March 2-11: Editing Madness!

I'm writing it down here so I can hold myself accountable.

I'm about 2/5 of the way done through editing Master of Nothing.  That is, my favorite kind of editing: Line edits, word changes, finding all the places where I put (INSERT DIALOGUE HERE). You know. The fun stuff.

What terrifies me is the hard editing that is to come: Cutting scenes, cutting characters, cutting subplots. "But why?" writer-me says, on the verge of tears. "The story isn't what it is without that subplot. Every good narrative has to have bird plague in it." True story.

"Because. Not every agent in the world is going to understand that you are certifiably insane." Editor-me heads off the emotional outburst, sitting stiffly in a rolly-chair (Her one solace). She taps her pen on the manuscript. It is covered in red lines. "Nobody is going to pick up this book thinking, 'What I need right now is just a nice, complex, metaphorical romp.'"

"B-but... there's some action in there... there's some plot and good relatable themes to everyone..."

"Right. After you kill off all your main characters." Dang. Another true story.

"Don't readers like that? When everyone dies?" Writer-me looks at the manuscript in dismay, watches it bleeding.

Editor-me takes a covert sip of beer. She's going to need it. "I'll let you answer that one for yourself."

And so begins the week of editing, or as I like to call, NaNoEdWe...ek. (Not an actual thing). I've got the cork board, the highlighters, pens, sticky notes, manuscript all printed out and looking pretty in a binder. I know there is serious work to be done. I just wish that it was done already... You know. When I wrote the dang thing.

Considering this is my first completed novel, I'm actually pretty proud of myself thus far. But I suppose the reason I'm writing in a blog and not editing is because I'm scared witless. I don't want to cut out whole scenes. Hell, I'm not even sure I want to read the thing again.

But it must be done.

And so, with pens and stickies and highlighters, etc. etc., in hand, on March 2 I shall begin finishing editing. My goal is to be completely done by March 11 (I do well with due dates). After that, I begin querying. That's another gauntlet in itself, but Writer-me refuses to face that yet. She's still trying to stitch up the wounded manuscript in a way that won't make her look like an over-protective mother.

What are your thoughts on editing? What are your best methods? How many drafts do you usually go through? Is it indeed possible to come out with a sliced-and-diced (*gulp*) manuscript that writer-you still likes? Blog me or twitter me! @piratequibbles