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When I finally began taking my desire to write a book seriously, I did start to edit. Before, I only edited my writing if required for a class assignment. I’m one of those evidently rare writers that doesn’t cringe and hide from their first drafts. I usually love whatever I’ve written, even if I do see areas that need improvement. So, like you, I tend to think “Do I really need to edit if I already enjoy it? Can’t this be good enough?” But it isn’t, it usually is just me being so excited to finish that I’m trying to hurry the process along.

I also tend to do some editing as I write, mostly if I find better words or ways of phrasing things – not major things. That has come up, but I learned I can’t handle the chaos of major editing changes midstream. I tend to lose enthusiasm completely when I get carried away. But otherwise editing while I write has helped me need fewer editing passes, I think. But then, I’m still weak on editing, so maybe I’m just blind to the faults I think I’ve avoided, lol.

Another thing that I like to do is save every editing pass, or style change, or POV change, etc. in it’s own file. That way I can go back to any of it, or even be inspired by it to maybe combine one or two bits and pieces for a few versions into the latest version. I number them, and it’s kind of interesting to look back and see how I am improving.

I don’t schedule my time, though I would like to start doing that a little. I waste too much, and spend too much on things not that important. Or I’ll spend weeks or even months thinking about ideas and debating which would be the better to pursue writing. I have hard time getting started, and letting myself stay “gathering” for so long just makes it worse. I think I need to focus on getting started, practice actually writing stories instead of waiting for a perfect beginning to end plot to form in my mind. So I just want to get a better grip on how I spend my time in general, but it would include setting limits on stages of writing.

I’m inspired by classics, largely, and mysteries, of course. I love stories like Anne of Green Gables, Pollyanna, Little Women, A Little Princess, Pride & Prejudice, etc. Books with strong girl characters, but that aren’t too modern and many of those I mentioned even weave Biblical lessons in or show the character seeking to be a good Christian girl. Those are the kinds of characters I want to write about, only mine (a set of quintuplets) solve mysteries in their books. Oops, I forgot to mention Nancy Drew in that list! I prefer the original versions of Nancy Drew, which are out of print. In the late 50s the publisher started revising them and issued shorter, more politically correct versions of the originals or even entirely new stories under a previous title. The difference is very noticeable when compared. The older books have 25 chapters, the revised only 20; but then the style of writing is very different as well. The original texts are smoother and more descriptive, as though written for a higher reading level than the revised editions and the subsequent spinoff series. I mention this not only because I always feel the need to specify, lol, but also because I think it helps me when editing. I used to think that if I write like the revised Nancys, I was fine. But now I realize just how much better I could get with the same story if I push myself to write more like the Original Nancys. They make a very good example of the difference between showing (OT ) and telling (RT).

Oops, I’ve gone too long and can’t discuss the other mysteries I love (Agatha Christie, for starters). My mom’s in the hospital (critical but stable condition; she had a brain hemorhage and is doing well except still hasn’t awakened) and my ride is here. It’s Mom’s birthday, too, and I really hope she wakes up for it.