Eat Your Broccoli: Editing Your MS

Writers love to write.

Good writers love to edit.

When I started writing, I bought how to books on symbolism, setting, on characterization and plot weaving. My writing benefited...somewhat.

After a bunch of rejections, I begrudgingly bought a book on editing.
I didn't want to. Kind of like a kid spending their money on broccoli instead of the candy she really wants.

No fun.

The book I bought was Self Editing For Fiction Writers by Browne and King.

That book has changed my writing forever. I didn't know how important editing, good editing, was to a work.

I was a knuckle-head who wasted a lot of time.

Though editing may seem tedious at first, you must embrace it if you're to become any good. Really. I'm not just blowing smoke.

Many writers spend more time on editing than on the first draft.
I spend MUCH more time on the editing than the writing.
Does it pay off?

If I showed you the early drafts of Saving Eden, and then the later edited version, you wouldn't believe it.

Embrace the editing process. It's what will get your work to the quality editors are looking for.

Self Editing For Fiction Writers is a great place to start. If you don't have that book, you're work is missing out. Another good one is Editing Your Fiction by Michael Seidman. There are plenty other good books on the subject.

Eat your brocolli and see how strong your writing grows.