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.
Where were we? Oh, yeah… the final step of editing. At least for me. You’re more than welcome to do it any way you wish. For this last step, I break out the detail for our sculpture. Add in features like the fine lines that define the hair… the smoothing of the lips and nostrils to bring them into definition… make sure it looks exactly the way I intend before displaying it to the public.
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.
If you’re anything like me, you’ve been ingrained with this inner editor (I call mine, Mr. Editor) based upon years and years of school trying to prevent you from embarrassing yourself. Or, maybe you don’t… maybe you have this niggling little feeling deep inside when something just doesn’t sound right… or flow correctly. Whatever you may happen to have… how do we turn it off while writing?
