It turns out that I'm not a big fan of editing. Not my work, not other people's. It isn't due to any perceived failing. I like to see where I can improve and then work towards that goal. I think I just find the process overwhelming and, to be honest, a bit tedious. The editing phase of "Jupiter Symphony" as been a protracted one, in large part because I have trouble sitting down and forcing myself to work on the text. This means I'm approaching editing as I did writing, with a clean slate, making it necessary for me to really plan out my editing time and to set clear expectations for myself, forming new habits so I can get the darn thing done, which is looming ever closer (thankfully).
It is true, though, when I say I like to see progress. In fact, progress is one of the other factors slowing down my editing process. When I finished my first draft of "Jupiter Symphony," I did only a cursory edit and then moved on, handing it off to other people to read and comment on. To keep myself busy, I channeled my writing momentum into my second book, "Unto Persephone," and blazed through about 90% of it while waiting for edits to come back. Now that I have those edits, I have shifted focus back to "Jupiter Symphony," and it turns out I was a pretty crummy writer.
Actually, the manuscript was very well received, even garnering requests for side stories based on certain characters. The problem was I had been working on another novel, and had covered another 80,000+ pages while I was waiting. So overall my writing output was roughly 66% more than when I had finished "Jupiter Symphony." The result was dramatic, to say the least. Reading some of my first manuscript, I cringe at sentences and wonder how I ever thought of trying out for the writing team. Through progress I have made my job harder, though I am thankful for it.
I have stated again and again that writing is a skill like any other, and the professional writer needs to expand that skill through various means. One of the main ways of doing so is through volume, and I'm glad to see that I have proven myself right, even if it means more work for me now. As a result, I see new dimensions in my texts, and I work harder to craft scenes, characters, and dialogue. I have a greater grasp on plot flow and story arcs, and this realization has also created a looping effect, where I know look at "Unto Persephone" under the same microscope, but now even as I am writing it, not just when editing.
Overall, I have come to appreciate planning and structure, things which I previously shied away from. I've had to write entire new chapters in "Jupiter Symphony" to bring it up to a raised standard, and realize now that much of this could have been minimized or avoided if I had more time and opportunity to plan out the story. I can't say for sure whether or not it would have worked in my first manuscript, but I know now that I can use it going forward. After I wrap up "Unto Persephone," I'll be moving onto my third book, "The Long Night," where I am eager to put into practice new techniques, hopefully crafting a more rich and vivid text for everyone to enjoy. It is my sincere hope that my progress continues, and that by the time I finish "The Long Night," "Unto Persephone" will look like child's play. What comes after that, I can only imagine.
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