The pain of the edit
When my short story evolved to a novella then into a full-blown novel, I encountered a problem. I am sure I am not the first person, nor will I be the last to deal with this when starting out as a new writer.
The problem seemed to be with the manipulation of large chunks of text while using Microsoft word to work on my manuscript. One wrong move and it would disappear.
Oops
Something I corrected and edited earlier in the manuscript nearly turned into a disaster. I needed to move a whole chapter to later in the narrative to fix a hole in my plot large enough to drive a road train through. I merrily cut with the intention of doing a cheeky paste to the new location. All it took was one distraction. One external disruption to my thought flow and BAM, the text disappeared into the ether. I can’t blame anyone but myself. I certainly won’t blame my muse in the form of a demanding cat squealing for attention. It took only a nanosecond to lose that whole chapter of my work. It wasn’t just the cut and paste action but the computer freezing at the same time as me pushing the cut function on my keyboard.
Yes, I did have a backup but there were so many drafts. Versions of it resided in digital form scattered across two computers, one external drive, one thumb drive and the cloud. I had forgotten which one I was working on. So, yes it was definitely my mistake. Not the cat who decided to walk across the keyboard at that crucial time, not the call from my sister wanting to chat. And yes, there have been occasion when I have not been paying attention and lost large tracts of work.
There was the time I spent reorganizing my manuscript from one 80,000-word mass in MS Word to chunks of scenes and chapters in Scrivener. Time I will never get back. It needs to be said that I am in no way sponsored by Scrivener and have not benefited in any way by mentioning them.
Once I had everything imported to the software I found it easier to manipulate the chunks of text to get some structure in my story line. Using a writing software didn’t give me back the time I lost learning how to use it, but it did help get my head around the manuscript which had grown to an 85,000-word document. I could finally see the whole thing at a glance and move around the document with ease. I chose Scrivener because it was cost effective. There is no subscription just a one-off payment, also a plethora helpful free tutorial videos available.
My next two manuscripts have been started in Scrivener. This may change the way the stories unfolds or it may not. Who knows? This is just one of many drafting software available to authors.
Right now, as things stand, I have a completed manuscript which has been edited to within an inch of complete deletion and back again. It’s been ages since I typed ‘The End’ on this thing and yet it exists on my computer in various forms taunting me. Patrick Ness, a British-American author, said in his keynote speech at Genrecon 2025 for Queensland Writers Centre, ‘At some stage you have to stop pushing the peas around the plate.’ This is so true. Every time I open that damn file I change something. Deleted it, moved it, shook it all about. It’s like a writer’s version of the hokey cokey.
Delete
My manuscript has been lost, been found, deleted, recovered and edited. On numerous occasions I edited it only to realize it was the wrong draft. I have since found a way to get over that problem. At the close of my writing sessions for the day I now rename the updated file with the date.
I was given the opportunity by a good friend, a published author no less, who offered to give it the once over. So, I edited it yet again and handed it over. I waited with bated breath. A fear of her red pen engulfed me. After a while I found I was less stressed about it and waited for its return with her corrections and thoughts. I was relieved to see that the notes and comments she made about the manuscript echo my own thoughts.
Let it go!
Her corrections have been attended to and still I held onto it, sitting on my computer taunting me. The biggest problem I have with letting my little one fly is finding like-minded writers willing to read my crime fiction from an objective point of view. We all know that readers of the crime genre have certain expectations and I certainly don’t want to disappoint them.
Things to ponder about your editing process
My thoughts on the editing process as a rookie writer trying to get my head around editing:
- Editing is a pain but at some stage you have to stop pushing the peas around your plate.
- Make sure you have a filing system in place so you are not editing the wrong draft.
- Writing software is very helpful but don’t let it stifle your creativity.
- The best software to use will always be the one you get to familiar with. If you want to try a writing software package, do your research and find one you think will work for you.
- As Elsa said, ‘Let it go,’ the whole reason for being a writer is that you have a story to tell and someone has to read it.
Things had to change and change they have. I joined a crime fiction critique group and hit send on my fledgling sending 5000-words off for comment from strangers. My big first step. The second thing I did was to send my full manuscript to someone I trust. Someone with an analytical brain, my sister. I know that it is a controversial move. We did discuss if it would cause a rift in family relationship. I told her, ‘do what you have to do and we will deal with the end result.’
She is doing a fabulous job of weeding out everything that I missed or couldn’t see. For me it is a case of not seeing the forest for the trees. I know it means another round of edits but it can’t be helped.
When will it ever end?
