What about editing?
When I write a book, I don’t leave it to an editor to do all the tidying up, the trawling and correcting. The chances are, for every time I write a phrase, I will edit it about four times, and even then, I regret the words that didn’t make it onto the page.
Writing, for me, is at best a compromise, rather like the one that faces a youngster deciding what to do with his or her life: the horizon is so wide, which way should they go? What subjects should they study, specialise in, care about and invest in? What will they do when they grow up?
And as with writing, the blank page is full of potential which somehow, mystically, never quite lives up to the dream. I would make the same suggestion as I would for work. Write what you are good at, write what you know and what you enjoy.
Editing – the second stage, third stage and nth stage tidy up – is so much a part of the craft of writing, that it is hard to know where the line between them is drawn. It is with editing that we discover newer, brighter, wittier ways of showing our thoughts at their best. Editing fills in the gaps between what we think we are writing, and what others take from our meaning: the two can come apart in startling ways. Editing is also polish that makes a work look effortless, and gives it slick clarity.
My sister, who edits, was telling me that a lot of people these days, they either don’t edit, or they expect that mythical editor to do it for them. Indeed, this seems to be a common assumption, based, understandably on the fact that there are those out there who call themselves editors. Writers write, and editors edit, right? In truth, not always, and I find it unwise to rely too much on others, or – even more deadly – to expect from them services which they don’t or can’t deliver. Yes, I get my work edited by professionals, especially when I need a shove down one particular avenue or towards a particular theme; but I always, always endeavour to edit my work as much as I can, before and afterwards, and to stay on the course, take responsibility for the final version of what I write about. That seems vital to me; or else, how can I put my name to it?
Please share:
April 8, 2016 @ 12:45 pm
I agree – although it is often said that writing is a solitary occupation – publishing a work is actually teamwork in an ideal world. Great thoughts again Fran.
April 8, 2016 @ 2:22 pm
Thanks so much, Diane. So often, editing is seen as the ‘little brother’ of creativity, but it isn’t like that. There is beauty in the details too. 🙂
April 8, 2016 @ 9:38 pm
I’ve always found editing my own work to be one of my biggest challenges. I tend to get frustrated with myself and that’s just not helpful. I can, however, edit for another with no problem – in fact, I actually find that enjoyable. But perhaps I need a new perspective. Looking at it as you’ve described it certainly makes me think I need to rethink my approach.
I’ve certainly enjoyed reading these writing posts. Thanks so much for sharing 🙂
April 9, 2016 @ 2:00 pm
Thank you so much, Meredith! It does help, when I’m editing, to imagine I’ve never read the piece before, so then I can hardly feel frustrated with myself, can I? Even so, I do sometimes find myself taking the most inordinate time over a single sentence. It’s strange, what trips us up, isn’t it? Thank you for reading. 🙂
April 11, 2016 @ 11:33 pm
I’ve benefited greatly in the past by your sound advice on self editing, and polishing seems to be an apt description of the process. In my case less often proved to be more when I took the time to put the work away and reread over many times without the constraint of having a deadline to meet. Another useful piece of advice I was given was “Never ask a close member of your family to read over your work, it’s like getting your dad to teach you how to drive.”
April 15, 2016 @ 4:58 pm
Tom, you make me blush! 🙂 I’ll bear in mind what you say about close family members, driving lessons, etc, but hubby does read my work – and he never gets cross with me – so it is a bit less fraught than driving lessons from our nearest and dearest. 🙂