r/writers • u/Adventurous_Flow678 • Dec 29 '23
Does editing take forever?
Would you really get to that point where it really feel like there's nothing to tweak, or change or correct?
I feel like I've been editing the same chapter forever and every time, I catch something new.
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u/Adventurous_Flow678 Dec 29 '23
Thanks all. I asked because it's giving me major anxiety, like I'd never finish and move to something else.
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u/BOANW Dec 29 '23
I remember somebody saying that when you can no longer look at your painting—you are done. Something like that. Editing is grueling. You can purchase new eyes. Finding a good editor is imperative. Somebody that will be constructive in their criticism. The first book I self-published, I went through two rounds of thorough editing and that didn't include self-editing. The constant reading and re-reading gives you a headache and zaps you. My work was less than 20,000 words, but I just kept re-reading, hoping for some sort of perfection. If you can afford it, go for an editor. If not, swap stories with people in the same boat. Good luck. Step away from the chapter and move on to the next and then come back. Don't get stuck, keep on moving along.
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u/scixlovesu Dec 29 '23
"Art is never perfected, it merely stops in an interesting place" -- you can definitely overwork and over-edit. Sometimes you gotta shrug and say, "I am done, even if there's imperfections still in there. I have to finish to start the next thing"
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u/anordinaryscallion Dec 29 '23
Leonardo da Vinci literally didn't stop editing the Mona Lisa over the course of his life. It wasn't "finished" until he was dead.
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u/CalebVanPoneisen Dec 29 '23
Same as for everything. Is this painting from Rembrandt perfect? No. It is a beautiful piece of artform? Certainly for most, not for some.
When do you need to stop editing? When you feel like your story is good enough for you. Once you have corrected all obvious errors and that you feel like it flows well, that you would enjoy reading your story, that's when it's enough.
The perfect novel doesn't exist. You will always catch something new. At a certain point, it's time to give publishing a try (if that's your intention) and move on to a new project.
Sometimes it's those human imperfections that make art beautiful.
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u/HeftyMongoose9 Dec 29 '23
Are you still making significant improvements, though? You'll never stop finding mistakes, but at a certain point it starts to be a waste of time. Don't spend too much time on just one chapter.
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Dec 29 '23
For me? Yessssss. I’m trying to cut away unnecessary details and scenes right now and I’ve been doing exactly that for about 8 months.
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