Over-Editing

[Ellafun]

I am new to Lit, and I am finishing up my fourth story today. I wondered how it is that I finally put it to rest and stop editing it, because I swear every time I open of the file I change things, add things, move stuff around....

Any suggestions for how to just give birth to this thing and let it fly???

 

[sr71plt]

Just submit it?

 

[Ellafun]

Well, yeah...but it's that whole "I want this to be just right" piece....
Thanks for the obvious answer, though.

 

[bronzeage]

Well, yeah...but it's that whole "I want this to be just right" piece....
Thanks for the obvious answer, though.

Perfectionism is a form of procrastination. If you are satisfied with the technical editing (grammar, spelling, etc), submit it. No one will ever know what you left out.

You can always write another version, or a sequel.

 

[talismania]

What everyone else is saying. Just submit the story and hope for some feedback. You can always rework it later if you want.

My first novel got published because my sister said, "Submit it already!" and drove me to the post office. We still laugh about that.

 

[GinaTina]

I have the same problem. It's best just to listen to what everyone else is saying - just submit it. ^.^


Hell, I still find errors in published novels. Nothing is ever 'just right'. Usually, your audience will forgive minor mistakes if your general writing is riveting and entertaining.

Also, if it's pretty close to perfect, it's obvious that you tried to make it a pleasant read. Effort goes a long way in pleasing your readers.


Submit it, already.

 

[Weird Harold]

Any suggestions for how to just give birth to this thing and let it fly???

The first thing you have to understand is that no matter how perfect you make your story, the first thing you're going to see when it finally posts is a glaring typo that stands out like a giant black wart on an albino witch.

It depends on what kind of changes you keep making when you edit -- If you're finding substantive plot or grammar errors, keep editing. If you're just waffling over descriptive word choices or minor details, reset the spell check (so all of your ignores are ignored,) run one final spellcheck, and submit it.

You're always going to get that one glaring typos and see a half-dozen things youcould have done better -- and your readers are going to point out another dozen things you didn't see. Resist the urge to immediately submit a corrected version and move on to your next story.

 

[elfin_odalisque]

I am new to Lit, and I am finishing up my fourth story today. I wondered how it is that I finally put it to rest and stop editing it, because I swear every time I open of the file I change things, add things, move stuff around....

Any suggestions for how to just give birth to this thing and let it fly???

Eveyone has given good advice but missed the fundamentals. Your story will never be 'perfect' but it will, after you've wrestled with it a bit, be fit to be read and enjoyed. Here, where you're not wrestling with literary editors, you can pop up a story and if it gets a load of negative feedback you can just take it down and work on it. You can also edit it once it has been published.

Heck, the winner of the latest Halloween story contest edited the story mid-contest. Stop being anally retentive. Let it fly but if you react to the comments or just want to change things, submit an edited version.

As Rumple used to say, "This is not the Spanish Inquisition".

 

[Stella_Omega]

I'm reading something right now, which has some glaring marks of amateur writing-- bad exposition, repeated words, a lot of passive voice-- but the story is amusing enough that I want to keep reading it.

 

[soflabbwlvr]

just about every piece ever written could have been improved with more work. That's why we have deadlines in the real world. Give yourself a deadline, and stick to it.

 

[Ellafun]

Thanks for the advice, authors. I'm going to give it one final read with fresh eyes and then send out a birth announcement.

 

[Benthere8]

Tick Tock

 

[voluptuary_manque]

Thanks for the advice, authors. I'm going to give it one final read with fresh eyes and then send out a birth announcement.

I usually send it off to a friend to get one final edit then shoot it in without further fussing around. Seems to work . . .

 

[Ellafun]

Tick Tock

It's submitted already! Don't make me come over there and, and...I don't know what, but don't make me do it!

 

[EmeraldKitten]

It's submitted already! Don't make me come over there and, and...I don't know what, but don't make me do it!

Congratulations for being in labor! LOL.
(Let us know when it posts! .)

I used to agonize over my stories.. checking, double checking, triple checking..
And no matter what, as others have said, there's gonna be a mistake.
It makes you cringe when you see it.
I used to re-read them once they were posted, then get mad because I'd get an idea..
but the deed is done. The story has to stop somewhere, lol.
So I made myself a rule. Once it's posted, I'm not allowed to read it. lol.

Good luck!

 

[dr_mabeuse]

I edit endlessly. I never stop, even after a story's posted. Someone will ask me for the ms of a published novel and I'll just have to open up the file and have a look and end up changing some things. Nothing substantial, just stylistic changes to dialog, description, sentence structure...

I think the reason I edit so much is because I'm a slightly different person in a slightly different mood every time I look at the piece, and my tastes and preferences are slightly different. I'm trying to make the piece perfect for me as I am when I look at it.

There was a painter named Ryder at the turn of the century who was the same way with his paintings. He was never finished with them. People who bought his work were often surprised when he'd show up at their houses at all hours with his paints and pallet and ask if he could come in to make a few changes.

When I'm working on a story for submission, though, I have some rules-of-thumb on when to stop editing. The most frequent one is exhaustion. I just get sick of working on it and the whole thing starts to seem stupid.

Another one is the Point of Diminishing Returns. The changes I'm making just really aren't worth it, and, like BronzeAge says, I'm just diddling around and procrastinating.

The third is: when I find myself editing text back to the way it was in an earlier version. It always comes as a shock to find myself doing that, but it's a sure sign that it's time to stop and go with what I've got.

 

[Selena_Kitt]

People who bought his work were often surprised when he'd show up at their houses at all hours with his paints and pallet and ask if he could come in to make a few changes.

Oh that you had been a painter...

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

Much of Stephen King's writing can use some serious editing. His first 6-7 books are pretty good, but the later stuff is crap, mostly becuz SK was famous and beyond counsel.

 

[Ellafun]

Much of Stephen King's writing can use some serious editing. His first 6-7 books are pretty good, but the later stuff is crap, mostly becuz SK was famous and beyond counsel.

I was pretty sure, when I first read it, that he wrote "Cujo" to pay for a new boat. It was the first time that I thought a film based on the his screenplay was better than the book...except for the end. The kid was supposed to die...but I don't think the movie-going public would "like" that.

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

I was pretty sure, when I first read it, that he wrote "Cujo" to pay for a new boat. It was the first time that I thought a film based on the his screenplay was better than the book...except for the end. The kid was supposed to die...but I don't think the movie-going public would "like" that.

Ima SK fan so dont get the idea I hate him. He confirms that he lost his way and doesnt know how to get back to the early days. The last of his I read is THE CELL,and its simply a knock-off of I AM LEGEND by Matheson.

To my way of thinking, when youre rich and famous you can write what the fuck you want.

 

[sr71plt]

There was a painter named Ryder at the turn of the century who was the same way with his paintings. He was never finished with them. People who bought his work were often surprised when he'd show up at their houses at all hours with his paints and pallet and ask if he could come in to make a few changes.

Now there's a story plot.

 

[Selena_Kitt]

Ima SK fan so dont get the idea I hate him. He confirms that he lost his way and doesnt know how to get back to the early days. The last of his I read is THE CELL,and its simply a knock-off of I AM LEGEND by Matheson.

To my way of thinking, when youre rich and famous you can write what the fuck you want.

His story collection, Sunset, was actually quite good and harkened back, in many of those, to his early days. It was a light, I hope, at the end of the tunnel.

He said, at one point, that he was going to quit. I think he got a little burned out honestly. But when you replace one addiction with another, that often happens.

 

[sophia jane]

When I'm working on a story for submission, though, I have some rules-of-thumb on when to stop editing. The most frequent one is exhaustion. I just get sick of working on it and the whole thing starts to seem stupid.

Another one is the Point of Diminishing Returns. The changes I'm making just really aren't worth it, and, like BronzeAge says, I'm just diddling around and procrastinating.

The third is: when I find myself editing text back to the way it was in an earlier version. It always comes as a shock to find myself doing that, but it's a sure sign that it's time to stop and go with what I've got.

I've found the first two of these to be the biggest signs to me to stop editing and be done with it. I get to a point when I'm absolutely sick of the story, which is generally a sign to submit or stick aside for a month.

On another note, I just want to give a flying tackle hug to Elfin whom I haven't seen in a terribly long time.

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

His story collection, Sunset, was actually quite good and harkened back, in many of those, to his early days. It was a light, I hope, at the end of the tunnel.

He said, at one point, that he was going to quit. I think he got a little burned out honestly. But when you replace one addiction with another, that often happens.

He was desperate for money when he wrote CARRIE.

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

Based on my own writing experiences if I'm not happy as a pig in shit I keep editing, put it aside, then edit some more till I am happy. If I'm not happy something remains wrong with the writing.