Editing Marathon

Now Playing: BARRACUDA by Heart
Just Read: THE FIREMAN by Joe Hill--Really, really enjoyed this one. I've liked all of Joe Hill's stuff. This one started strong, had a lull, then picked back up after a long, slow burn (pun intended).
Reading Now: THE DETECTIVE by Roderick Thorp

First, update: It's been a solid January, and I'm on track with my goals of writing and submitting one story per month. I submitted a story that earned an honorable mention in the WotF to another magazine. It got rejected, but I'm thinking of other places to send it. For January 2019, it looks like I'm going to get two new ones. Both flash fiction stories, but that's okay. I've been writing a lot on both a longer short story and a novel.

Today, though, wasn't about new stuff. It was about a story I wrote for WotF back in 2017. It didn't place, or win an honorable mention. But I've heard about such stories being editing, resubmitted, and winning, and since I'm far away from anything new being ready to send by the end of this quarter, I thought I'd tackle it.

It's long. Over 14,000 words. And it took me ALL DAY to get through it. I think editing my own stuff is the worst part about being a writer, the part that feels the most like work. It just isn't as rewarding as new composition, and I never know if changes I make actually improve the story or not. I have a hard time stepping back and saying, "This needs to be changed. This story needs a faster pace. This part of the story has to go because it doesn't contribute."

Today was a drag. I think the story is better, but I really have a hard time knowing. I think I'm going to put it away for a while and see if I can come back to it with fresh eyes, like I did today, and spot any errors in the story's trajectory. The prose is fine. But it's so long, I have trouble knowing if anything doesn't belong. I feel like it all belongs.

Gotta find a book on editing fiction . . . preferably, for dummies.