The Other Side of the Story: To Edit Or Not To Edit
Janice Hardy has a post about work-in-progress editing over at The Other Side of the Story. From the post;
At some point during your first draft, you're bound to ask yourself if you should keep going or start editing. (…) Chances are this urge to edit will be prompted by reading a good article or finding some great writing advice, or even getting a super idea for the story. A light bulb might go off and you'll understand something you didn't before and want to go back and put that into practice.
But should you?
Janet has very valid points. Her advice basically comes down to; have you realised your story has structural problems and it isn't working at all, or it has the wrong protagonist–Yes, go back and edit. Or start over. But if you want to go back because you've learnt a new writing skill that you want to apply but the story you've written is good so far–No, don't go back to edit. Write to the end and then in the first revision you can add your new skill.
She has some great examples and explanation to go with it. Go check it out!
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Victoria is a scientist by day--reluctant writer by night, Clarion Write-a-Thon survivor, slush reader for Dark Fiction Magazine, and founder and editor of the 'of Altered States' anthology series.
Victoria has short fiction published in the upcoming City of Hell Chronicles and 100 Horrors anthologies. She's also writing her first novel; a tale of magical realism.
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