Almost 5 years ago, between releasing my first book, Blue Violet, and getting ready to release the next book, Hyacinth, I posted about how I loved the editing process.
Now, years later, I’ve completed 13 novels, 3 novellas, and 3 short stories with more on the way. My writing style has changed over the course of writing those books. However, I can still say that editing/revising is still my favorite part of the process, and for pretty much the same reasons…
The Worst is Over
Writing the first draft is a personal form of long-term torture. It’s gotten easier over the years as I’ve morphed from a pure pantser to a hybrid who plots key parts and pantses the rest. But I walk around with a pit in my stomach until the bulk of the story is on the page. Pure relief.
Making It Better
I see revising and editing as a way to make my story the absolute best I can make it. I use the time to fill in details, make sure I’ve covered plot holes, build the world, make sure my characters are consistent, check the plot and pacing, and set the stage for future books. Yes, I do a ton of that on the first pass. That pass is about laying the foundation and the walls, the second and subsequent passes are about adding those little touches that make it a home.
Feedback & Learning
Working with my beta readers and especially with my editor, I love getting more sets of eyes on the pages after I’ve gone blind to it (or have started to hate it, which happens with every book. Lol.) I love getting that feedback. Even when it requires major rewrites, it’s still about making the book better. I also look at these edits as an opportunity to learn. Believe me, I am constantly learning, changing, and growing as an author.
Final Product
I love knowing that the final book that you see as a reader is the best possible book I could write at that time. Knowing how much it’s improved from that first painful draft to the last version makes me proud and shows me how all that time spent on revising and editing was well worth it.
At the moment I am at varying stages on 4 different projects.
- I just wrapped up copy edits and am waiting for the final galley for The Attraction Equation, the 2nd book in my Love Undercover romantic comedy series.
- I am in the painful first draft process on Resisting the Rancher, the 2nd book in my upcoming Hills of Texas cowboy contemporary romance series.
- I am doing a revise and resubmit of my cowboy contemporary romance Don’t Open Until Christmas.
- And I am about to start apply beta reader edits to the 1st of my new Inferno Rising dragon shifters paranormal romance abefore sending it on to my editor.
And I’m LOVING every second (except that darn first draft lol).
I know a lot of authors out there can’t stand the editing process. I wish I enjoyed the first draft more. It’s not that I hate it, I just agonize through it, anxious to get to the really fun part of editing and making it better! 30 years of writing and 7 years of publishing my books later, I have to wonder if I’ll still love it 30 years from now. 🙂
WRITE ALL THE THINGS! Yeah, I can see how the whole “worst is over” has its appeal. You can see you’ve at least accomplished something.
For me, the idea of making new stuff is more rewarding than fixing the stuff I’ve already created. Word count is also a more straightforward measure of progress than rewrites or pages revised. MUST KEEP WRITING.
And I can’t imagine you’ll stop loving it. Maybe need to take a break or pivot for a while, but stop writing altogether? After 30 years, it doesn’t seem likely. 😉
Lol. For me the word count is the torture part. Although I agree that it’s much easier to track getting things done as you go along. Editing is more arbitrary that way, but I also find that without word count I actually get more done, rather than stopping when I hit a certain point.
I hope I still love it in 30 years! You too! 🙂