Editing (I’d Rather Not)

If you’ve been reading my articles for a while, you might have noticed that I have…complicated feelings when it comes to editing my stories.

In fact, I despised editing for a long time before I realized just how important it is.

My first drafts are usually super messy, so the thought of someone reading my stories before they’ve been polished up is terrifying.

I love that editing can take my books and articles from being completely unfit for the public eye, to being enjoyable to read.

That’s not to say that I enjoy editing now…

I still find it tedious and frustrating to go through my stories to fix hundreds of plot holes, character/scene descriptions, typos, grammatical errors, and other flaws.

The work always feels like it’s never going to end—sort of like fighting a hydra. For every issue I resolve, two more appear until I’m at the point where I’m tempted to simply give up and burn my manuscript to ashes.

But again, as much as I don’t love the work that goes into editing, I do (usually) love the results.

And over the past few years, I’ve found that editing doesn’t only apply to writing.

Editing Myself

There are plenty of things about myself that I would love to change (or rather, edit).

I can be judgmental and impatient with people—making assumptions about them and what they think of me that simply aren’t true.

I’d much rather avoid conflict by keeping quiet than being honest about my anger or frustration and facing it head on.

I have a really bad habit of overthinking everything (which is what often causes me to make untrue assumptions about others, and harsh judgments about myself).

And unfortunately, I have a lot of trouble being authentic—even with my friends and family.

Just like with my stories, I have no problem with finding things about myself that need to be fixed.

The real challenge is figuring out how to fix these things.

The First Step of Editing

When I’m preparing to edit a manuscript, the first thing I do is read through it and focus on all the “big picture” issues.

Things like major plot holes, scenes that need to be added or deleted, and sections that require major revisions.

If I let myself get bogged down by the smaller details (typos, grammatical errors, etc.), then I get overwhelmed very quickly.

Besides, I’ve found that sometimes fixing bigger issues will naturally help solve some of the smaller issues in my stories.

The same is true when it comes to editing myself.

Trying to fix everything that’s wrong with me all at once was overwhelming, so I started by tackling a couple “big picture” issues first.

Capturing My Thoughts

I’ve discovered that most of my biggest problems stem from my mind (and more specifically, my thoughts).

If I let my mind run wild then of course I’ll find myself thinking negatively about myself. And if I’m so harsh and critical of myself, then why wouldn’t I be judgmental toward everyone else as well?

Editing my thoughts has been far easier said than done. 

With how much I think, it’s exhausting to stop and correct myself every single time I have a self-deprecating thought, or make an unfair judgment about someone else’s motivations.

The “Why” Behind Everything

Editing my books can be exhausting as well. And when I feel discouraged while working on my stories, I like to remind myself of why I wrote them in the first place.

The same thing can help me with editing my thoughts.

I want to shift my mindset so I can genuinely love myself and others the way God wants me to. 

I don’t want to be a jaded or bitter person who is blinded by past traumas and experiences.

Instead, I want to be a light, encouraging and inspiring other people wherever I go.

Finding Editors

If there’s anything I’ve learned since becoming an author, it’s that publishing a book is not a one-person job.

Behind every successful author are skilled editors, proofreaders, agents, beta readers, book formatters, and many others.

Editing myself isn’t a one-person job either (even though it often feels like it should be).

I don’t enjoy asking for help or support from other people, but I know that I do need it sometimes.

When I’m editing a manuscript, I’ll eventually reach the point where I know that something is wrong with the story, but I’m not quite sure how to fix it.

That’s when an editor comes in, bringing an outside perspective and helpful solutions.

In my case, I have a couple family members, friends, mentors, and the Bible to act as my editors.

If I don’t know how to deal with a problem, my editors do, and with their support and encouragement, I’m far more likely to keep working on myself when I feel like giving up.

Unlike my stories, editing myself will be a lifelong struggle… But the goal is still the same.

By the end of all my self-editing, I want my life’s story to be significantly better than it is right now.

Before You Go…

Is there anything about your life that you’re currently trying to edit?

If so, let me know down in the comments or email me at thirzah@thirzahwrites.com so I can pray for you!

Read my last article here!