Curiosity Before Judgement

 

We make a lot of assumptions while editing our novels ...

FROM MY DESK 📖

A scene isn't working, so it must need rewriting.

A chapter feels slow, so it must be unnecessary.

A character is difficult to write, so perhaps they don't belong in the story at all.

I've been guilty of that assumption too. 

There was one character in my novel who frustrated me endlessly. Every scene felt clunky, every conversation felt forced, and more than once I found myself wondering whether the easiest solution was simply to remove them.

But, instead of deleting the character, I kept showing up, writing their scenes, and asking questions. I kept trying to understand what I was missing instead of assuming they were the problem.

And with that, something changed. Their fears became clearer and their motivations began to make sense. Their dialoge found its rhythm, and the character I'd been resisting slowly became one of the most interesting people in my story. 

Looking back, the problem wasn't the character. It was that my understanding of them was still unfinished. That experience changed the way I think about editing.

When something in our manuscript pushes back, our instinct is often to judge or punish it too quickly. We assume it's broken before we've taken the time to understand it.

Sometimes it is broken. But seomtimes the story is asking us to look a little closer instead.

The characters, scenes, and plotlines that challenge us the most often have the greatest potential to surprise us if we're willing to stay curious long enough to discover why they're resisting in the first place.

Editing isn't just about changing your story. It's about changing the questions you ask it. And often times, that's where the real breakthoughs begin.

EDITING TIP OF THE DAY ✍️

I was having a conversation with a client when the topic became: why does editing feel emotionally tiring?

As someone who has experienced this, here is what I told them: unlike drafting, editing asks you to spend hours focusing on what isn't working. Even when you're making your story stronger, your brain can interpret that constant problem-solving  as criticism, which is naturally draining.

Feeling emotionally tired after editing doesn't mean you're losing confidence or falling our of love with your story. It often means you've invester a great deal of focus and cate into making it the best it can be. Remember to celebrate what you've improved, not just what still needs work.

POSITIVE MINDSET PICK UP ✨

Celebrate what went right.

Our brains naturally dwell on mistakes. Intentionally noticing what went well helps balance that bias and builds resilience over time.

Shift your mindset to: 'what's one thing I handled well today?' 

If you remember just one thing from today's post, let it be this: when something in your manuscript resists you, don't rush to judge or punish it. Get curious first.

What have your characters taught you? I'd love to hear about it - let me know in the comments!

Every story starts with a single spark, and every writer gets stuck from time to time. Keep showing up. Keep experimenting. Keep telling the stories only you can tell.

Until next time, may your stories grow wild, your edits be kind, and your brambles always lead to somewhere worth exploring 🌿