To edit, or not to edit (as you go)?

jannawrites · Sep 27, 2007

I tend to be horribly anal. About my writing, I mean... I can't write even a sentence without scrutinizing it for spelling, grammar, flow, blah blah blah. (Even dinky little e-mails get a twice-over...) As a result, I feel like each completed chapter is already at the "second draft" stage. And that's not to say I won't go back and edit again. Ugh, I've gone back to smooth many things over.

But do you edit as you go? Or do you just write and write and write, knowing you'll fix it later? And how do I make myself do that? I would rather worry more about getting it all down than making sure what I already have is perfect. But I can't retrain myself.

sneakers145 · Sep 27, 2007

I used to edit as I went, and would also edit and revise when I hit a roadblock. This go round I'm writing a first draft before editing.

(because novel #2, while very polished, lacks an ending...)

Karen Junker · Sep 27, 2007

Maybe if you try writing with your eyes closed, that would help you get over the need to edit every word. I'd still double-check every few seconds to make sure I had my fingers on the right keys, though!

a_sharp · Sep 27, 2007

jannawrites said:
I tend to be horribly anal. About my writing, I mean... I can't write even a sentence without scrutinizing it for spelling, grammar, flow, blah blah blah. (Even dinky little e-mails get a twice-over...) As a result, I feel like each completed chapter is already at the "second draft" stage. And that's not to say I won't go back and edit again. Ugh, I've gone back to smooth many things over.

But do you edit as you go? Or do you just write and write and write, knowing you'll fix it later? And how do I make myself do that? I would rather worry more about getting it all down than making sure what I already have is perfect. But I can't retrain myself.

Well, I'm the same way. The stuff flows, but in the back of my mind is the chapter target and overall story arc. I'm aware of the need for ascending conflict and tension, so I catch problems with that on the go. Just can't write any other way, and yet I often put out 5,000-6,000 words a day. It's a matter of what works for you. Look at Sneaker's post. See?

jannawrites · Sep 27, 2007

a_sharp said:
I often put out 5,000-6,000 words a day.

Wowie zowie!

:Hail:

Will Lavender · Sep 27, 2007

Karen Junker said:
Maybe if you try writing with your eyes closed, that would help you get over the need to edit every word. I'd still double-check every few seconds to make sure I had my fingers on the right keys, though!

I've actually heard of this before. Heard a writing teacher say once to write all rough drafts with the computer monitor off so that you couldn't check yourself.

I recommend writing the first 50 pages and then taking a short break to see what you've got. If you're interested in the first 50, if you like your voice (and isn't that most important, really?) and your characters and your hook, then go on for the next 250 without looking back.

The first word, the first sentence, the first chapter, the first 50 -- this is the foundation of the novel. You can't just burn past it and hope to fill it in later. Or hope to redo it later. Sometimes it doesn't work like that and the whole house topples.

a_sharp · Sep 27, 2007

jannawrites said:
Wowie zowie!

Well, some of it's crap of course...

Azraelsbane · Sep 27, 2007

I edited as I went, and then when I got to the end I went back to the beginning and had to do it all over again, because I realized that even though I did it that way, it sucked.

I'd say I had to rewrite 16 of 20 chapters after I hit "The End," but maybe what I got out of it was actually a 3rd draft instead of a 2nd draft, since I had edited beforehand. *shrug*

Dave.C.Robinson · Sep 27, 2007

I'd recommend focusing on finishing the first draft rather than editing it. It does no good to have a perfectly polished but unfinished manuscript. Kill the obvious errors that drive you nuts, but otherwise keep moving.

mscelina · Sep 27, 2007

I edit as I go BUT not at the same time.

Confused? Me too. What I actually do is set apart blocks of time. I write my first draft in the morning, work on other things through the day, then that evening go back and check for grammar, spelling, those darn sneaky adverbs et cetera. The 'edit' is really more of a quick proofread, because I'm more concerned with getting the story on paper before I concentrate on technical issues. The space of time between the writing and the proofing lets me look at it with a fresher eye and keeps me from getting bogged down in it.

Then, when the manuscript is completed I do a hard line edit then write the second draft. Good luck!

Shady Lane · Sep 27, 2007

I line-edit as I go...making sure each sentence sounds nice, that each paragraph flows. If I can't get it right, though, I don't have a problem saving it for later.

In a larger sense, though...I drop and add characters all the time through the 1st draft, and leave gaping plot holes. I don't go back to fix major things.

seun · Sep 28, 2007

It's different for everyone although I can't imagine editing as I go. For my first draft, I just write it. Editing comes in the second draft.

Voyager · Sep 28, 2007

I read a comment by Dean Koontz once that he edits and re-edits every page until he thinks it's perfect, then goes on to the next. That would drive me nuts. I'm a go with the muses kinda gal, and none of my muses has ever stopped me mid-sentence to inform me of a typo. Although I once had a muse repeatedly remind me to inform the reader that he was unusually well endowed. THAT was annoying.

musicalzoo · Sep 28, 2007

I edit as I go, but its minor edits. Usually I write what I'm going to write for the day, then skim over it and try to clear up misspelled words, at least. If I have a sentence or paragraph that just doesn't 'sound' right- and i can't fix it quickly, i highlight it yellow and will pay special attention to it when i do my actual editing.

wyntermoon · Sep 28, 2007

I try not to self-edit as I go anymore, it drove me nuts. I do, however, re-read the last chapter before starting the next day and do soft edits. Bulldozing can wait.

Shadow_Ferret · Sep 28, 2007

jannawrites said:
I tend to be horribly anal. About my writing, I mean... I can't write even a sentence without scrutinizing it for spelling, grammar, flow, blah blah blah. (Even dinky little e-mails get a twice-over...) As a result, I feel like each completed chapter is already at the "second draft" stage. And that's not to say I won't go back and edit again. Ugh, I've gone back to smooth many things over.

But do you edit as you go? Or do you just write and write and write, knowing you'll fix it later? And how do I make myself do that? I would rather worry more about getting it all down than making sure what I already have is perfect. But I can't retrain myself.

I used to be like you and edit as I went. You know what I ended up with? 4 excellent polished to perfection chapters... and nothing else. I could never get beyond the first 4 chapters because I wanted them to be perfect.

It wasn't until I stopped editing as I went along that I finally finished my novel. Editing stifles the creative flow.

a_sharp said:
I often put out 5,000-6,000 words a day.

Show off.

ccarver30 · Sep 28, 2007

I edit as I go but it is not really intentional. The MS word squiggly lines annoy me so I fix what is wrong.

Prawn · Sep 28, 2007

No. I don't even SPELLCHECK as I go. I spell check at the end, and let me tell you it takes me 4 or 5 hours to spell check 90K+ words.

jodiodi · Sep 28, 2007

I do some editing as I go and once the work is finished, I'll go back and read through, making changes or revisions I missed the first time around. I like for my first draft to be as close as possible to the finished product as I can make it. If I don't make the change when I think about it, it won't get done. It's just easier for me. Then again, I tend to write at a rapid pace.

WendyNYC · Sep 28, 2007

Shadow_Ferret said:
I used to be like you and edit as I went. You know what I ended up with? 4 excellent polished to perfection chapters... and nothing else. I could never get beyond the first 4 chapters because I wanted them to be perfect.

This is exactly my problem! And yes, here I am on Chapter 4.

Jamesaritchie · Sep 28, 2007

Edit

I think you do whatever works for you. Editing as you go is fine, if it doesn't stop forward progress.

I correct spelling as I go because the last thing I want to do is spend hours fixing it later. Grammar really isn't a problem, so I don;t have to worry much about fixing grammar at any stage.

I try to think about a sentence at least a couple of times before I write it down, but I will fix a clunky sentence, if I notice it.

But what I do not do is go back and edit as I go. I edit the page I'm working on, and that's it.

scarletpeaches · Sep 28, 2007

seun said:
It's different for everyone although I can't imagine editing as I go. For my first draft, I just write it. Editing comes in the second draft.

Were we separated at birth?

vfury · Sep 28, 2007

Right now, I'm writing as I go. I have a notebook entitled "Things to change in the second draft" and if something needs to be cut, moved around, or changed later on, I make a note of it so I won't forget. This generally means that my first draft can be done relatively quickly if I push myself, but my second and third drafts take longer as I rip them apart.

CaroGirl · Sep 28, 2007

I compose each sentence before I write it, which is like editing as I go. If I have a scene with a lot of forward motion, I write it all out and reread and edit it after it's written. I find my first drafts are in better shape and require less work than if I don't edit as I go. But you should write in whatever way works best for you.

Jack Nog · Sep 28, 2007

I found that I couldn't finish my first draft until I stopped trying to edit. However, with each new writing session, I reread what I wrote the day before (at least the last few paragraphs) and I edit those. It feeds the fix and reminds me where I left off.

Now that I finished the first draft a my first novel, I can't figure out where to start the revision process. I started my second novel while giving myself a break and I don't want to stop writing to start editing. I don't have enough time in the day as it is. I'd rather write than revise.

Help?

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