After an hour in Westeros (by the way, the latest episode was incredible), I now sit before the computer once more… but this time not to write of my story or my ideas. Instead I write of a lesson I’ve just learned through editing. If you’ve heard me talk of my passion for editing (or lack thereof) then you may have heard me describe it as hmm… how did I put it?

Editing is that absolutely bitter aftertaste from the joyous first sip of glory. The lower half of the mermaid. The side of the coin that lost you the bet. Rock, when you picked scissors. I could go on, but in short… editing is not fun.

Ah yes. Passion for editing… that’s definitely a win.

So going through page by page and editing grammar and spelling has been as fun as sifting through a needle in a haystack. Tonight I decided to change it up a little. I’ve been working secretly on my other story; rereading, editing and planning. This is the fun part, but I have been actively avoiding my first complete novel thanks to my clever “New is always better” mentality. While the writing certainly holds up, if I want to find myself among the published authors of the world, I need to get something published. Then maybe I can quit my job or at least drop down in hours to put more effort into my novels.

Isn’t that the dream?

Well the dream only comes after the hard day’s work, and the day is long… and full of terrors. Every time I have a terrible customer at work, my mind floats into my stories where I can escape from the rising entitlement complex today’s shoppers seem to be developing. Today, after a short but ‘fun’ filled day, I came home to work on my story.

Now here I sit staring at the large stack of paper, sitting patiently in its manilla prison, shackled by a red band around its middle. Beside it are the new tools of the edit; An orange pen stolen permanently borrowed from a work meeting, a red leather Lannister notebook (Thanks Katie) and Ray Bradbury’s ‘Zen in the Art of Writing’. Bradbury’s book is virtually my bible as his passion for writing would still go unmatched in this day and age. As for the notebook, I have decided to break down my story into scenes.

Right now you’re probably laughing, “Now you’re breaking it into scenes? A bit late now, isn’t it?” and you might be right. But the hardest part for me was to accomplish something. To finish that novel from cover to cover. Sadly, that is exactly how I wrote it which left some loose ends and unanswered questions. Now that I am using the notebook to take notes on my scenes, I can leap back and forth between scenes quickly and make more detailed notes in Scrivener (which is where all of my organising began). You’re probably thinking, you can do all of that in Scrivener, which you can. For me however, I am a visual person and being able to flip back and forth between scenes is much better, especially when my writing is displayed on the screen.

Since I have begun this method, I am seeing some scenes improve. Plot holes have been filled. Loose ends tied up. Also it grants me the ability to add more foreshadowing and smaller details, while cutting some scenes that didn’t move the story or develop the characters. I am terrified to actually hand this into an editor anywhere, it would be like showing someone the fragile glass figure you just made, only to have them crush it in their bare hands. I know I will have to develop a tough skin, I know I will get rejected.

I just want to give this story the fighting chance it deserves.

Also, is it just me or is it super quiet out there in the blogosphere? Sometimes writing these posts is a lot like tossing a message in a bottle from a deserted island. I simply cast it out and hope and pray for some sort of reply. Good luck out there in your own writing adventures and may your muse never give up on you!