I have found that the most effective editing tools I have are, time and space. Do you think that’s weird? Maybe if someone doesn’t like to write those aren’t the best tools to improve but, as I writer, time and space are priceless ways to polish my work.
Have you recently read any of your writing from a decade ago? Do you cringe at the editing errors, the cliché bits, or even the story quality? I look back at my old writing and think, “I’m so glad I got better.” Don’t get me wrong, everyone has to start somewhere; I don’t beat myself up over even blatant errors because, at the time, I was doing the best I knew how. I’m just grateful to have learned and polished my craft. Someday, I will look back at this post and probably think the same thing, that’s growth.
But we don’t need a decade to come at our own work with a fresh perspective. I have began to edit Sickybeat a third time, after a break of about 4 months, I would get rare comments about it from my “Reader Zero,” but not often. In 4 months time, my own blurry writing has shown itself and my gold nuggets glitter even more. By detaching from my work for this relatively short time I allowed myself to see and experience my story more like a reader.
I can tell more easily if I am getting my point across, or if I piled on so many metaphors that I have to read a line twice. I know, we are busy in society and want to be productive but perhaps it will be more rewarding to be more thorough and persistent. I am the proud of the things I do that take the most effort to accomplish, what about you? #MoreWorkMoreBraggingRights If you want immediate gratification there are other options 😉
SickyBeat 