When Editing Progress Feels Invisible 😭

If, like me, editing has ever made you wonder whether you're making progress, this one's for you ...

I was talking to my good friend, client, and writer, Mars late last week while she was working on edits for her debut novel. At some point, the conversation turned to motivation and progress - specifically, how to maintain motivation when editing can feel like you're not getting anywhere. 

This is something I struggled with myself when I first started editing my current novel (and still do at times). There are many tricks you can try, but  I wanted to share the things (in no particular order) that came from our conversation in case they help others too.

1. Read widely

When you're writing a novel, it's helpful to read everything and anything. You never know where inspiration might come from, and it helps you discover what you enjoy - and what you don't - in stories. 

While editing, however, I would suggest reading works (both in your genre and outside of it) that:

     a) use writing techniques and styles you admire and want to emulate 

    and/or 

    b) do something that you personally struggle with very well. For example: if dialogue is one of your weaknesses, seek out stories known for strong dialogue. If pacing it something you find difficult, look for narratives that handle pacing particularly well. 

Reading with this kind of focus can help strengthen your skills and improve your weaknesses so your own story really shines.

2. Cycle your tasks 

If you find yourself struggling to continue, try mixing things up during each session (a concept originally passed to us by our book coach, Rachel Giffin). 

Some people like to set a timer here (for example, 25 minutes as per the pomodoro technique) and switch activities each time it goes off. Examples of things you could cycle through include: 

    a) Reading (see above)

    b) Writing other pieces set in the world of your story - short stories, poems, or even fragments of lore from an ancient textbook. These can also become reader magnets if you plan to market your book now or in the future.

    c) Research - is there anything in your story you need to understand better in order to write effectively? Even stories set in the modern world require research. For example: if your main character surfs but you don't, you'll need to learn about it to write convincingly. If you're writing a fantasy world with bioluminscent plants or animals, you may want to research real-world biology so your flora and fauna follow believable logic.

    d) Other creative outlets - you might paint, draw, sculpt, or digitally design your characters. Some writers create mock covers for their story, while others build Pinterest boards or mood boards or Spotify playlists to capture the tone and aesthetic of their world. 

    e) Visit places that inspire your story - either in person or digitally using tools like Google Maps or virtual tours. Nature inspires my stories a lot, so going for walks really helps me. Mars talks about the wonderful idea of colourful character walks in her blog.

3. Track your progress

'But how', I hear you ask, 'can I track editing when I'm both adding and removing words - or sometimes not writing any words at all while brainstorming or researching?'

Well, there are a few options:

    a) Use a word count style tracker - I originally came across this formula through NaNoWriMo a few years ago:

1 hour spent editing (adding words, deleting scenes, researching, brainstorming) = 1,000 words 

This allows you to track editing progress in the same way many writers track drafting progress.

    b) Track time instead -  if a word count approach doesn't appeal to you, simply record the number of hours you spend editing. Progress is still progress.

    c) Bonus tip: create a to-do list - break your editing into small, bite-sized tasks and tick them off as you complete them. The visual/physical act of crossing things off a list can be surprisingly motivating.

These ideas have been life savers for me while editing and now they're helping other writers too. If you've ever felt like editing progress is invisible, I hope one of these appraoches help you see it ❤️

If you are a writer, and found any of the above helpful, I'd love to hear what you think below.

Keep your eyes peeled for more news on my writing here and on my Instagram!