Jason M. Jones

In November, I finished a novel I’d been working on since July 2011. I’ve finished two novels in the past, but these were learning experiences, and I’d never show them beyond a small circle of intimate friends. The novel I finished in November is something I believe in, a work I’d like to eventually shop to agents and editors, and now I’m left with the task of an overarching edit. Given the first two novels I wrote were novice works, I never set about editing them in any methodical way, so the task of tackling the edit on this novel is intimidating. This morning, I asked a friend who has written novels in the past for any advice she could give, and she said:

“Get ready to attack the sections that most likely to be slowing you down, 1. exposition; 2. places where nothing is actually happening; 3. dialogue; and 4. descriptions…just be aware that if/when you try to publish it, most editors and agents are going to have no patience at all for two things: 1.) boring parts, and 2.) any part that lacks tension.”

Which I think is great advice. This afternoon when I went for a walk, I added my own steps, which I plan to outline here as a sort of mission statement. The best place to begin, I figure, is with a knowledge of my excesses. 

1. Watch for places where I say the same thing two different ways. Choose the one I prefer and cut the other.

This is an aspect of writing that has dogged me ever since I started. I’m aware of it, but I’m not always able identify them in the first or second drafts, so I have to do a sweep and look for particular instances where it happens. As a younger writer, I used to shrug this off and act like saying it two different ways was a stylistic choice or poetic or some nonsense like that, but it’s just adding unnecessarily to the word count.

2. Watch for places where implication is followed by explanation. If the implication suffices, cut the explanation.

This is an aspect of popular fiction (often genre fiction) I cringe at. And yet, it’s such an easy trap to fall into. They might not get it, so I should explain (the thinking goes). I’m a big fan of Stephen King and have been since my youth, but there are so many times in reading his books where I feel like crying out, “Okay, I get it already. Give me some credit. You don’t have to spell everything out!” As a reader I like to put the pieces together myself, and I don’t think I’m alone in this. Many people have cited that King needs an editor, and this is part of the reason why. Of course, he makes millions and sells millions of copies, so I may be wrong in this. But each has to go their own way, and I’d prefer to leave some of the work up to my audience.

3. Always, often, sometimes, just, and even – cut these words except in instances where I believe they’re absolutely necessary.

This is pretty self-explanatory. I use these words often when I’m in my flow. They’re all over my blog entries, but whereas it’s not necessary to cut them from a blog, since a blog is conversational in tone, I do want to weed them out of my novel. They serve no function in most of the places they appear so cutting them, cuts down the size. I’m all about cutting down the size of my work whether it be a short story or a novel. You’re asking for people’s time when you’re asking them to read your work, and if you can accomplish what you set out to do with half the words, you should do so. Actually, when I put it that way, I should probably try to start editing these words out of my blog entries as well (edit? blogs? get outta here!).

4. Keep an eye out for any author commentary slipping into the text and delete.

My novel is fiction. I created it, but you as a reader don’t have to hold the same thoughts about the characters that I do when you’re reading. To this end, number 4 ties in with number 2. When I add commentary, I’m doing the work on my audience’s behalf. I’d rather present the events and actions, the character’s thoughts and conflicts, and let the reader make sense of them.

All these things seem obvious to me when I reflect on them, but I needed to write them out like this and have them in front of me as list while editing to keep them in mind. In any case, that’s what I’ve got so far. If you’re a writer and you’ve edited a novel and you happen to stop here, feel free to drop some advice. It’ll be appreciated.