Let’s talk about editing—and our mindset towards it.
For years, I felt dread at the thought of editing a book. It seemed like a massive, daunting task—and editing is. I mean, it’s not easy. But I think the writing community maybe needs to change how we talk about editing.
Part of the reason I was overwhelmed by the idea of editing was because I saw authors and other writers talking slogging through edits, how editing was so hard, etc. And I think that that, along with my natural preference for drafting, made me put off editing for so long. As a less-seasoned writer, the thought of tackling something the pros found hard was terrifying.
Now, I’m not saying we should cover editing with sparkles and glitter and say it’s a walk in the park. Because it’s not. But I think we maybe need to be less negative about editing. We can talk about how our stories, and us, grow through editing. We can talk about the ups and downs of it. We can encourage the writer taking their first plunge into the world of red ink.
What are your thoughts on editing?
Hailey Huntington 