped in my head...

I'm bad for this so I have my page headers as "Show don't Tell!" repeated all the way along to remind me.

DragonHeart · May 8, 2013

I don't do line edits on my first draft unless it's something really egregious. I do tend to read through what I've already written (the whole thing on shorter works) and might throw in a comment on a small detail to add or a scene to expand, etc. But I don't actually do any of that until I'm done the draft.

The reason why is simple: I don't write from an outline. While I generally know what's supposed to happen between the beginning and the end, I can't predict the middle at all. The beginning tends to have plot threads that don't pan out, so if I were to spend my time revising it before finishing the draft, it would be mostly wasted effort on my part.

Hopefully as I become more experienced this will be less of an issue and eventually I will be able to edit as I go, but for now I'm content to do multiple passes to address various issues before a final line-by-line and submission prep.

shadowwalker · May 8, 2013

DragonHeart said:
The reason why is simple: I don't write from an outline. While I generally know what's supposed to happen between the beginning and the end, I can't predict the middle at all.

I edit/revise as I go, and I don't use an outline - and I rarely have more than a vague idea how it's all going to end. Maybe I'd do it differently if I knew how it was supposed to end - but that's unlikely to happen. If I waited to start writing until I knew the ending - well, hell, I'd never get to the ending. LOL

KTC · May 8, 2013

SevasTra82 said:
I've read many different opinions on this subject, and wanted to get a feel for how others view it...

When you are writing your first rough draft of a book (or a chapter, to be more specific), it is often said that you should never edit it, or look back at it. You should just write, write write, and worry about any type of edits later.

Well, I've just recently started the first chapter of my first ever book, and I found myself looking back at the 100 words I typed and editing them. Or at least, glancing over to make sure what I typed made sense, didn't "tell" but rather "showed"...etc. And I had to stop myself, and this question popped in my head...

Is there a way to discipline yourself from doing this? I'm assuming its bad practice (from everything I've read) to go back and re-read like this, so I'm wondering what everyone's thoughts are on the matter and anyone has any tips, suggestions, insight etc into improving my overall "working on the first draft" phase.

Thanks!

In writing, one should never say never. What works for one writer will not work for another. Myself...I never look back. Nor do I feel a need or desire to do so. I race to the ending.

If looking back works for you, you should look back. It's okay to experiment with everything you hear about, but if you try to follow every 'rule' you hear about...you'll never get anything done. There are so many opposing forces out there. Never look back/Always look back. Outline/Don't outline. It's enough to paralyze a writer.

Writing the first draft and editing

LessonsToLiveBy

Linda Adams

Soldier, Storyteller

S. Eli

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Crescendo2020

nomadictendencies

ellio

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shadowwalker

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AshleyEpidemic

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Chekurtab

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hologram

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DragonHeart

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shadowwalker

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KTC

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