Revising and Editing - Like or Dislike

So you wrote a wonderful story, a blockbuster that is going to wow the world during SoCNoC.  You dutifully put it to one side and now, since it is August and the End is Nigh, you decide to get it out and polish it up...

But the story you thought you had written is vastly different from the one you have written.  It is going to need revision and editing, something a lot of writers out there hate to do.  I was one of them.  Was being the operative word.

A couple of years ago I wrote a story that was just outstanding, and fantastic and would knock the socks of anyone who read it.  So I allowed it out into the big wide world, and it didn't get a good receoption.  Many thought it was too wordy - show don't tell was the biggest feedback I got.  Initially it was hard to read, but I did and I worked on my manuscript again.  And again and again. 

If you are a beginner at editing, it can look like a large and daunting task, but here is the good news, once you have edited your story into submission, it will shine, and the more pollished it is, the more chance you have of getting it looked at by a professional.

Editing involves a lot of processes, and you can read screes of information on the internet on how to do it efficiently, but let me tell you this little secret - do it your own way.  I tried lots of different methods, but I found that if I did an inital spell and grammar check then worked from there, I could work through my work quicky and efficiently.  I work Chapter by Chapter, and make sure that I have flow between the chapters and that all of the lose ends are tied up by the conclusion of my story.

The first story I edited was a trilogy - it was hard and it took a long time, and I still thnk I have a little bit more to go, but I am winning, and one day, I will see that story published!

So - take a deep breath, move your head from side to side and roll your shoulders a couple of times.  Sit comfortably at your computer, and take control.