Question about Editing

[Thekherham]

Which describes you?
1) Write the bare bones of your novel and then add, add, add, or
2) Write, write, write a lot, and then cut, cut, cut?

[Will Lavender]

I'm 1 1/2.

Write the novel. Cut a little, add a little.

[Devil Ledbetter]

Write, cut and add here, too.

[DeadlyAccurate]

#1, definitely. The first draft of this WIP was 69,000 words. The second draft is 91,000. I leave out a lot in my first drafts. The final draft could be higher or lower than that, however. I know I'm going to remove a side plot I'd started to develop, but I'll add details to other parts.

[TheIT]

The draft I just finished was definitely 2). I'm going to need a chainsaw to revise it. I'm trying something different on the novel I'm currently writing, more approach 1). I'm writing it by hand in my notebook and forcing myself not to type it in until I reach the end. The hand written pages aren't fully fleshed out, so I figure when I type it in it'll be like a first revision. So far it seems to be working.

[herdon]

I write, add, cut, rewrite.

[Sassee]

Mine goes in spurts between 1 and 2. When I want to get an idea out there quickly before I forget it, I write down the bare essentials and then go back and add later. Then after a while I'll go back and read what I added and take some of it out or shorten it. And so on and so forth.

[Mr. Funktastic]

I'm totally number two. I have to do a ton of trimming.

[Thekherham]

I'm No. 2. I tend to write, write, write. Some years back I wrote a novel that ended up at 700,000 words (!!!). So far, I've cut it down to 500,000. I do believe I can trim it down a wee bit further.

[Shady Lane]

1. I never get long enough.

[scarletpeaches]

I type out roughly 50k, then add another 15-20k on the longhand edit. Then I tighten it all up again when I type it back onto the laptop.

[Elektra]

1. I never get long enough.

Ditto. I dream of the day I'll have to cut.

[Wryter ABC]

I always write the action, plot, and leave description--the needed kind, not the "the sword was 8.675309 meters long" kind--for later. I'd estimate that by the time I finish the first draft of my WIP, it'll be at least 50k words though.

[Niapri]

Mmph. I don't think I really fit into either of those categories...first I do a bare-bones outline, then a draft in which EVERYTHING goes in. Then I toss it. Reoutline in detail. Hide/lose the outline. Start second draft from scratch.

It never fails that the first draft is all plot, though, and very bare-bones. So, if I have to choose, I s'pose I'd say #1.

[Joe270]

I'm the definition of choice 2. I cut and cut and cut.

I think it's probably the least efficient way to write.

[Southern_girl29]

I do a combination. Some of my scenes are overly written, and I have to cut. Others are bare bones, and I have to add.

[Raphee]

No rigid formulas as yet.
In my WIP, I am just writing non stop to get my story idea in; my characters semi developed, establishing the voice and so on. I have done 60,000 words in about 40 days. Target is to finish the above in the next two weeks at around 80 to 90K.
Then I take a hiatus. Take a good long look at what my original premise is. And if it is good enough, if it needs to be changed and how.
After my brainstorming I'll start my "First Write" re-structuring the novel in the way, I think is best for my story. And working on the prose.

This is the first time I've tried this approach. Before this I used to write my first draft as best as possible, chapter by chapter.

[Namatu]

Write, write, write, cut, cut, cut, write, cut, write, cut, cut, write, edit... I could probably cut out some of those steps if I used an outline or something resembling it. Maybe next time.

[Nakhlasmoke]

I'll go stand on the side with all the 1's.

I also have a habit of only writing one plot thread at a time.

[jodiodi]

I'm a complete mixture. I write, write, write, edit, add, cut, rewrite, add--I just write and edit until it's how I want it.

[ccarver30]

Write, cut and add here too!

[Melanie Nilles]

I think you need 3) add and cut. That would best describe my editing. But sometimes I fall into #2, depending on the story and how I wrote it (slow and steady or rush through because the flow of ideas was so strong I couldn't slow down).

[IrishScribbler]

I'm #1, although in editing, I have cut some because it doesn't flow or fit or whatever else.