I have an editing system. A procedure I go through whenever I finish a rough draft. As a teacher, I’m a big fan of procedures. They make me feel cradled, secure. And since I recently typed The End on another novel, I’ll be following the procedure once again.
I fly through the rough draft as fast as my fingers allow. Which turns my brain into an overheated engine. I need a week or two to de-steam before I start up again.
Step 2: Big Edits (otherwise known as the content or macro edit)
I print off a hard copy and get out a red pen. The hard copy slays the temptation to line edit and the red pen is easy to see. While reading, I take notes on big story things in the margins. Like pacing, redundancies, inconsistencies, plot holes, GMCs, tension, character arcs, scenes I need to add, scenes I need to delete, and the spiritual thread.
Step 3: Deep Edits
I’m currently taking an online class with Margie Lawson called Deep Editing, which I highly recommend for anyone who wants to take their writing to the next level. During this step, I print out a second hard copy and use Margie’s highlighting system to see how my story balances description, setting, dialogue, internalization, visceral response, action, and tension. I look for alarming patterns and change what needs changing.
Step 4: Line Edits
Call me crazy, but this step is my favorite. Maybe because, by the time I finally get here, I feel like the hard work is behind me. Now I get to play. Now I get to tinker. Whatever the reason, I love line edits. I love searching for just the right phrase. I love nixing the pet words and the unnecessary words. I love exchanging the cliches for something fresh. I love infusing tension on every page. And I love replacing passive verbs with active ones. This is where I cull through every sentence and make sure it counts.
I usually give myself another break before diving into step five – usually another week or so. After the distance, I come back and read the whole thing out loud from my computer screen. I get a feel for the cadence. The voice. The rhythm. If something sounds awkward or rambling or rushed, I make changes. I also look for grammatical errors.
I send the manuscript off to my critique partners. In a week or so, I get back more content and line edits. I make changes. Then send it off to my agent and pray my procedure paid off.
It’s quite a process. And it takes a while. Probably as long as it takes me to write the rough draft. But it’s definitely worth it.
There’s a crazy difference between my rough draft and the draft I send to my agent. In fact, I’ve given my husband specific directions, that if ever I should die, he is to promptly delete any rough drafts on my computer. If any eyes other than mine saw one, I’d be horrified.
Let’s Talk: What’s your editing/revising process like? If you’ve worked with a professional editor (whether in-house or freelance), has that changed the way you edit? Do you like editing/revising?
I really liked the article, and the very cool blog
No real process, though I've never really written a first draft without revising as I go. So maybe that's my process. Don't know which is quicker, but maybe I should come up with something that works for me.
Katie, I loved your step by steps. I'm not nearly so organized, but I'm still "cutting my teeth" on my first MS. I tend to start going through to apply one or two things I've learned and then after having a new lightbulb moment I go back to chapter one again. Finally I'm moving along beyond the first couple chapters. I'm going to check out that editing link you shared though. Very intriguing!
Love this process, just sent it to my writing buddies. Thanks for sharing 🙂
Hey Sherrinda! You know, I'm not sure. It totally varies from book to book. Sometimes, the big edits aren't that much. Sometimes they are. This time around, I know I'm in for a loooooong battle with revisions. My current copy is very sloppy.
Oh, I really needed this. I am definitely bookmarking this and I went over and looked at Margie Laweson's site. I definitely will be getting some help from her at some point.
How long do you spend on each stage?
Thanks for the look inside your editing process. It doesn't sound that different from mine, truth to be told.
You're the second or third person to mention Margie Lawson's Deep Editing. It sounds like something that I should look into when I get to that stage on my current WIP. Is it something that you can take anytime or is this the only time it's being offered? It sounds like you consider it well worth taking…
I need more of a process to stick to, I know. Mostly I edit for everyting from cadence to grammar to content to word count several times, until I'm sick of it or I love it, whichever comes last.
And I agree about the rough drafts. You know what Anne Lamott calls them.
I am not nearly as organized. I just dive into deep edited the minute I type The End. I think I have a pretty good cadence ear, so that's not normally a problem, but I'm definitely learning a lot of stuff in Margie's class. I somehow cannot bring myself to print out an entire manuscript though. I'm not particularly green. It's just that the cost of paper and ink here in Bermuda is horrendous. I've been using onscreen color highlights for the deep editing in a different copy of course – interesting stuff!! Bottom line, I don't really know if it all comes together until I get the final nod from the powers that be.
Katie, I'm a fan of line editing and printing a hard copy as well. My process is similiar but not quite as organized. But I wanna be!
Hey Tracy! Great question. I just read it out loud to myself. It's always amazing to me the things I catch simply by reading out loud. For my first manuscript, my husband was kind enough to listen as I read it to him. That was nice too. 🙂
Katie,
Great post! I love that you read it out loud. I've done that with papers I wrote in school, and even now with some of my grants, but never thought about reading a manuscript out loud. Here's my question: Do you read it to someone? I wasn't sure if another pair of ears was helpful, or if you just need to hear it yourself.
-Tracy
My editing process is virtually identical, except that I don't always have critique partners, due to people moving, doing other things, etc. I need some stability w/ that last part.
I finished an MS yesterday. It needs so much work it makes me want to cry.
Here's what I'll likely do though.
Print it of. Macro edits [along with any line edits I happen to catch but I won't focus on them]. Scribble all over the thing.
Put edits on the computer.
Repeat.
Repeat.
Repeat.
Until I'm happy with it. How many times? This one may never be done. It may go in that bottom drawer. Normally, I probably 2-3 rounds.
And then CPs. Followed by one more round to make those edits.
Or something like that ;).
Great tips.
I always read out loud when editing. You can hear if something isn't reading right.
I love your editing system. And Margie Lawson's Deep Edits course is amazing!
This is definitely my ideal editing process, but in reality it's usually not this organized :). I'm going to look into the editing class. Thanks!
My process is different since I write non-fiction, but truthfully, it's probably pretty wacko anyway.
I just start writing. On the computer, on paper, whatever feels right. Any writing I do by hand gets typed up and printed out. I keep typing, printing it out, editing in pen, typing up the edits, printing it out, and on and on until there's a book.
I never write from start to finish and jump around to whatever parts are calling my name. So far so good.
I enjoy editing…sometimes. 🙂 The adjustments and tinkering give me a rush – especially if I find just the right word or phase that I've been searching for. No better feeling than a perfect sentence!
Thanks for all this helpful information!
I love your idea of printing off the m/s for high-level edits. I am HORRIBLE at getting side-tracked w/ line edits. And I agree with your assessment of Margie Lawson's classes. Brilliant stuff.
Have a great weekend, Katie!
My process is similar. I think I tend to combine steps 2 and 3 together. But, I'm still learning how to edit my own stuff. Even after taking a huge chunk of time off, I still have trouble looking at my work objectively. It's something I'm afraid I'll never really learn!
I do everything on the computer too. I should probably print it out, but my hubby wanted to kill me the last time I did that because of how much ink it used!
I love this, Katie!! So calculated. I like how you point out that printing out the hard copy helps you focus on the big stuff in Step 2 and "slays the temptation to line edit." I am bookmarking this post. Might have to check out Margie Lawson.
Perfect timing. I jump in on mine in a few weeks (after the cool off) but I'm at the place I feel the MS coming to a close and I always get pretty gushy at this point and clingy to my characters.
But I know I'll likely get sick of them during edits.
~ Wendy
For me the best is reading aloud. That's where major edits are found for me. While it leads to hoarseness if you tackle it all on one day – the benefits are top notch. After a few go arounds sending it off to people for a cooling off works wonders too.
Also, I do a search and replace thru it for those nasty words like 'that', 'was', 'were' and ending in '-ly' and '-ing.' This helps tighten it up too.
You got it right with these tips! thanks
I'm kind of backwards to you in my edits. Usually I send my first draft off to my crit partners and beta readers and use that time as my cooling-off period. Then I go through the ms doing line edits before reviewing the whole thing and figuring out if any larger sections need changing, removing or adding.
I loved Deep Edits! Margie's classes rock! The only way my process is varies is that if I know what I need to rewrite after the first draft is done then I'll do those major rewrites right away and then let it cool. 🙂