Editing and Polishing - How Much is Enough?

A few days ago, I critiqued a chapter for a writer I'd been working with for some months. The main thing we'd been working on was 'de-cluttering' her writing. In many sections of her work her natural style came through: it was smooth and easy to read, and I could see the promise there.

In other sections, the pace slowed down dramatically. The action was explained and then explained again in slightly different words. Really, there was no need to 'explain' it at all. Readers bring a vast amount of experience to every book they read. They have seen countless movies and TV shows; they watch the nightly news coverage; they read books, magazines and newspapers. Want proof?

I'm going to write a list of common events. Note the images that come into your mind when you read these words.

  • driving a car

  • having a BBQ

  • eating out in a ritzy restaurant

  • a car accident

  • a terrorist attack
Did I have to 'explain' these events? Did I have to outline how to turn the key and put the car into gear? Did I have to mention the type of clothes worn at a BBQ or a ritzy restaurant? What about a terrorist attack or a car accident?

I'm sure you were able to fill in most of the details from your own viewing or reading or personal experience. All I need to do as a writer is to use the viewpoint character in the scene as a 'filter' for the setting, emotions and immediate impressions. You can supply the rest.

Now let's go back to the writer whose work I was critiquing. Ms. Writer had started to cut a lot of the clutter in her scenes, but I was still finding plenty to work on.

But this time... no. I hardly had to touch it. What had made the difference?

I emailed her with congratulations and asked what she'd been doing. I thought she may have spent more time editing, this time, before sending it off to me. Or perhaps she had put some distance between herself and the writing by putting it aside for a week before polishing?

Her answer surprised me - although it shouldn't have. For a change, she told me, she'd sent this one virtually hot off the computer. After my response, she had come to the conclusion that maybe she'd spent too much time editing in the past - tinkering with it then tinkering some more. Now she was wondering if all she'd done was make it unnecessarily wordy!

An interesting question. Had she simply added clutter? Is it better to just write something, give it a quick read through, and then leave it? When have we done enough editing? When have we fiddled with something too much? Is there any way to know?

That, of course, is the hard part. At what point might we start to spoil a piece of writing instead of make it better?

There isn't a pat answer. If there were, someone would have made a fortune by now selling you the secret. What you have to do is discover your own needs as a writer. You may be one of those who improves a piece of writing immeasurably after editing and polishing. On the other hand, you may write almost-perfect first drafts (lucky you) - and simply make things worse when you tinker. Here are a few tips to help you work out what's best for you.

Get Feedback

It's very hard to know whether your editing is on track without some kind of feedback. You can get this from a critique service, but that can get expensive. The best solution is to join a critique group - or start one up yourself. An online group works well for many writers: you can send email or download the results at a time that suits you.

You don't need a big group. This is counter-productive, because you have to do your share of giving feedback as well as getting it. If you're spending most of your writing time critiquing somebody else's work, you'll start feeling frustrated. One or two critique partners can work very well. Start by joining a writer's discussion list, and after a few weeks you should get a good sense of who might make a good critique partner for you. Send an email and ask if that person is interested. (Try typing 'discussion lists for writers' into your search engine and you'll find plenty of places on the Net where writers meet.)

When you've found a critique partner or two, start exchanging scenes and stories. You can then send the revised version and ask whether you've made it better or worse. After doing this a number of times with several people, you'll have a good sense of what your natural editing/polishing skills are like.

Give Yourself Distance

This is well-worn advice, but worthwhile nonetheless. The very best way to 'see' your own writing clearly is to give it space. The best editing is done after having some time away from the manuscript. You see mistakes so much more clearly when you've let the first draft sit for a week or more. Writers seem to find this incredibly hard to do - they want to write, edit and send it away!

Don't. Give yourself time and space - the more the better. This is particularly important if you don't have a critique partner. The longer you leave it, the better chance you have of looking at your own work through fresh eyes.

When To Stop Tinkering

What if you keep spotting something else that needs work? You'd love to send it away... but it never seems ready!

Welcome to the world of the chronic tinkerer. You are in danger of never getting anything published because nothing will ever be good enough to send away. Face it: we all find something that we should have fixed when it's too late. Like most published authors, I've read through the advance copy of one of my books, winced at a sentence or a phrase or even a whole scene, and thought: I wish I could go back and rewrite that!

If I'd kept thinking that for draft after draft after draft, the book would never have made it to the publisher. Tell yourself that you're going to keep improving as a writer. That means you're always going to see something in your past drafts that needs fixing. But there comes a time when you have to stop - and just send it away.

How do you know when that is? There are a couple of ways.

  • You're sick to death of your whole story. If you have to fix one more thing, you're going to throw up. This is a sure sign you've done enough - for now. Send it away, or

  • Put it away for a while. Be firm with yourself. Resolve not to look at it again for at least four weeks. Then take it out, give it a quick read-through, and mark only the places where something screams out to be fixed. If it jars - work on it. If it reads smoothly enough, leave it alone. Fix it, then send it away.

  • If you trust your critique partner or group, ask them to tell you when they think your story is ready. Remind them not to suggest changes just for the sake of it - you need to know if it's ready for a publisher, that's all.

    A Final Thought

    If you feel you've done pretty well all you can to make sure your story is well-paced, well-told and free of technical errors, then send it away. It's better to have something out there, testing the marketplace, than to spend five years tinkering. While you're waiting for its acceptance, rejection or (if you're lucky) some feedback, you can be working on your next story. And guess what? You'll find that this is a great way to get some perspective on the first one, because you're not obsessing over it night and day. If it does come back, either send it out to a different publisher or put it aside until you've finished your work in progress. Then look at it again. You're sure to view it much more objectively. This is the time to decide whether it needs more work - or whether it should be treated just as a good learning experience.

    (c) Copyright Marg McAlister

    Marg McAlister has published magazine articles, short stories, books for children, ezines, promotional material, sales letters and web content. She has written 5 distance education courses on writing, and her online help for writers is popular all over the world. Sign up for her regular writers' tipsheet at http://www.writing4success.com/

    cheap limo service Lombard .. Lockport Chicago limo O’Hare
    In The News:

    Recent reports show many common passwords can be cracked in literally seconds. Kurt the CyberGuy explains how to strengthen your passwords.
    Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.
    Iron, a robot that stands 5 feet, 8 inches tall and weighs 154 pounds, combines advanced artificial intelligence with human-like movement and exceptional vision.
    Hertz, the rental car giant, recently confirmed that customer information was exposed through a cyberattack on one of its software vendors.
    There are a number of features with AirPods you may or may not know about to take your listening experience to the next level. Kurt the CyberGuy explains.
    These 35 Chrome extensions have privacy and security concerns. Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson says to delete them now.
    Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson says 329,000 mph fusion rocket promises to be fast, disruptive and enable deep-space missions.
    Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.
    Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson says a new autonomous AI is a game changer that also raises privacy risks. Is your data safe?
    Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson says robots and drones are revolutionizing fruit farming with faster picking and smarter handling.
    Landmark Admin revises May 2024 cyberattack scope to show twice as many people were affected. Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson gives tips to help stay safe from an insurance data breach.
    Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson talks about how Yamaha’s hydrogen outboard motor could revolutionize boating with zero emissions.
    Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson reveals how to memorialize or remove a deceased loved one’s Facebook account and protect their digital legacy from misuse or scams.
    Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson says an Apple Watch saved psychiatrist Amanda Faulkner by detecting deadly leukemia early.
    Scammers and fraudsters are increasingly targeting the most vulnerable, especially nursing homes and the personal data of their residents. Kurt the CyberGuy has safety tips.
    Infected USB flash drives can spread malware among multiple organizations in ways that can easily bypass traditional security systems.
    With a fully automated warehouse system and AI-powered robots, Ocado's Hive picks, packs and delivers grocery store orders in just a few minutes.
    Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.
    Recycling robots are using artificial intelligence to learn how to sort recyclables by recognizing patterns in colors, textures, shapes and logos.
    The Reachy 2 robot is designed to be friendly and approachable, inviting natural interaction and is perfect for research, education and experimenting with embodied AI.
    Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson shares several easy ways to keep your credit cards safe from digital thieves while you're traveling this summer.
    Arcturus sets up cameras around the edges of baseball stadiums to capture real-time action and generate a 3D digital clone of the game.
    Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.
    The CyberGuy explains why healthcare organizations are vulnerable to hackers after there have been a half dozen data breaches this year.
    Developed at two California universities, the innovative technology combines brain-computer interfaces with advanced AI to decode neural activity into audible speech.
  • Get Your Writing Reviewed by Major Publications for Free

    All Writers need the press, especially new writers. As a... Read More

    How To Break Into Print Publishing

    The big question. Do you submit directly to the publishers,... Read More

    Comma Usage Made Simple

    Don't they drive you nuts?You can visit all the rules... Read More

    Plotting By Personality - Work With Your Natural Instincts

    What's the best way to plot?Quick answer: the best way... Read More

    Going On A Word Diet

    There are three ways to write a first draft. One... Read More

    6 Tricks To Squeeze Your Letters Onto One Page

    Anyone who has read any of my articles on the... Read More

    Get Published: The Nuts and Bolts of Good English, and How to Impress a Publisher (1)

    Not all writers write good grammar. That's a fact. It's... Read More

    Zany Ideas That Increase Writing Productivity And Quality

    Welcome to the zany ideas of a productive writer. My... Read More

    Check Your English Grammar With This Easy Technique

    As an International language, English has been used widely in... Read More

    Ferreting Out Work

    FERRETING OUT WORK You keep hearing that there's work out... Read More

    Untrue Father (A short Story)

    Kallu was a tenant of Santosh Kumar Nayak. Santosh Kumar... Read More

    Prolific Writers

    Prolific authors write; they don't just dream about it. A... Read More

    Is Horror Dead?

    I've noticed a big shift away from traditional horror recently,... Read More

    Write On! - Key Components of Successful Business Communication

    Written communication is often the first impression you make on... Read More

    How to Relax Your Writing

    Q. My writing sounds stiff and stilted. Help!A. Memories of... Read More

    Turbo-Charging Your Writing Career - 6 High-Yield Strategies

    Hands up all those who'd like to have a successful... Read More

    How to Publish a Book: Key Differences Between Publishing and Self Publishing

    For many authors just starting out, it can be a... Read More

    Childrens Stories - The Essentials

    There is no specific formula for children's fiction. There are,... Read More

    Story Building with Imagination

    In the words of Aristotle, "happiness is self contentedness helping... Read More

    A Book Note Vs a Book Report

    IntroductionSince our early days of elementary education we have been... Read More

    Create A Dream Diary

    How many times have you forced yourself to sit in... Read More

    Rules for Getting the Story Down

    1. Write it fast, fix it later.2. Commit to writing... Read More

    Piecing It All Together

    There's a little known secret we writers like to keep... Read More

    Getting the Story Down

    Questions and answers on writing life experiences for ourselves and... Read More

    Writing Help

    Whether you are working for a small business, large corporation,... Read More

    limo O'Hare Glen Ellyn ..