Reforming sentences, scratching out words, replacing those words, staring at plot holes, attempting to fix those plot holes, despairing, hoping, enjoying … and the cycle goes on.
Editing.
Wonderful, isn’t it?
I love it. I hate it.
I’m a wonderful writer. I am a terrible writer, wallowing in typos and badly formed grammar.
That sentence sounded beautiful. That sentence a four year old would disdain to use.
Some things are a breeze to edit, others are akin to forcing your way out of a collapsed mine.
Generally, I like to think that I enjoy it – The Dragons We Hunt, my now complete (!) novel, is a breeze to go through. My pen and I have wondrous fun striking off a word here, changing a word there, and twiddling with a sentence over yonder.
Yes, we get on splendidly.
And then there was another story – a short one. That was horrendous. In a month, I’ve experienced two sides to editing – the good and the bad. Enjoyable and akin-to-teeth-pulling.
But, I’ve survived.
And I suppose that is the moral of this post – don’t give up. Yes, it may take a while and, at times, be horrible to do … but you can get through it. Wade in, roll up your sleeves and grit your teeth. Take one paragraph, one sentence, one word at a time.
You’ll get there.
… and listen to music. It helps … and because of it, I’ve found a new composer – Brian Craine, everybody!
of words & books 