Editing & Revising

[cherrystark]

I've seen a lot of posts about people spending oodles of time on their editing. While editing is important, it started me thinking about how much time are you actually editing your work (ie. fixing grammatical errors, etc.) compared to actual revision work. I know people use the words almost interchangeably but I think it's important to know the difference.

For me, English (writing) was always my strong subject so grammar and spelling come easy. Most of my "editing" work can be fixed with programs like Grammarly since it's the occasional spelling error. However, I revise as I go. Sometimes later, I'll come back and revise a chapter if I couldn't think of a strong way to craft my scene.

[therosesword]

I do a two point edit. First time for the spelling and grammar as I suck at both. As I write I tend to ignore them because it's the heat of the moment of getting everything down.

Soooooo, first edit is grammar and spelling, etc with flagging of awkward sentences or just plain "good grief what the heck is that and what was I thinking."

I also flag unnecessary "highfaluting" words that make it look like I'm trying to show off. Now, if it fits the character, okay, but otherwise no. I like to keep it straightforward.

Next 'edit' is actually revision and going through all the highlighted/flagged areas.

Note: sometimes I highlight/flag things because I know I'm not describing it the way I want it but... again... the heat of the creative moment to keep moving and come back later.

[domisotto]

I am an ESL, so I spend a lot of time on a few aspects that are challenging to me, that's the past tenses differences/past tenses coordination and the use of articles.

In terms of revisions, I normally try to write as close to the final as I can, but my biggest revisions comes during the prep of each chapter (roughly 40 min to 1 hour for 1-1.5K words) and the 'on the paper' edits when I prepare to submit it to Premium/Paid programs or query.

Plus, a hundred or so hours of writing and rewriting chapter one...I am not a natural 'immediate hook' writer, I am old-fashioned 'buildup' writer, so chapter 1 is a pure torture & obsession for me.

[DokiDokiTsuna]

Editing time: basically zero. 99% of my spelling mistakes I notice 0.5 seconds after I make em. Grammar mistakes are virtually nonexistent; that just ain't how my mind works.

Revising time: Theoretically infinite (and it probably approaches infinity in my comic scripts…) but in novels, I generally stop revising chapters as they age. By the time I've gotten at least 4 chapters ahead of any given part of the story, it's pretty much set in stone.

[therosesword]

By the time I've gotten at least 4 chapters ahead of any given part of the story, it's pretty much set in stone.

For me, as a pantser, there is no set in stone, I'll want to make sure everything aligns as perfectly as possible and if it means revising even a word in a prior chapter, no matter how far back they are, I'll do it.

[cherrystark]

I do the same thing! If I think of a better way to even improve a paragraph, I'll got back and do it, no matter how old the chapter is.

[therosesword]

Yeah, it's one of those... you'll go back to check something to make sure what you've got is right and whether it is or not you'll notice a sentence that seems a little awkward, or could be refined. Can't stop myself.

[DokiDokiTsuna]

I'll want to make sure everything aligns as perfectly as possible and if it means revising even a word in a prior chapter, no matter how far back they are, I'll do it.

I didn't mean I bar myself from revisions after a certain point (although that's not necessarily a bad idea) I just meant by the time a chapter is of a certain age, I've attacked it enough times to have become satisfied with it.

If I'm on Chapter 58 of a novel and I suddenly have an urge to go back and completely rework Chapters 6 through 13, I'm probably just gonna end up rewriting the whole dang thing. I know myself well enough by now...

[DasIstWunderblyat]

After I hit "Publish," suddenly the invisibility potion effect on all the mistakes ran out.

[WillowTree]

My editing is split into rounds. My rough draft is just to get the story out. I don't bother editing it until the entire story is done. I might make a note of something I want to change, but nothing gets changed in the draft until I have it complete.

Second drat I make the changes I want to make and keep an eye out for grammatical erros.

Third draft I make sure everything still makes sense and comb through for grammatical errors.

After this I'll usually send of to my beta reader if she isn't busy.

Fourth draft I review the beta reader notes and decide which parts I agree with and make those changes and do my most intensive typos/grammar edit.

It's not often I go past a fourth draft.

It's why post The Love of a Werewolf was a whole new experience for me. I posted as I wrote since my nicely edited and finished draft was lost when my old laptop broke on me. I knew where the story was going at least so I did my best in recreating but I know there are a lot of mistakes in terms of grammar and typos that would have usually been caught in one of newer drafts.

[therosesword]

Yeah, after I do all my steps my beta readers hit me with more. the one that sends me into terror mode is the one who writes back "you're better than this." sigh

[cherrystark]

That happens to me ALL THE TIME!

[therosesword]

I think the fact that we are both theatrically trained makes a big difference in how we approach things. We know that our words are not sacrosanct and therefore keep trying to make them so in addition to making them clear enough that an actor or director will not want to change them even if they use their "motivation" for an excuse.

Being theatrically trained kinda screws you up a little.

[cherrystark]

Agreed! I can't count the number of times I've "stalled" because I could describe a room and the fictious "design team" in my head might design it a completely different way! haha

[AnimeKitty]

I usually work on chapter revisions in the second and third drafts. After writing the entire story out, as a rough first draft, I go back through and edit for spelling and grammar mistakes.

Second draft is when I find beta readers to help out. Some will focus more on grammar mistakes I didn't catch while others will focus more on plot issues, structure, and character development.

Third draft is my final one usually, where I amend mistakes the beta readers pointed out and correct anything else I feel needs it.

[therosesword]

oh dear, I'm having flashbacks... design team from h*** with a "great deal on cheap fabric" Probably the set for Sleuth.

[cherrystark]

Cringe!!! The zebra-print is spot-on for some rich, eccentric lady though

[rajillustration]

I have to edit a lot--I think I've gotten better at this, but my writing is just kinda meh until I've gone through it a couple of times. Even still, I'll sometimes make passes of what I've already published and see very minor grammer and spelling mistakes and it's like damn it's vs its gets me so many times.

But then again, my first drafts are just spitting on the page. I approach it the same way I do art, where I take my biggest brush possible to lay in shapes and colors, and then refine with smaller and smaller brushes as I see the direction everything is heading. The final brush you use is the tiniest brush--we call it the money brush back in school--and people think you paint with that brush 100% of the time but nah--that sparkle is only done in the last 30 minutes. I got the same deal with writing.

Anyway long story short I spend most of my time rewriting. My story is done...was done...now I'm putting in a new ending and oh man it's so, so, so much better. Does mean I have to spend at least an hour a day making these adjustments as I take a 3-book story and condense it to a 1-book story.

[therosesword]

I look at my writing like Michelangelo looked at sculpture and that inside every block of marble was a statue and he had to chip away until it was revealed.

Every word spewing rough draft I do is a like that block of marble and I have to chip away at it to get the story out. No matter how wonderful that first vomit of words is, it will always need a cleanup on aisle 5.

[rajillustration]

I like this analogy!