The Secret to Good Editing
There are many schools of thought when it comes to editing your writing: Multi-stage processes, gut-check editing, the Hemingway “write drunk, edit sober” method. Leave all of these aside for now. Obviously, there isn’t anything that works for everyone, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t methods that provide good, sound advice for any writer trying to polish their work to a shine. When editing your work, it’s important to look from the perspective of 1000 feet and in sentence-by-sentence, word-by-word detail. It’s necessary to ask “how does this contribute to the overall goal of my work?” and “is every word/phrase/sentence in this passage constructed to accomplish my goal?”
Is the answer to either of these questions, “No?” Change it. It doesn’t matter how much you enjoy writing it or reading it. If it isn’t helping take your writing to the end goal, it’s not right for the piece you’re working on. That can be hard to face. It’s not like writers set out to write anything at all, with no idea where it’s going, prepared to throw it all away at the drop of a hat. How can you not feel bad taking out an idea that you are proud of? No one is denying it can be a struggle, but in the end, your writing will be better for thinking about the big picture and aiming each detail at your ultimate goal. Rework it, revise it, or relegate it to the trash bin. It will take some time to practice, but eventually you will learn how to discern the necessary from the superfluous.
But maybe it’s time I practiced what I preach. “Cut to the chase, Calvin!” you might be thinking to yourself. And, of course, you have a point. Even people who have been doing this for years need help and fresh eyes to untangle what’s on the page from what they imagined in their minds. That’s where trusted readers, editors, and friends come in. They can help look at the whole work without seeing all of the changes and double-backs the text has taken along its journey, and a new perspective can be invaluable in spotting what is left in because the author can’t let go. Take their advice to heart, even as you keep in mind that many times, you know the goal of your writing better than anyone else. Find the balance. Work at your own pace. Then, when you hit a nice, big milestone, take a rest, and reflect on just how far your writing has come. That’s the secret to good editing.