Revising is sometimes ‘like a nightmare’, especially when you’ve crafted what you think is this easy-to-follow, wonderfully evolving story. Line edits are much easier: for the most part grammar is black and white.
This is part of a comment from a post I read about revising and editing from Joynell Schultz’ Blog on revising and editing being two different things. She also talked about her revising and editing process, what she’s gone through, and even gave a few book titles that could help.
What I most relate to (and most writers I think relate to) is the truth of the statement “most writing is rewriting.” For me, I can’t seem to turn this process off. I am always trying to tweak something, even though I’ve declared my manuscript “finished.” I’m currently shopping my book around to agents because I’ve decided to go the traditional publishing route first. I knew the process may involve a lot of rejection, but I didn’t realize the amount of waiting that would take place. And in that waiting time, I’ve filled it with trying to make revisions, edits, format changes–just about anything to help (in my mind) better the book. Last week, I started dividing some chapters into shorter ones and renaming all of them.
This is so counterproductive at this point. Now’s the time for the experts to evaluate it. In these times, it helps to have another project or projects to take your mind off the waiting. So this week, I’ve started really getting into book two of what I feel is going to be a trilogy (see When Trilogies Attack) to relieve that itchy, want-to-edit feeling.
I wish you the best with publishing! So far I haven’t gotten to that point (or even the point of editing), but being a perfectionist I would probably drive myself crazy with all of the tiny mistakes.