Imagine you’re just getting your license to drive, and you’re given a Smart car to drive around… one of those little mini things that fit one and a half humans inside and look like they’d blow off the road in a stiff wind. While not everyone is enamored with such a small vehicle, it does the job at getting you from Point A to Point B. It may not have the best handling, or power, but you can drive on the roads and park in any spot just like any other car.
Now, imagine you get a job as a courier. You deliver packages and whatnot all over the place. You get paid more if you can deliver more packages at the same time, and if you get them there faster (forget about stupid things like speed limits for this exercise). What kind of car do you think you would need for this job? Probably one with a pretty good sized cargo space… one with a big gas tank so you wouldn’t have to fill up as often… one with good aerodynamics to keep you going fast… one with a powerful engine to keep your speed high… one with great suspension for handling corners and rough terrain (like the billions of potholes in Spokane). What if you could get a car like that for $20.
*crawls out from under a rock* *squints at the light* “Oh! Hey.” *contemplates crawling back under the rock*
Oh, happy Friday the 13th… don’t walk under that ladder, or let that black cat cross your path… or… let superstitions run your life.
The third step in my editing process is handed over to software. I can’t remember the name of it at the moment, but I know there are many out there with differing levels of what they actually do. The one I use, I like because after its short scan of your book, it comes up with information… and suggestions.
The first editing run-through has been done. We now have a solid chunk of story to work with now. It still may not be completely in order, or even have all the right parts yet… but I’m not worried about that right now. Now… it’s time to break out the chisel… .get to working on cleaning up the shape and structure.
For the rest of this week, I’m going to hit on the steps I take to edit my written work. I actually go through four run-throughs. After writing, you’re supposed to take a break (or at least, that’s what I’ve heard) to give yourself some distance from what you’ve just written. With my short stories, that’s been impossible. With my book… I’m still sitting on my hands over three months later.
