Why Bother Editing?
During a recent presentation I did on writing, several students (of all ages) asked why should they edit, except for typos and grammar. The answer is deceptively simple – because your first draft is just that. A core dump of your ideas.
First Draft
You may bridle at the suggestion your first draft is not perfect, but it’s not. It’s like having quarried a lump of marble; rewriting and editing now chips and polishes until the final glorious statue is revealed.
Consider this – particularly in fiction – when you first start writing, you don’t know what’s going to develop in the story. So by its very nature, your story will have to be edited so that all the pieces fit and blend together.
Be Brutal
Part of being a good editor is being brutal to your work. As an example, the original draft of Dark Fire was 676 pages long. The published book is 254.
My favorite editing reference is one Rudyard Kipling once shared. He was working on his novel “Kim”. His father, who was his editor, chopped out a whole section that was dear to Rudyard’s heart. When asked why, his father explained that it did not move the story forward.
It’s a good measuring stick to use. I’m not saying eliminate description, etc. but judge your work by the rule, ‘does it move the story forward?’ If the answer is no, it’s likely fluff and can be chiseled away.
Multiple Edits
Edited once? Great. Start again. And again. Plan to edit several times, because each time you’re going to find things to change, typos, you name it.
And then ask a trusted colleague to read and edit. They will find things you missed. Dark Fire went through 7 rewrites and 9 edits before it was released.
Editing is one of the most valuable tools in your writer’s arsenal. Use it.
