Welcome to my digital writing journal, or mydigitalclutter. What started as a family blog almost two years ago has morphed into my writing therapy. This is where I do a lot of free writing, mostly about my life with my family and the things that catch my interest. While nowhere even close to perfect, in each post I like to see how my writing is changing with time and practice. Most posts are left unedited for this reason, so if you don't mind, take the journey with me.

Wednesday, October 21, 2009

Editing


I spent a little time today working on my essay that I may submit to Segullah, and spent much more time editing it than I did when I wrote it.  This is my first pass and will do a couple of more before I feel that I am ready for someone to read it with a critical eye.  I don't know why I am so nervous.  I write unedited here, so why am I so worried about the reaction to an edited, finely polished work?

I tend to write things digitally, aka, via word processing programs on my computer.  Don't get me wrong, I love my Moleskine and fine tip pen, as many already know, but as I have looked at my essay, I get a kick out of the red hash marks and balloons that populate the pages now because of the "Track Changes" option in my program.  There are words crossed out, paragraphs added, and truth be told, almost 1,000 more words than what I started with during my lunch hour.  We will see how long that lasts, as I take a quick break to work, and do other important things.  When I revisit it again with fresh eyes, I am sure there will be more words that are cut from the body of the essay and paragraphs rearranged.

Editing is a trial, one that I've avoided for quite some time.  I'm sure that is a reason I don't edit my posts here, with the excuse that I'm 'monitoring my progress'.  I just don't enjoy getting in and mutilating the words that have poured from my fingers.  I'm not someone who thinks of her words as children, and for that reason, is loathe to remove them; I am just not akin to do it because it scares me.  I don't like to see the word count go down and know in my heart that there is something I need to do to replace it.  What if there is never anything that inspires me to fill it again?

I am writing about my children, so that doesn't help.  To me they are my world, and so I am quite biased and unable to see past the content.  But, edit I will.  I will hash, cut, and rearrange until the body that wasn't proportionate, is symmetric and beautiful, and then I will offer it with trembling hands for the perusal of others. 

*Thank you Google for the image*

5 Lovely Scribbles to Me:

Diane said...

Have fun.... I think.....

Hope it goes smoothly for you and it turns out great! :O)

Cluttered Brain said...

Do YOU need a writing group? Maybe you coud join the online writing group that I am in. Let me know ok?

Lisa said...

Freewriting is from the heart. When we have to go back and do massive edits, it becomes mechanical.

Elana Johnson said...

I've written both on my computer and by hand. And I'm not afraid to edit, cut, slash, or add to. I think it's all part of the process.

* said...

If it helps any, know that I haven't heard back from Segullah yet and that was the end of Aug. submission date.

After nail biting through editing (which I did for the many months it took me to write that one essay, even up until right before submitting it), the nail biting continues until you actually hear a peep back...which could take months.

Just know in any case, you're not alone. ;)

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