Edit Edit Edit

The Disheartening and Difficult Process of Editing

I am worried about the state of my novel. I have been advised, very positively, to edit. Edit edit edit, so that’s what I am doing.

Quite rightly, a novel is like one’s baby. Editing it is one of the most painful things a writer can do, but also one of the kindest.

However, as I hack away at the text, chopping sentences, rewriting sentences, moving entire paragraphs I can’t help but find doubt creeping in.

Is it any good? Is it an exciting story? Have I written a page turner? What if it’s rubbish? What if I’ve wasted all this time on a project that’s just basically not any good? What if no one likes the story?

I have been very lucky to be accepted into some writing groups and they have helped me immensely. I didn’t know such groups existed and now I do, they have been an amazing source of inspiration and support.

When the doubt creeps in, I try to remember what they said:

“That's a great line about burnt fuel, use that after "Devon felt so small.".
You have some excellent descriptions.”

“It's a great scene, though, so this is a matter of tightening it up while keeping what you've created. As for it being worth "fixing"... that depends on the story and the stakes. Clearly you do know how to write.”

“Definitely don't give up. This is good stuff; all it needs is a little revision.”

“The descriptive nature is not bad, but the prose needs work. Efficiency and tightness. And spelling!”

“I've seen *much* worse - and I've seen worse than this *that worked.* You build it well and you get the feel and sense of the space across well, which is precisely what you were trying to do.”

“This has solid potential.”

There is nothing like the support of other writers for chasing away those clouds of doubt. I’m still not feeling secure enough to hold it up and say, ‘it is ready’. There is a long way to go yet, but I am hopeful.