How do you edit?

It comes to a point when there's nothing more that can be done about the story, plotwise, that is ideally when you start to edit, although I can imagine most of us does it along as we write even though we aren't supposed to.

Anyhow, when there's nothing else but editing left, what's your approach? Do you rework a chapter until it's done or do you go over the script several times?

My problem, I feel, is that no matter how much I edit, there's always gonna be more editing to be done.

 

I have reached a point where I am satisfied with some of the stuff I've edited. But I your own perception of your writing and abilities will always change/evolve over time. I guess you have to reach a point where you consider the writing to be of the best standard you can muster at a certain point in time, whatever that time may be - a marked accomplishment attributable to a specific period of your life. I go through the entire draft of my novel without looking back each edit. To double back each chapter (or interval of some form) is too boring and depressing. Would also drive me absolutely insane.

 

I do whatever keeps me plowing ahead. Generally I work in chunks, five chapters for example. The first pass through is all about making sure it works and seeing if it could be improved. I'll do line edits at the same time generally--making all the descriptions better, give more attention to diction, etc. I'll go through a chunk of chapters like that, then I'll go back and do a grammar edit (I pass it through grammarly). Then I'll work on the next chunk. Usually I go back and re-read twice more, finding any missed mistakes.

Sometimes it's a bit all over the place because if I'm really struggling, I'll move on to a task I find easier so that I keep making progress. For instance, what I'm writing now, I began edits on the first half before writing the final chapters because I was just not feeling inspired.

 

I define everything that comes after writing a satisfying plot as 'editing'. So, as this word includes developmental editing (making sure all the parts are in the right places and the characters are fleshed out and have stakes), line editing (pacing, tension, and such), and proof editing (SPaGs), it's a tall order. I can't do everything at once, so I edit in passes.

To get this sense of pressure @Homer Potvin talked about, I include a step when I get rid of as many words as possible, basically telling myself 'Make it half its length', between line editing and proofing. This is an illusory order from myself to myself that shouldn't be met, but what is does is it focuses me on streamlining my text.

After that, only proofing is left. Ideally .

 

I go over the script several times with at least a couple of months in between. Fresher eyes.

 

I have no idea what my stories are going to be about, until I have written them . I just put stuff on paper . Often, to keep going , I will use my own memories , bit of unused writing or things I have read . My editing is attempting to pull a lot of random rambling in to carefully crafted and flowing story. It is to easy to fall into the never ending editor syndrome . So when I feel I can't actuly add anything more . I like to find outside help.

 

I feel like this part of the process it's most important to read aloud what you write, to find the melody, or the rhythm, as it were. If you stutter, you should probably change the sentence. Too bad I will most definitely find parts that are not on that level yet, like, the beginning is always more developed than the ending because you've gone over it more times.

But for sure, being stuck on the same chapter for days is maddening and it's probably best to move on, day after day and then start all over again.

 

I've heard that too from other writers but I don't really write in excess. My drafts are kinda bare until I develop them more and more. If anything, my goal should be to make my stories twice as long, hehe.

 

I think it's exceedingly rare to only write bare. If you do, you wouldn't have SPaGs and grammar issues to clean up, and your manuscript would already shine fresh from the keyboard. Sentence constructions, finding ways to express the same sentiment with fewer words (which leads to more active verbs and better writing) ... when I once pared down a 1.5k manuscript to a whooping 800 words, I was convinced. I would have said my prior manuscript was bare-bones, too.

 

I write whatever comes to my brain no matter how terrible it is. Then I go back and straighten things out when I finished everything. I also go back on characterization and stuff to make sure my cast remains constant (like, making sure they speak dialogue in their unique style etc. etc.).

 

I'm pretty much like Memesis. Write a bunch of stuff and edit out what doesn't work. Of course, that works better in normal stories. I'm working on a choose your own adventure style story (holy crap, I have no idea how I'm going to beta that...) and making sure the world is consistent along all choices is a chore. Lots of revisions and keeping notes.

 

There are typically 5 levels of editing. You should get the one above done to a finishing point before doing the one below it, as that will save needless rework.
Finally at some point we have all done the best we can do and any further editing will only make it different not better.

 

Make sure when editing not to destroy your original. In other words, don't do what's called destructive editing, but make a copy and do your editing on that. I find with digital painting as well as writing, I often make changes that seem like improvements at the time, but sometimes when I go back and compare to the original it's lost something vital. Digital painting and digital editing can be like a video game, with save points along the way, so you can always go back to an earlier version. And again, if you do this, don't go to work on the original, but make a copy you can work from.

Create versions—you know, 1.1, 1.2, or however it works for you.