Finding Clarity for Your Self-Edit

I love the way the Lord works in my life. He’ll drop an idea into my head when I least expect it. You know what I mean, those moments as you drift off to sleep or when you’re in the shower or doing some mindless household chore like washing dishes.

And you have to write it down before it escapes you!

I’ll get up out of bed if I have to. If I’m in the shower, I’ll whisper a quick, “Holy Spirit, help me remember that when I can write it down.” (I still haven’t purchased one of those shower boards…but hey, friends, my birthday’s this Friday.)

I regularly hear from writers about how much difficulty they have with self-editing, and that idea God gave me late last year brought an answer to this dilemma. I’ve been researching, and questioning, and learning ever since (and having a blast). LOL, I’m an editor, yes, but no matter how long I do this, there’s always more to learn and refine.

Many writers don’t like the self-editing phase of the writing process. It doesn’t mean they’re bad writers. It’s often that they don’t know where to start or they’re afraid to make changes they can’t undo (gotta love the ctrl+z keyboard shortcut for undo) or they’ve worked hard with the first draft and feel it only needs “fixing.”

“Fixing” Defined

What’s needed is clarity on where to start.

So, let’s first look at the word fixing. What I mean here is correcting typos and punctuation, adding a bit of description here, a little dialog there. This is the common instinct for most writers. But when you start there, it can make the work of self-editing feel hard and never-ending because no matter what you do, the story still feels off.

Before you revise another word of your book, pause to understand what’s working and what’s not. Take notes as you read. Is it losing focus or momentum somewhere? Is it lacking structure? Where is the story solid? Where does it wobble?

If you spot a typo or a word you want to change and can’t stay focused without first fixing it, then fix it. But don’t let yourself get distracted into “fixing” everything little typo you see. Remember you’re looking for clarity.

Save yourself hours of work, not to mention a headache or two—or the heartache of publishing a book readers don’t like—by allowing yourself time to really understand your story.

Knowing where to start and how to start brings clarity to everything that comes next.