Writing or Editing

We all write books to tell our stories and allow the reader to get acquainted with the characters that have been screaming in our ears. We have plot twists, arcs, themes, GMC and wonderful endings...or do we.

Lately I’ve been in a lot of discussions about editing. Maybe because my book is in the final editing stage, and I’m half crazy playing wordsmith. The most asked question seems to be, how long and how much do you edit a book? Some published authors go over the whole book several times. Up to seven or eight edits.

I constantly edit.

Seem a little ADHD to you? It doesn’t to me. Because that’s the way I write. I simply puke out the very first rough draft. Then I began the editing process. Since I’m clueless about grammar, I try to be extra careful in that area, but I’m not always successful.

Another thing, I don’t always follow what I puked out. The plot can change dramatically. I may change locations, careers, ages, and GMC. Because, until I send it off to an editor, my WIP is still a work in progress.

I once had a friend who got a rejection from a publishing house and the editor said, ‘this is a very nice first draft.’ Ouch! You don’t want to get one of those. It says you haven’t finished editing, and you became lazy and sent it in anyway. The editor didn’t want to see anything else she had.

Many of us write great book, and some of us edit until we create great books. Either way is fine.

Make a list to check and double check everything you need to do to each chapter of you book. I made a list of twelve things I look for, add, take out, and layer. So don’t be in a hurry to send in something that isn’t finished. Remember, we’re not running a race.

Write On!

Geri Foster