Making big edits mid-writing

[sinfantasy]

I am working on a 60k-word story, my biggest project so far. While editing, I realized some major plot holes and am doing a complete rewrite for some chapters.
Thank you for asking this question, It makes me feel a lot better to know that it's normal for most of the writers.

 

[gunhilltrain]

Like Duleigh, I do it all the time. It's part of my writing process: start writing, see where it goes, consider where I want it to go, change what I already have to suit the new ideas. Lather, rinse, repeat.

Nothing is written in stone, or even typed on paper. You can't let the existing words dictate where the rest of the story goes. It's like shaping clay on a potter's wheel: no part is final until the whole is complete.

Your comment about a potter's wheel reminds me of sculptors who work in stone. There is a story about Michelangelo that sounds apocryphal. (It sounds too modern to be of his era.) Anyway, somebody supposedly asked him how he created marble statues. He said, "I just cut way what I don't need." Yeah, but he couldn't put anything back if he made a mistake! I wouldn't have the presence of mind to do that kind of thing, but that's why he was Michelangelo and we're not.

 

[Blind_Justice]

I keep editing and rewriting large parts of my stories. It's not unusual for me to write chapters in the 20k-30k word range and more often than not, I tend to rewrite about a quarter of it. Not that I wrote much in the last two years... but since early December the bug got me again and I've edited my superhero story several times already and now I'm adding another subplot which in turn requires me to rework several parts I've written before.

Editing is as much part of the writing process as putting words to (virtual) paper. It all depends on what you think is good enough.

 

[Belegon]

I try, but don't always succeed, to not go back and edit pages I've already finished until I'm done with the first draft. But things happen... I am working on getting writing back to a habit largely because of two projects... 1) a paranormal erotic romance set in San Diego's gaslamp quarter, where a descendant of Wyatt Earp unknowingly rents the same apartment Earp rented in the 1890's. His conservative Christian wife starts acting weird. Turns out she is being slowly possessed/influenced by the ghost of a Chinese prostitute. Earp and his wife Maddy DID LIVE in the Gaslamp Quarter and the second floor apartment they rented is still a rental. The saloon where Earp ran a faro table for several years is now a restaurant. Earp and wife left San Diego very suddenly and other was never a real explanation why... they left so fast they actually lost money on some real estate they had to sell, but still left and never returned. So, my version is that they left town to avoid Maddy being prosecuted for the murder of a Chinese prostitute Wyatt was having an affair with... This has been a WIP for almost twenty years... it's about 70% done, it just kept getting put aside for other projects... and 2) the sequel to my 2013 novel Real Vampires Don't Surf. I finished the story in the novel, but I left plenty of threads to weave into a sequel. I envision my two lovers leaving SD for Ireland, and was going to use Irish folklore to further expand the urban fantasy lore I created. I also really want to expand upon the orgins of my fav character in the novel, who is the last knight from an order of crusaders who ended up becoming the royal household guards for the Russian Czars all the way thru the Romanovs being murdered in 1917. I invented some magical trappings and events to make my knight fit in the sense of modern life and why he is still in the service of the Czars when they are supposedly all dead.

anyway, I try not to do extensive edits on WIP's because of the dangers of falling "off the pace" with the writing. I'm also mindful of Heinlein's second rule and the saying "You Can't Edit A Blank Page."

 

[FidelityBoss]

How do you feel about making big edits?

I'm about 8k words into a long incest story and suddenly realised that I have a gender imbalance and need to change one of the sisters into a brother.

But that will probably involve a lot of time editing, and stop me from writing further parts of the story until it's done.

How do you feel when you hit this issue?

Big edits can definitely feel daunting, especially when they disrupt your flow! But if the change (like swapping a sister for a brother) feels necessary for the story to work, it’s usually worth tackling sooner rather than later. Otherwise, it might nag at you and hold back your creativity. That said, if the idea of stopping to rework 8k words feels overwhelming, you could jot down notes about how the change will affect the story and keep writing forward with the new direction in mind. Then, circle back later to revise. It’s all about balancing momentum with the need to fix what’s broken. Trust your gut, you’ll know what’s right for the story!

 

[FidelityBoss]

In summary: Do what you feel you need to do.

In more detail, you can:

• make the changes, at the risk of overlooking something, which an editor might catch anyway, or of changing your mind again later;
• continue without making changes and (risk to) get a less good story, which may or may not "hurt" your reputation as an author;
• continue and change it later, at the risk of having to do (a lot of) extra work;
• abandon the story – maybe revisiting it in the future.

Decide which pain is the least bad for you (unless you're a literature masochist ) and go for that option.

To help prevent a case such as with this specific story: Start by laying down a plot for the whole story, before fleshing out too many details. Then, optionally, let it rest a bit and review as needed with a fresh mind. Still do feel free to write down bits and pieces when they cross your mind, especially if you tend to forget them otherwise, but make sure to not let that tendency take over prematurely.

One of my general rules: Don't be afraid to review and rework, unless you consider that what you're starting from is a(n economical) total loss. It's possible to destroy something by reworking too much ("Better is the enemy of Best."), but, on average, I find that reworking works out positively. And as long as you saved an older version, you can always go back.

This is such a thoughtful breakdown! You’ve nailed the balancing act of writing, every choice has its trade-offs, and it really comes down to what feels right for you and the story. I love the emphasis on planning and letting things rest; it’s amazing how much clarity a little distance can bring. And the reminder to save older versions is golden, it takes the pressure off, knowing you can always backtrack if needed. At the end of the day, it’s about embracing the process, even when it’s messy. Great advice!