Do you edit while writing or once the first draft is done?

1. 83

   tsmogposted 7 years ago

   Do you edit while writing or once the first draft is done?
   
   Do the automated editing of Word or other services cause a distraction to the flow of fingers dancing upon the keyboard composing a work?

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2. 75

   alancaster149posted 7 years ago

   Brain does the writing, Fingers just act out what Brain tells them to, Mind's Eye keeps a check on what's gone down and Brain might revise content whilst Fingers are busy - so watch out Fingers! Before Fingers clicks on the button, Mind's Eye casts a look over what's down, maybe gives a last-minute instruction to Fingers and then 'Whacko!' Another page enters posterity.
   Brain, Fingers and Mind's Eye take a breather - maybe a tot of 'Famous Grouse' is in order, courtesy of Stomach. It gets easier.

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   1. 83

      tsmogposted 7 years agoin reply to this

      Yours in my view certainly danced a tune, Alan. I can see from what is shared the oblique queues of Word's squiggly colored lines become part of the flow with the blessing of learning too. Perhaps it grows onto us becoming part of us?

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   2. 75

      alancaster149posted 7 years agoin reply to this

      It is part of us, our 'brain-children' so to speak. Then you see your creation on a click of the outstretched hand whenever you want to check readership statistics - watch its popularity grow, maybe update it now and then if it's that kind of page

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3. 83

   Terrielynn1posted 7 years ago

   I do both, even though my fingers get away from me sometimes. There are days my brain feels like it's on a runaway. I have to edit multiple times, as I have dyslexia and writing provides me the structure to work on retraining my brain.

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   1. 83

      tsmogposted 7 years agoin reply to this

      Editing brings to you blessings I see, Terrie. I seem to be stopping and editing along the way much more. Before, I would let the flow run its course, especially with creative writing. The next step would be going back to edit.

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   2. 83

      Terrielynn1posted 7 years agoin reply to this

      Hi Tim, yes I do that a lot. I think my average article has been edited at least 4/5 times. Now working on my next one. You are very successful yourself I see.

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   3. 75

      alancaster149posted 7 years agoin reply to this

      .Dyslexia's normally a handicap, but some overcome it. With effort it's controllable. There are numerous actors and writers who've done that, such as Susan Hampshire.

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   4. 83

      Terrielynn1posted 7 years agoin reply to this

      Okay, I want to change my answer. I am writing poetry for April and it's impossible to edit while writing. You have to let it flow. I guess I'll be doing more editing after the fact this month. LOL.

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4. 61

   VestedTombposted 7 years ago

   I am a firm believer in editing as I go. The very moment I see one of those spurious squiggles I need to stop, identify the problem, and fix it. Of course this means that I sometimes lose my flow, but it does usually mean less editing at the end.

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   Ericdierkerposted 7 years ago

   I have these deals. I really like to do them but am kind of piss poor at them. Mailing snail mail to friends. Soccer. And proofing. I like to proof before, during and after and love the little warnings from my bot editors. Writing is such a cool adventure. Perhaps better than reading - maybe that is bad to admit. Kind of like listening to yourself more than others.
   I think editing at the final - third stage before publishing or saving is like a discovery into what I am really thinking, and maybe a push to learn more of who I was the 10 minutes before.
   Words are thoughts committed to a permanence, written or verbal. Preaching and arguing in court on the fly are just awesome concepts because you edit thought not grammar. You actually become the heart and mind editor in milliseconds. Our minds are so cool in the area of adjustment and restroking the keys of our intelligence.
   Oops sorry I rant. But I just love this area of inquiry. (no I really love this concept to think about -- which phrase was right? ;-)

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6. 65

   Tusitala Tomposted 7 years ago

   When I first began to write long drafts back in the 1960's, it was double-space on a manual typewriter with no real chance to edit as you typed.  This meant editing at the end - another complete type all the way through.  That was called a second draft.  By the time a full length manuscript of, say, 70,000 words was completed, the whole thing had been typed ALL THE WAY THROUGH, maybe four or five times.  That's why it took around six months work to write a book.
   
   Today you can edit as you type - though I advise against it.  It can temporarily block the creative flow.   I say, type a whole section, i.e. what you intend to complete that day, and then go back to using the Word Processor to edit it afterwards.
   
   What took me six months in the 1960s to the 1980s now takes me around four or five weeks maximum.   
   
   Yes, it's far easier today than it was.  Less patience involved.  And even better, you can self-publish instead of having some publisher's reader give it short-shrift and telling you it's either not up to standard, or not marketable, or whatever excuse was used to jettison 95% of the manuscripts that came their way.

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7. 93

   jo millerposted 7 years ago

   I edit as I go but also return to edit later.  I like to let my work sit awhile and then read over it again to be sure the flow sounds right to my ear.

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