Editing myself into madness

[CarlAccolla]

Does anyone else start editing one tiny thing and somehow end up doubting the entire scene?

I’ll go to fix a clunky sentence, then suddenly I’m questioning the voice, the pacing, whether the scene even needs to exist, and whether I’ve made the whole thing worse. 

How do you tell the difference between actually improving something and just overthinking it?

I’m trying not to edit the life out of my own work, so I’d be interested to know how other people deal with this.

Edited Thursday at 11:47 PM by CarlAccolla

[Brayon]

There's a fine line between, swapping a word and doubting yourself. I've always been told to not edit until after you have a chapter done, and started on the next one. If you give yourself time, between when you wrote the scene, and when you go to edit, that might help give you clarity on when enough editing is enough.

[Kitt]

Beta readers help too. 

[CarlAccolla]

1 minute ago, Kitt said:

Beta readers help too. 

I want to sound like I know what I’m doing, but honestly, I have no idea.

[Jason Rimbaud]

I don't edit until I am finished with the entire story. Then when I do go back, I know where I need to add or adjust the narrative to fit the ending. 

I also believe heavily in re-writes. With some exceptions, most of my stories have been edited/re-written five or six times with certain chapters as many as eight. I found, for me, when going back to edit while I'm writing the story, I spend too much time worrying about a scene that might end up being cut by the time I finish. 

I also overwrite. I might try multiple takes at the same paragraph, one right after the other, and then worry about choosing one when I'm finished. 

Then there are times when I can't get the wording right or something feels off about a scene, I'll simply use a place holder IE: Man gets blown up by a goat. Then later on, during the re-write/editing stage, I'll write the scene. 

Everyone has different approaches and you'll find one that works for you. I'd try out many different methods until you come up with combination that works for you. But try not to edit when the work is still precious. Authors are in love with words, editors serve the story first and foremost. Two different hats, two different ways of looking at the same material.

I'm sure that's not helpful but I rarely am, so there's that. 

[CarlAccolla]

Yeah, I think beta readers probably would help.

I’ve got 28 chapters written and 6 more to go and I keep editing them. I’m honestly not sure anymore if I’m making them better or just putting off letting people read them.

I’ve posted three chapters publicly now with a 20% cut, which felt like a big step. Now I’m just braced.

[CarlAccolla]

15 minutes ago, Jason Rimbaud said:

I don't edit until I am finished with the entire story. Then when I do go back, I know where I need to add or adjust the narrative to fit the ending. 

I also believe heavily in re-writes. With some exceptions, most of my stories have been edited/re-written five or six times with certain chapters as many as eight. I found, for me, when going back to edit while I'm writing the story, I spend too much time worrying about a scene that might end up being cut by the time I finish. 

I also overwrite. I might try multiple takes at the same paragraph, one right after the other, and then worry about choosing one when I'm finished. 

Then there are times when I can't get the wording right or something feels off about a scene, I'll simply use a place holder IE: Man gets blown up by a goat. Then later on, during the re-write/editing stage, I'll write the scene. 

Everyone has different approaches and you'll find one that works for you. I'd try out many different methods until you come up with combination that works for you. But try not to edit when the work is still precious. Authors are in love with words, editors serve the story first and foremost. Two different hats, two different ways of looking at the same material.

I'm sure that's not helpful but I rarely am, so there's that. 

No, that's helpful, thank you.

I think the problem is I’m 28 chapters into what should be 34 chapters, so I’m close enough to the end that I keep getting tempted back. I’ll suddenly realise something makes more sense now, then go back and add a bit, cut a bit, fiddle with a bit.

I have also learned that if I can’t fix a passage in about an hour, it probably needs cutting, which is brutal but usually true.

Anyway, I’ll suffer on. Harry does, so I suppose I have to. Three chapters being public is enough for now.

Edited yesterday at 12:28 AM by CarlAccolla

[Jason Rimbaud]

3 minutes ago, CarlAccolla said:

No, that's helpful, thank you.

I think the problem is I’m 28 chapters into what should be 34 chapters, so I’m close enough to the end that I keep getting tempted back. I’ll suddenly realise something makes more sense now, then go back and add a bit, cut a bit, fiddle with a bit.

I have also learned that if I can’t fix a passage in about an hour, it probably needs cutting, which is brutal but usually true.

Anyway, I’ll suffer on. Harry does, so I suppose I have to. Three chapters being public is enough for now.

Some people run it through AI to help clean it up as well. Depending on what you feel about AI influencing work. 

[CarlAccolla]

5 minutes ago, Jason Rimbaud said:

Some people run it through AI to help clean it up as well. Depending on what you feel about AI influencing work. 

AI is ok for grammatical or spelling issues, or over use of phrases - but it's like telling someone to proof read their second language.

[Jason Rimbaud]

3 minutes ago, CarlAccolla said:

AI is ok for grammatical or spelling issues, or over use of phrases - but it's like telling someone to proof read their second language.

I agree, the only thing I want AI to do is look for grammar issues, I don't need suggestions, or anything help making bad sentences, I can do that without AI. 

[Kitt]

Keep in mind letting AI make grammar corrections may not fit the character. Having a ranch hand that dropped out of high school to help support the family sound like Charles Emmerson Winchester III just doesn't work.

[Mattyboy]

I've had the "fix the wording in one line"  bloom out into "delete the scene."

 This can be overthinking, alright,  but it can also be that the little hunch that something wasn't right with it all was sensing a real structural issue. 

I've often had people reading my (nonfiction) stuff say to me "so what's the point here?"  and I then say a solid summarizing line that does a good job of making that  clear.   I know, but that can't do this for myself. 

You picked out the bit that needs work because you kinda know it needs work and there's something not right.  It's way easier to start with a subordinate clause than it is with "what's the point of this scene?"  but that's sometimes the start of pulling the cord that unravels the veil and exposes that what's underneath is an unnecessary side-quest.  (My sense is that AI can't help you here,  but I'm aware that people vary on that issue)

Cut and paste it into a "deleted scenes" folder.  If it turns out your story needs it,  you can put it back in later. 

[Sherye Story Reader]

try ChatGPT

[spyke]

22 hours ago, CarlAccolla said:

AI is ok for grammatical or spelling issues, or over use of phrases - but it's like telling someone to proof read their second language.

I had a wise English professor when I was in college back in the ancient times when word processors came into common use. She said "Spell check doesn't know the difference between public and pubic. Nothing replaces proofreading to avoid embarrassment." I'm sure the same holds true for AI.

 

[Mikiesboy]

On 5/28/2026 at 7:47 PM, CarlAccolla said:

I’m trying not to edit the life out of my own work, so I’d be interested to know how other people deal with this.

Time is your best friend as a writer.  Write it and don't look back unless you realize you need to foreshadow something or something similar. Don't keep rereading and rereading.  If you have time, the longer you can leave those chapters alone, the better off you'll be. 

Time gives your brain time to 'forget' and you can look at your story with fresh eyes.  I leave my work for at least a month before going back to it. 

Hope that helps. 

Edited 11 hours ago by Mikiesboy

[Krista]

Sometimes you have to sit back and read the whole picture. What you think is clunky, cumbersome or unnecessary hides itself well and actually fits the writing in general. It is just you tunnel visioning on how you have pictured it in your own head. Possibly many different times, and you have a feeling the words don't match the imagining. I suggest taking your hands off the keyboard. You see a typo, cringe and ignore it. Missed punctuation? Keep going and try not to focus on the structure as much. Focus on the message, the scene, the flow of it from start to finish. It may take you reading the chapter before and the chapter after, before something clicks. We've all been there. I do spot edits all the time as I read, re-read, and read it again. Reading my own story grounds me in it, maybe some of your over editing is because you've lost some of your footing with the story, and you might need to reconnect at that spot where you are most comfortable.

You can also over-prune something. 

Edited 10 hours ago by Krista