Writing and Editing Are Two Different Jobs

 

Writing and Editing Are Two Different Jobs

One of the biggest lessons I have learned as a writer is that writing and editing are not the same job.

They may both be part of creating a book, but they require very different ways of thinking.

Writing asks you to create.

Editing asks you to judge.

Writing asks, "What happens next?"

Editing asks, "Is this the best way to say it?"

Writing moves forward.

Editing often looks backward.

When a new writer tries to do both at the same time, that can become a serious problem.

I know because I have done it.

The Trap of Trying to Fix Everything Immediately

Early in my writing experience, I thought good writing meant getting everything right while I was writing it.

If a sentence did not sound good enough, I stopped and rewrote it.

If a paragraph seemed weak, I worked on it until I was satisfied.

If I thought a scene might need more detail, I stopped moving forward and began adding to it.

Sometimes that worked.

But many times it damaged my momentum.

Instead of finishing the story, I became trapped polishing pieces of a story that did not yet exist as a complete book.

That is like decorating one room of a house before the foundation has been finished.

The room may look beautiful.

But you still do not have a house.

Writing Requires Momentum

There is a certain momentum that develops when you are creating a story.

One idea leads to another.

A character says something you did not expect.

A scene introduces a possibility you had not considered.

Something happens in Chapter Four that suddenly gives you the answer to a problem you were worried about in Chapter Two.

That creative momentum is valuable.

Stopping every few sentences to edit can interrupt it.

You move from imagination into criticism.

Then back into imagination.

Then back into criticism.

Eventually the writer can become tired before the story has had a chance to develop.

That is why I now believe the first draft should mostly be about movement.

Keep going.

Get the story onto the page.

You can come back later.

The Writer and the Editor Think Differently

I sometimes think of the writer and editor as two different people sharing the same desk.

The writer is imaginative.

The writer takes chances.

The writer says, "What if?"

The writer is willing to explore.

The editor is more cautious.

The editor asks whether a scene works.

The editor looks for repetition, weak language, confusing sentences, pacing problems, and inconsistencies.

Both are important.

But they do not always work well when they are shouting instructions at each other at the same time.

Imagine trying to tell a story while someone stands behind you saying:

"That sentence isn't good enough."

"You already used that word."

"Would a reader really believe that?"

"Maybe you should rewrite the beginning."

"Are you sure this chapter belongs here?"

You probably would not get very far.

Yet that is exactly what many writers do to themselves.

The First Draft Is for the Writer

The first draft is where you discover the story.

Even when you begin with a strong outline, things may change once you start writing.

Characters can surprise you.

Research may reveal something better.

A subplot may become more important than you expected.

The ending you originally planned may no longer fit the story you actually wrote.

That is not failure.

That is part of writing.

Your first draft gives you permission to explore those possibilities.

It does not have to be ready for the reader yet.

It only has to be useful to you.

Editing Is Where You Begin Thinking About the Reader

Once the first draft is complete, your thinking can change.

Now you can ask:

Does this make sense?

Is the beginning strong enough?

Does the middle slow down?

Are the characters believable?

Did I explain too much?

Did I explain too little?

Does every chapter contribute something?

Does the ending satisfy the promise made at the beginning?

This is where editing becomes powerful.

Now you are no longer trying to imagine the entire book.

You can see it.

You can study what is actually there instead of worrying about what might be there someday.

You Cannot Properly Edit What You Have Not Finished

This is something I wish more new writers understood.

A chapter that seems weak while you are writing it may make perfect sense once the entire story is finished.

A scene you keep rewriting may eventually be removed altogether.

A character you are struggling to perfect may later turn out to need a completely different role.

If you spend hours polishing those things too early, some of that work may be wasted.

Finishing the manuscript gives you perspective.

It allows you to see the book as a complete structure.

Then you know where your editing time will do the most good.

Give Yourself Permission to Leave Notes

One thing that can help keep a first draft moving is leaving notes for yourself.

Suppose you realize you need to research something.

Instead of stopping for two hours, write:

[CHECK THIS FACT]

Suppose a character needs a better description.

Write:

[ADD DESCRIPTION LATER]

Suppose you know the scene needs more emotion but you do not want to lose your momentum.

Write:

[STRENGTHEN THIS SCENE]

Then keep going.

Those notes become instructions for the editing stage.

You have acknowledged the problem without allowing it to stop the story.

There Will Be Time to Make It Better

Some writers worry that if they do not fix a problem immediately, they will somehow forget about it.

You probably will not.

And even if you do, you may discover during editing that the problem was not as important as you thought.

Your first draft is not being published tomorrow.

There will be another pass.

And another if necessary.

That is one of the freedoms of writing.

You do not have to get everything right the first time.

You simply have to give yourself something to work with.

Editing Is Not Proofreading

It is also helpful to understand that editing and proofreading are not exactly the same thing.

Editing looks at the strength of the writing and the story itself.

You may move scenes.

Rewrite chapters.

Cut material.

Add details.

Strengthen characters.

Clarify ideas.

Improve pacing.

Proofreading usually comes much later.

That is where you look carefully for spelling mistakes, missing words, punctuation problems, and other small errors.

If you are correcting commas while major sections of your story still need to be rewritten, you may be working in the wrong order.

A Simple Writing Process

Every writer eventually develops a process that works for them, but mine has become much clearer over time.

First, write the story.

Second, finish the first draft.

Third, step back and look at the whole manuscript.

Fourth, edit for story, structure, clarity, and engagement.

Then revise the language.

Finally, proofread.

That does not mean I never make a small correction while writing. Sometimes fixing something takes only a few seconds.

But I try not to let editing take control of the writing session.

The goal is still to move forward.

Do Not Let the Editor Silence the Writer

The editor inside us is useful.

We need that voice eventually.

But during the first draft, it sometimes needs to sit quietly in the back of the room.

Let the writer work.

Let the characters talk.

Let the story develop.

Let yourself write something imperfect.

There will be plenty of time later to decide what stays, what goes, and what needs to be better.

Writing creates the material.

Editing shapes it.

Proofreading cleans it.

Each has a job.

Understanding the difference can keep a writer from getting trapped in endless rewriting before the book is even finished.

So when you sit down to work on that first draft, remember:

You are not editing yet.

You are building.

Keep going until there is something complete enough to improve.

Because a rough finished draft can become a good book.

A perfect first chapter followed by 200 blank pages cannot.

— Giftkone Publishing