Another day of Editing…
“Murder Your Darlings!”
I heard that was given as advice by one author to an up-and-commer regarding the editing process.
I learned much when Writing Tripods, enough to know that, as Stephen King says, “The Editor is (nearly) always right!”
Today I hacked out a sequence I really enjoyed, but that truly added little or nothing to the story. I have it backed up in case, but still…
In Tripods, I learned that chopping out a seqence, however much I enjoy it, is often a neccessary thing to do.
Sometimes, chopping out scenes where the character of Herb tried to ingratiate himself with a gang of NYC cutthroats, or the rioting of an angry mob of Luddites (as was in the first two drafts of Tripods), or the killing off of a major character (who lived through the first THREE drafts of Tipods…owitch….) is neccessary for the betterment of the story, however much the wandering tangent might be for the author.
Without getting too theological, I’ve seen more than one parallel to authorship and the journey of the soul.
Just as we write a first draft and begin editing it, we live each day as a 1st draft on a fresh, newly minted page.
Editing comes from self-reflection, hopefully during mass, the Rosary, spiritual exercises or retreats or other venues.
And, ultimately, we need the help of ‘editors,’ in the form of spiritual directors, close friends who are wehre we want to be, or others who are unafraid to tell us what they see and what needs to be changed.
My 2 cents…and hopefully as touchy-feely as I’ll get on this blog for a while.
If you’re on Facebook, drop by my publisher at Sophia Institute Press! I get to run the discussion board next week (fools! fools! Mwuhahahahahaha! ;))
Seriously, they’ve got a good thing started…hate to see it die out ’cause I’m the only person with a mouth big enough to keep flappin’! 
God bless,
John McNichol
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