Editing Down versus Editing Up

I learned something new the other day.

Did you know there was such a thing as editing down verses editing up?

Me, neither.

I read an excellent article on Critique Circle called Working with an Editor by John Berkowitz. While his article was focused with the particulars of hiring editorial services, I did take home the value of various types of editing.

Many years ago, I belonged to a critique group. Many of these writers were EDITING UP type of critiquers, focusing on grammar, punctuation and sentence structure, in other words, the minutiae of the story. This type of critiquing worked for this particular group, but the writing I submitted was raw, first draft stuff. Nowhere near ready for this type of critique. They tried to help me, and I tried harder to give them what they needed. Eventually, I left the group. I probably should have left earlier, but everyone was too nice to tell me that we didn't work well together, and I was too obtuse to figure it out on my own.

While this type of critique is beneficial, BUT only at the right time. If you end up deleting 30,000-words because 1) you started at the wrong spot, 2) the plot/characters/story are weak and need serious work and tweaking it simply won't work, or, 3) world-building or structure needs an overhaul, then you have wasted everyone's time and effort.

This type of editing is the last step prior to proofreading before submitting to a publisher (whether self-publishing, searching for an agent, or submitting to a traditional publisher).

On the other hand, I have always known I'm an editing down type of critiquer, though I didn't know this was a thing. I also use this technique to judge writing contest entries. And don't ever ask me to edit for grammar/punctuation, it is NOT my forte.

When I look at someone's writing, I look for flow, big picture items, and the "does this make sense" sort of stuff.

This is also how I approach my own writing.

Recently, I wrote a 1,000-word short fanfic story called "LAST WILD DRAGON", as an homage to the late, great Anne McCaffrey. I'll post it tomorrow.

I look at the big picture flow, then I work on each paragraph, and then individual sentences. I had the added challenge of making this story fit the parameters of a contest:

In 1,000 words or less, write yourself into a scene set in the world of your favorite book!

I think I edited this short about six times, but I still would find weird mistakes, or flow problems. I had one stupid sentence that needed to be in the story, but after tweaking and editing the story so much this sentence didn't fit in the paragraph it had been originally placed.

So I cut it.

Cutting it from the paragraph made the story flow better.

And then, I found a better spot to place the rewritten version of this sentence, not the original sentence as it was written.

Everyone should learn to edit their own work. It's hard. And it doesn't get any easier, but you do learn how to write to engage your reader, to bring them into your world.

Because that is the whole purpose of writing is sharing your story, isn't it?

Write on!