People always tell you not to edit until you’ve finished the first draft. Is this true? Or is there something to be said for editing as you go? Let’s have a look at the pros and cons of each option.
Edit As You Go
Pros of editing as you go
- Your first draft will be better, giving you a better starting point for your first round of editing.
- You can catch plot holes, mistakes and other aspects that don’t work and prevent them becoming a problem later.
- If you realise you’ve made a mistake or something doesn’t work, you don’t have to worry about remembering to fix it when you go to edit your work.
- If you are a ‘plotter’ and you already have your story outline before you start your draft, you can make sure your scenes are following your plan.
- If you have hit writer’s block, rereading and editing what you’ve written might help you get your flow back
Cons of editing as you go
- Editing as you go can be more time consuming and your first draft will take longer.
- It’s easy to get bogged down trying to fix one part of your writing and stop making progress.
- Perfectionism might lead to you losing inspiration and getting tired of your work, leading you to lose focus and put you off finishing the draft.
- You might not save time, as when you come to do the first full edit of your draft, you find yourself rewriting or undoing a lot of the edits you have already made.
Not Editing Until the End
Pros of not editing as you go
- It keeps your creativity flowing. Not stopping to revise keeps you in the zone and allows you to freely get all your ideas out without hesitating or reviewing.
- If you are a ‘pantser’, stopping to organise and add logical structure can really derail you and drop your motivation.
- All first drafts will need editing once completed, even if you have edited some as you go, waiting until the end to edit can help make sure the whole piece is cohesive and that it all works.
- Some writers think this approach is more efficient, because you can focus on one part at a time. It stops your perfectionism slowing down your progress.
- It gives you a chance to take a break from the work. Taking time away to do something else allows you to come back to edit with fresh eyes, making it easier to spot things you want to change.
Cons of not editing as you go
- The first round of editing can take longer. You might find yourself having to make a large amount of changes to tidy everything up.
- It can become overwhelming. If you have not made any edits as you go, the prospect of editing the whole piece can be a lot to think about and seem insurmountable.
- You might be reluctant to make major changes or remove parts because you’ve become so fond of the story. You might really love a scene you’ve written but it doesn’t fit the story any more and you know you really should remove it but you don’t want to.
So Should I Edit as I Go?
Honestly, there’s no one right answer to this. Some people will tell you one option is better than the other, but they both have drawbacks. It is also possible to do a bit of both. Realistically, even if you have been editing as you go, you will still need to do an overall edit once the draft is complete. So there’s not one correct answer.
I recommend doing what works best for you. Everyone’s process is different and unique to them. How you like to write, if you are a ‘plotter’ or a ‘pantser’ or a bit of both. If too much editing will stifle your creative flow, you would be better waiting until you’re finished to start editing. If you have realised you want to change something, and it’ll bother you until you do, maybe make the edit while it’s on your mind. If you’re new, experiment a bit with both options until you find the method that works best for your brain and your work.
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As always, happy writing! Discuss your thoughts in the comments. Until next time!
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