Layered: Further Revisionist Theory

So, yes, I’m the dummy who can’t seem to find a more efficient way to edit my novel-in-waiting. I have tried several different methods, like asking people to proofread for me, offering them chocolates to proofread for me, and trying to force them to proofread for me. To no avail. Well, strike that. My lovely wife (the amazing librarian) is working through an editing process for me, and for that I am grateful, but I can’t seem to beg anyone else enough to do it for me. Maybe if I paid them, but that’s the last resort. So, for now, I am doing my own editing, at least of this novel-in-waiting. And no, I don’t mean the first-level editing I talked about in Revisionist Theory. This is deeper, ground-sifting deep, if you know what I mean.

After the first round of revisions comes the lull, or at least that’s what I call it. It means I have the skeleton and some skin on the beast, but I can’t seem to fill him in with whatever makes him live and breathe. That takes other people and their opinions. I trust probably about four people to read honestly and critique my work constructively. Out of those four people, two of them will take forever to finally get to it, so they’re out when I’m working on my own deadline. The other two will start right away, but they’re both the same kind of editors, so I would be getting the same level of revision twice, and while I would learn from it, the other part would be neglected. Let me explain.

The first level of editing for me is the surface, cosmetic level. That’s where I make sure my characters are three-dimensional (round), that their dialogue rings true, and that the plot is a sound one. If there are any grammatical issues, spelling snafus, or related issues, this is also the place where they get hammered out. And the key to this level of editing is that I can do it all myself. I am so close with my characters by that point that we practically share a toothbrush, and my forte is English grammar and structure, so that’s right up my alley too. Alas, however, dialogue is not, and has never been, my strong point. That’s what my dear wife is working on for me as we speak.

That leads us to the second level of editing, in my world, anyway. This level is the storytelling level. It’s the when and where and how and why of my story. It’s where the research comes in. In this novel, for example, the story takes place in three entirely different locales. To get the feel of those places, the proper place names, and the juxtapositions of characters and their environments is very tricky, especially for the places of which I don’t have firsthand knowledge. This level takes so long to get through because as some things come together, other things fall apart. Plus, research is not easy, even with the internet at my fingertips.

The third level of editing is a tedious one as well. Once I have the characters interacting efficiently and effectively, and the stage is set with properly researched backdrops, there is the problem of plot holes. Everyone has them, and because I write primarily mysteries, those plot holes become more of a challenge to fill. That’s the part where I honestly look for someone who can edit the heck out of the material, because that’s everything. In the end, people judge mysteries based on how well the plot held together, and their ability to be surprised by the ending.

So, since I’m having trouble finding people to edit the material, I’ve decided to shelve it for about a month, then come back to it, and either see if one of my other three possible editors is available, or I’ll just do it myself. Provided I have some distance from my work, and I’ve been writing things in the interim, I can handle all of the aforementioned editing jobs. It just takes that distance, and that time for me to do it.

And don’t worry. When it’s all done and published, I’ll sign your copy.

Sam