Returning to Writing

I started 2023 on a productivity roll: well into rewrites of my work in progress, committed to blogging, getting into a groove on Bookstagram, and more.

Most joyfully of all, my husband and I are also expecting a baby boy! With the onset of morning sickness, away went all that productivity.

Slowly this spring I got my energy back and finished my rewrite. This summer, I printed out the manuscript and began line-editing each chapter. I’ve been documenting the process on TikTok. This practice has bred more thoughts about writing than a short form video can contain, so I’m turning to my blog to document more thoughts as I go.

Although I’m now on the 4th or 5th draft of this project, this is the first time I’m taking this pen-on-paper approach to editing. Already it has proven fruitful:

• I’m reading every single word, not glossing over lines as I scroll down the page.

• I’ve been reading some sections aloud.

• I have a color-coded pen system: red for removing, blue for grammar/formatting changes, purple for continuity questions, and (my favorite) green for parts I’m proud of.

Writer friends, whether you’re working on a laptop or on paper, I can’t recommend that last note enough. Editing is in many ways a series of confronting hard truths, but it can also be a celebration of your work. It’s important to remember the facets of the story that keep you coming back day in and day out.

That’s it for today. I plan to update at least a few times a week — welcome to the journey!