The Benefits Of Editing

In creative writing, there are no strict rules about when or where to edit your work. The only “rule” is to edit at some point, though the frequency is up to each writer. If you’re the writer that says “I don’t need editing! My work is good as it is”, I assure you, you’re wrong. I used to think this way, and oh how wrong I was.

Here’s what editing can do to enhance your writing and why you should embrace it.

Cleaning Up Loose Ends

When you write, you lay down the framework for your story. You, as the author, have all the information to help create the full atmosphere. Your reader does not. So, there may be loose ends that were left lying about that made sense to you at the time, but after reviewing your work, no longer work. It’s time to clean them up.

The power of editing is granting the ability to clean up in hindsight. You can look back and remove anything that doesn’t work. Aside from mechanical errors, holistic issues can be addressed and refined through editing.

Finding New Threads

While editing can clear up any loose ends, you may also find new threads that lead to character growth, plot twists, or something great! I can’t tell you how many times I’ve gone back to edit and learned something new about my characters. For example, I needed to find a reason to have two characters split up—after having just spent most of the adventure growing close. I had no idea what to do, so I made something up and made a note to review it in edits (a future me’s problem).

Through the edits, I discovered the true reason: manipulation and desperation. One character had been manipulating the other, and no one (not even myself) noticed. It was an eye-opening experience as a writer, and it provided so many new ideas to work from. Finding new threads is such an exciting experience, and it is often found through editing because you face every detail you’ve already written.

Refined Through Fire

Your work will only improve if you put it through the fire. Whatever isn’t helpful will burn off. If you plan on writing a series, you may not WANT to remove certain bits of lore or details that foreshadow the next book, or the next one, or the one after that…

But you might NEED to do it. If you’re writing a series, let’s e practical: you want the first book to stand on its own. Think about your favorite series, such as Throne of Glass, Daughter of the Drowned Empire, Harry Potter, or The Hunger Games. The first book, while setting the stage for sequels, stands alone. You can read the first book by itself and be satisfied with the beginning, middle, and end.

If you can’t be satisfied with that in your own work, it’s time to refine it through fire and remove whatever elements leave you longing for more answers. Forget cliffhangers for the debut, focus on a complete story. It can be built on later.

Putting It All Together

Writing the first draft, or the second, or the third, is an amazing accomplishment, but it needs to be paired with editing to truly bring out the best in your writing. That’s not to say you need to be stuck in an unending loop of writing and then editing (there comes a time when you can sit and acknowledge that you’ve done all you can before seeking professional edits), but refining your work is vital to make it shine.