on writing better

10 Editing Practices That Can Transform Your Story From Basic to Brilliant

NOT about great headlines, formatting, or one-line sentences — the ones not talked about.

Steven Spielberg once asked Jackie Chan — how do you do such wonderful stunts?

“Simple — I Roll, Action, Jump, Hospital,” Jackie replied!

The usual grounded and funny Jackie Chan answer. Well, what he meant was the routine is so ingrained in him that it comes naturally. And as writers, we also need to pick a similar thread and spin it to habit.

Write. Edit. Edit. Edit. Publish.

No, it's not a typo. It is intentional — the three Edits. Because:

Every draft is shitty; the magic you see happens in the editing process.

It is this editing gene we need to ingrain in our writing cells. And editing is not just about doing some things and not doing others — it is a mix of good techniques and the right mindset.

Once you master that, it becomes easier to do the stunts that look BRILLIANT to others but are pretty BASIC for you.

1. Keep the original draft and edit a copy.

Many people don't do this. But I will tell you why you should do this. The original draft is a goldmine of hidden treasure.

• As you keep editing, you lose original ideas and may want to recall some at a later point. Having the draft gives you the chance to go back and pick that idea.
• Again, a draft may not have ideas relevant to the story you are writing but can have good ones for your other stories. Hence, after the editing, go back to the draft, pick the ideas you can use, stash them in your idea chest, and THEN discard your draft.

2. Divide and rule.

Separate your Writer & Editor — they are arch enemies.

Your writer is a romantic person who sees flowers and butterflies, while your editor stands with a knife to ‘kill your darlings’.

The sooner you realize that, the easier the job becomes.

Be critical of your work. I know it's tough on all grounds but learn to spot your mistakes. Then, once you have done the job of writing, abandon your post and flee to another country — never to look back; let the editor step in and do the rest of the job.

3. Let the wine breathe.

Stephen King would keep his first drafts in his drawers for six weeks before revisiting them — because he wanted a fresh set of eyes on them.

Well, six weeks is not something we can afford, but a day we can. Let the story sit there for some time. Think of it like a sedimentation process. You will always find some sediments to discard when you return to it.

4. Ask the right set of questions before you publish.

It would help if you run through a checklist of questions before you hit the 'publish' button — a habit that can skyrocket your writing skills.

From keeping your promise in the headline to setting the tone of your story and avoiding half-baked stories, there are eight precise things one needs to tick before sending the story into the world.

5. Write like a cheetah; Edit like a sloth.

When I was a girl, my father would tell me to read any question twice — and slowly the second time.

“Recheck the figures you copied from the question before you solve them,”

He would say before the maths exam. I tell the same to my daughter. And writers. Yes, editing is a slow pot recipe — it brings out the flavor and richness of the dish.

Slow reading:

Our brains are wired to assume things so that we process things faster. And it is here that we miss out on small details and minute developments. Slow reading is a method that lets you taste the flavor of the word and helps you decide whether it sits perfectly there or if you need to make changes.

Are, Ape, Ale, Ate, Ace, Age, Awe, Axe, Aye — all make sense to a writing tool. But not to your reader, when mixed up.

Reading aloud:

“We all hear what we read — a tone, a modulation, a pitch.”

And so does your reader. Hence, reading it aloud yourself before your reader does, is a fool-proof way to weed out all the 'extra' stuff in a story.

It is also a great way to check whether the story has a consistent flow and with no confusing patches anywhere.

6. Entertain. Educate. Entertain.

Again, not a typo.

In India, a funny thing happens in our movies. Out of nowhere, the actors teleport to beautiful locations and become wonderful singers and dancers in the story. There's music in the air (what?)

And then many random people dance behind them, all doing the same steps (when did they learn!!??). Then, in a flash, they change costumes as well!!

[FYI, Indian cinema is a multibillion-dollar industry!]

It might look silly, but there's an objective — Entertainment. To carry the story forward and take the viewer with it.

People don’t like to be educated, but they don’t miss a chance to be entertained.

As a writer, we need to hone this skill. Editing is where you ask yourself — is my story entertaining/engaging enough?

7. Be with your reader when you edit.

Let your reader have a face, a personality, a taste, a belief, a PROBLEM. Have that person in your mind. Then, write the story for THAT person.

Only then it becomes relatable. When you address a problem, you are talking to the air. When you address a person, then you have an audience.

Now, you are having a conversation.

8. Check your look in different mirrors!

I mean digital mirrors — laptop, mobile, tabs, etc.

A critical editing practice many good writers miss. A friend of mine & a wonderful creator on LinkedIn had been formatting his content all wrong until a reader pointed out that he could not read it on mobile.

Note this learning and preview your content on all digital mediums.

9. Editing is like a pair of jeans; it gets smoother every time you clean it.

I love this line and have told many writers :D

With every edit, one thing happens — your story gets a tad smoother.

A confusing line. A redundant sentence. A silly mistake. A better way to tell the same thing. A simpler explanation. A more explicit text format. A more catchy headline. A more resonating image.

NEVER stop with a couple of edits. Have multiple ones. And space them. That's another trick to make your editing process more effective—a time gap.

I swear by all these times that I have been writing; this is the Brahmashtra (God's ultimate weapon in Indian mythology).

10. Treat each story as a brand statement.

Every work that you send out, people see it. And sometimes they try to imagine whether you fit their requirement.

If you are writing to build your market, treat editing as an opportunity to send out your best works.

When you see your work as a brand, you try to refine it as best as possible. And with time, this is a habit that will reap results.

Finally…

It is perfectly okay to write garbage — as long as you edit brilliantly.

C J Cherryh

This is where all the juiciest part of writing happens. Becoming a master of editing and writing becomes a cakewalk.

So, keep editing your way to perfection.

I have a couple of writing aids to offer that can help you in this trade. They are completely free and downloadable. So do check them out here.

And I would love to connect with you on LinkedIn too. See you there.