editing

Heartless Dissection Ready

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I hope I didn’t scare you with the title of this post. Almost a month has gone by since I put aside the first draft of The Book of Sharon. The time away is necessary for what comes next – a heartless dissection of it, and I’m ready.

As writers, we pour our heart and soul into our work, then the time comes to forget about it, followed by a cold stare before we are ready to slash it into pieces – heartless and purposely, not an easy thing to do but necessary. From this dismemberment a second draft is assembled. The process goes on until the story is as ready as it can be.

During this time, emotions run wild – from doubt, insecurity, uncertainty, and not wanting to let go, to perfectionism, pride, fear, doubt again, restlessness, exhilaration, incessant questioning … all of it culminating in exhaustion, and all of it necessary. Sounds painful and not too enticing, but it is what writers subject themselves to repeteadly, and beyond scrupulous consideration, and all for the love of the story.

A love affair with words, a crime of passion?

 

My next victim.

First draft of The Book of Sharon

First draft of The Book of Sharon

Writer’s Wisdom 57

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Taking your writing to the OR

Snip, snip – the painful process.  Editing and cutting out after many words  is a task that many writers dislike, but a necessary one.  Whether you are writing a novel, or a smaller piece,  there will always be words to rearrange, eliminate or change.  It will only improve what you have written down.  See?  written down, there is no need for the down in the previous sentence, that must be eliminated.

Some writers prefer to edit as they write, or as they finish a chapter; others just write and edit later.  Whatever works for you, as long as you improve your piece by taking off what doesn’t belong.  Readers prefer material that moves at a fast (but not too fast) and consistent pace – writing that flows.

I tend to use too many words and have to be aware of not tiring the readers, or boring them.  I have been guilty of reading a book and skipping paragraphs and pages that contain “a lot of the same.”  I am sure we all have been there and that is a good example to make the point.

So snip snip and don’t be afraid; you may be proud of that sentence, but maybe you can use it on another piece or further along.  Don’t be afraid to take your writing to the operating room.

Writer’s Wisdom 19

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The Inner Critic

We all know the inner critic;  it lives inside us.  It can sabotage our writing at any time – if we let it.  The inner critic creeps out when you least expect it, and takes over your brain, feelings and confidence.  Author Kate Jacobs said in an interview with Borders:  “the secret is being persistent and silencing this inner critic.”

You may be persistent and disciplined, but if you let the inner critic sabotage your writing, then it will paralyze you, and you will end up in a circle of procrastination, or over editing, because the critic says it is not good enough.  Although writing should never be “good enough,” there is a point when you should stop over editing.

Silencing the inner critic is critical if you want to move along with your writing.  Your main concern is to write the piece; once that’s accomplished move on to editing.

So, next time the inner critic shows up, give it a piece of chocolate and keep writing.