I read constantly that editing is hard. No. Editing is not hard. Writing is hard. Editing is tedious. Excruciatingly boring. Gut-wrenchingly, the-sun-is-shining-for-the-first-time-in-weeks, birds-are-singing, optimism-is-everywhere, but-I’m-stuck-behind-this-desk-in-pursuit-of-my-laudable-goal, boring.
Oh, look; Gone With the Wind is on TV! Oh, oh, oh! A Gilligan’s Island rerun marathon!
Writers Envy 
Ah, the world of distraction. It is only visible when what we need to do is so very important but tedious. Hang in there Will, this too shall pass.
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Thank you for the encouragement! 🙂
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Will, I beg to differ. It’s my favorite part. I pour it all out free form, and then get to choose the prettiest shells I’ve collected. Then I send it to my writing buddy who gets rid of more of the shells — duplicates, those that have a crack but that I loved too much to discard. Then he sends it back and I humph and grumph and agree that he’s right, and then get rid of a few more shells and find a new one or two to add to the collection. Writing is writing. Editing is creating!
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‘Yer killin’ me! 😂
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I might feel different if the book had not been such a part of my life for three years. I have read it through so many times I can almost quote it by heart. There were times I couldn’t bear to open the document; other times I didn’t want to stop writing. This final revision took a toll on me emotionally since Susanna returned to life so dramatically. I didn’t realize until I finished writing that I was describing myself through Tom and Sam. I thought I was using Susanna to carry Tom through his relationship with Aida, but I find I used Susanna to gain closure for my own devastation over her death. This has been an amazing experience. Including Susanna through memories, thoughts, dreams, and essays as the thread that binds the story through two time lines and two decades gave the book the purpose I wanted. Finding that thread took me three years. Part of me fears editing will eliminate some of that thread; part of me knows editing will strengthen the story.
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I agree with you, Will. Writing is intense, riveting, and hard work. I like editing too, to a point, but after reading the book for the fifteenth time, it becomes a total slog.
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I have breathing room after three years and so many hours of writing. I don’t feel guilty for not writing. I know I’ll have work to do when my beta readers send me their critiques, but for now, I’m enjoying the freedom to watch old movies and drink coffee on the front porch 🙂
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I’m taking a break from writing for the summer. And honestly don’t miss it, though I know come fall, I’ll be addicted again 😀
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Will …So well said i needed to read this just got fired most humiliatingly yesterday (see yesterday’s blog post ) so i needed to read something to remind me to keep trying thank you
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Oh no! I’m sorry you suffered that setback. Find the opportunity that gives you to move forward, stronger and better! I’m so happy you gathered solace and optimism from my post. Editing is the bane of many a writers’ life, but the ultimate product is much better for the effort. Keep posting about your journey!
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Dear Will thank you. I agree with your advice it is good advice and thank you for sharing it with me, I’m a bit deflated and embarrassed but I will try to muster on! Thanks again my friend you are made of the good stuff!
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Gilligan’s Island is perfect for brain relaxation. It also helps create, too. As you sit there, yous suddenly realise there is no way the Professor could have created that contraption and you want to try it, too!
Writing is fun, editing is a slog. At least, the last few times. The first run thrus I wonder how on EARTH I managed to spell that word so wrong or miss that meaning in the sentence. I do hope your readers pull thru and help you. I am eagerly waiting for the final result. And I do know how to wait, hugs and blessings!
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I’m looking forward to the editing process. I’ll be there soon. At the moment, I’m making sure all my scenes agree with any plot changes made later in the manuscript. I guess that’s editing of a sort, but I’m not calling it that yet.
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That’s a good place to begin. You’re off to a great start!
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The only way I ever succeed at truly tedious tasks is to remove myself from my home. Otherwise, I’ll clean my house, play with my dog, scroll endlessly through Netflix, check my email 30 times, play games on my phone, and just about anything OTHER than what I’m actually supposed to be doing. I don’t even like coffee, but I’ve spent hours at Starbucks because that place, plus my headphones, is as close as I can get to sensory deprivation so I can focus for more than 2 minutes! 🙂
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I’m using prowritingaid as an initial editing step. Besides being tedious, it’s almost embarrassing with some of the issues it finds. I’m thankful I’ve slain the passive writing beast, but wordiness still plagues me. I’ll slay that beast too!
Thank you for reading and commenting 🙂
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Hey you, I have nominated you for Real Neat Blog Award. See here: https://daysixtyfive.com/2017/06/30/real-neat-blog-award/ xxx
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They’re both hard and tedious to me, but I edit too much while I write. And I have a baby, which can be hard and tedious too…life is hard and tedious, but we must love to write if we keep on doing it, right?
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Right you are! 😊
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Haha so true XD Frankly, editing terrifies me. I hate forcing myself to reread crap I wrote six months ago.
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The first two dozen complete edits aren’t bad, but I get weary after that 🙂
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😂😂😂😂 Oh dear, you made me laugh so hard, now you are scaring off newbies like us. But oh dear, 😀😀😀
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That’s only the first pass! I’m a newbie too; this is my first novel 🙂
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I actually like to edit. I know, huh. The thinking process during editing is cool – like making my very best pie!
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Hmm, maybe I’ll view editing as pecan pie.
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