The problem with writing is that you get better at it.
As a result, you’ll always find improvements you can make to versions of your story that seemed ready to go at the time of their writing.
It’s now month 17 of revisions and editing for me and I truly understand the old writer’s lament that “the story is never finished.” You just have to know when to stop.
The risk that comes with continuous revision and editing is that you gradually depart from the original feel of your story without realizing it and end up creating a more technically accomplished piece at the expense of that initial richness and energy. I’m keenly aware of this danger and have tried to monitor my editing to avoid the pitfall.
Recent suggestions made by a very good friend of mine after reading the book helped reinforce this. He praised the writing itself, leaving his critique to broader story issues that I instantly recognized as spot-on commentary.
The action in this story is pretty nonstop. A good thing, to be sure, but lost if there is no time for decompression. The weight of a given event is less likely to be registered without the contrast of some character reflection. Not to say I didn’t have that, but my friend’s input helped me identify the spots where the story needed to breathe a little more.
In doing these revisions, the richness of the story has been enhanced rather than sanitized and I’m excited by the results. I truly believe this will be the final go-around with one last read through for basic errors. My chances in publishing the thing notwithstanding, I’ve enjoyed the process more than I ever thought I would and I can’t wait to get to Book 2.
Yes. I’m writing a trilogy. Lol.
