It’s been a while since I joined in Colleen’s Writer’s Quote Wednesday & Ronovan’s BeWow. I have a pretty good excuse as I have been editing my manuscript getting it ready for self publishing. With that in mind I’d like to do some quotes about this process. Editing is the hardest part of writing for me, the ideas flow fairly easily whilst getting the story down on paper but the editing is fraught with difficulties.
“There Are Two Typos Of People In This World: Those Who Can Edit And Those Who Can’t”
― Jarod Kintz, There are Two Typos of People in This World: Those Who Can Edit and Those Who Can’t
Perhaps that’s me! I’m that typo person….
I just find it so time consuming. A prison of my own neuroticism so to speak:
“While writing is like a joyful release, editing is a prison where the bars are my former intentions and the abusive warden my own neuroticism.”
― Tiffany Madison
It gets to the stage when I just don’t want to look at my work any more, I’ve had enough, my heart is bleeding, and I’m leaping over the precipice…
“Edit your manuscript until your fingers bleed and you have memorized every last word. Then, when you are certain you are on the verge of insanity…edit one more time!”
― C.K. Webb
Don’t even begin to mention the word grammar to me…. this one will make you laugh!
“Making love to me is amazing. Wait, I meant: making love, to me, is amazing. The absence of two little commas nearly transformed me into a sex god.
”
― Dark Jar Tin Zoo, Love Quotes for the Ages. Specifically Ages 19-91.
Sometimes you get to the point when you are doing more harm than good. Your stories start to play hide and seek with you.
I edit my own stories to death. They eventually run and hide from me.”
― Jeanne Voelker
And never mind editing in your pyjamas it can have unknown effects on your underwear.
“Writing without revising is the literary equivalent of waltzing gaily out of the house in your underwear.”
― Patricia Fuller
I’m not sure about this breeding lark, Dr. Seuss really must have been in the grips of editing torment when he wrote this:
“So the writer who breeds more words than he needs, is making a chore for the reader who reads.”
― Dr. Seuss
Yes, its making me want to kill someone… those words on the page are about to be machine gunned…
Kill your darlings, kill your darlings, even when it breaks your egocentric little scribbler’s heart, kill your darlings.”
― Stephen King, On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft
So today I’m taking a well deserved break, phew, and sharing some wonderful quotes with you about editing from some incredible authors, because I need that little spur to keep on going…. to push through the pain…
My favourite has to be this wonderful quote from Stephen King:
“When you write a book, you spend day after day scanning and identifying the trees. When you’re done, you have to step back and look at the forest.”
― Stephen King, On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft
My forest is beginning to appear… it sure looks different than when I started!
![be-wow-blogger-image[1]](https://i0.wp.com/mjmallon.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/be-wow-blogger-image1.jpg?resize=450%2C150&ssl=1)
I do hope that these wonderful quotes will inspire you to push through the editing process to reach your final goal, if like me you are editing your manuscript.. Keep on going…. big smiles…
Do join in with Colleen’s WQW and Ronovan’s BeWow here are their links:
http://silverthreading.com/2016/02/24/writersquotewednesday-bewow-victor-hugo/
https://ronovanwrites.wordpress.com/2016/02/24/10-respect-quotes/
Bye for now, hope you liked my trio of trees that I photographed and edited from my previous post. Yes, even photos have to be edited sometimes….
https://www.instagram.com/kyrosmagica/
Marje @ Kyrosmagica xx
LOL Enjoyed reading this typo theory.
I kind of liked the typo too. 🙂 Thanks…
Reblogged this on Meredith's Reveries.
Marje, great set of quotes and I’m a big fan of Stephen King’s ‘On Writing’ but never seen this quote before – brilliant and set against such an atmospheric photograph. I’m so happy for you that you’re beginning to see your forest. I’m soon setting to edit mine – this is both inspirational and daunting!
Glad you enjoyed them Annika. About to edit too – good luck let me know how you get on.
I am right there with you. On my (hopefully) last draft and i put it off for sooo long. I am the typo queen and that’s not even my worst writing sin.
Oh, good luck with your editing…thanks for commenting.. 🙂
I am a typo kind of a person too Marje. I loved those quotes! 🙂
Thanks Judy so pleased that you enjoyed the quotes too!
Love the quote by Stephen King. It’s so true. Like you, I have a hard time with editing. I don’t think any writer is going to tell you that the best part of writing is editing. That being said, I find joy in the thought that once the editing is done my book will be all the better for it. 😉 I just got through the editing process for the first installment of my Fantasy Angels Series and I’m in the middle of writing the second book in the series. I’m having a great time right now––not looking forward to the editing phase though.
Yes I’m holding on to that thought Vashti – once it’s done it will be all the better for it. Good luck with your writing/editing of your Fantasy Angel Series, how exciting. 🙂
Thank you, Marge. Good luck with your editing process. All the best!
Thank you Vashti. All the best to you too…
Marje, I have missed you and your wonderful collection of quotes. Thanks so much for all of them. The last one by Stephen King is amazing! I did laugh about the one that says don’t edit in your pj’s! I bought a collection of dressing gowns (soft fleecy ones) and when I write that is what I wear. I want to be comfy! LOL! It is such a joy seeing you again! <3
Ah thank you so much Colleen, that’s so sweet of you. It’s lovely to share some quotes for WQW, particularly on this topic! I love to be comfy when I’m writing too, pj’s and a dressing gown are a must.. :))
I am sure comfy writing like that. You don’t want to restrict the flow of words! LOL! <3
No or get indigestion from a tight waistband!
Ha, Ha! That too! 😀
You transformed a somewhat painful process into entertainment 🙂 I can relate even from my much smaller scale efforts. I was admiring your quote on the trees–it worked out well!
Janice that’s so lovely of you. I have a bit of a fondness for photographing trees so Stephen King’s quote really attracted me.
Excellent quotes – some that I haven’t read before 🙂
The typo theory quote made me chuckle. Thanks for sharing that! As a matter of fact, thanks for sharing all these quotes. There were a lot here I wasn’t familiar with.
Thanks, I enjoyed this one lots!
Really enjoyed these quotes, Marje! But you know, I actually really love editing! I don’t know anyone else who does…
My goodness that’s extraordinary it must be all those extra cups of coffee that you drink giving you the edge… Must try!!
Lol! Haha Marje! Maybe it is! 😀😂😄
Here you go… ☕🍵☕🍵 That should set you up for the day! 😂
Ha Ha!! Just what I needed Ali… 🙂
Excellen list Marje. I’m off to murder the offspring!
Glad you enjoyed… !!
These are wonderful quotes Marje. I relate to all of them! Revisions and editing…grrrrrrrr!! Loved your photograph with the SK quote and so true. So glad your forest is taking shape; mine too, but I’ve still got a lot of trees to identify 🙂 Keep going Marje, we can do this! Hugs xx
Thanks for the encouragement Sherri, and glad your trees are starting to take identifiable shape too! Keep up the good work Sherri! hugs. xx
Thanks Marje, and you’re very welcome. We encourage one another! Phew 🙂 Hugs back to you…and we’ll both keep on keeping on 🙂 xxx
These are really good.
Thank you so much.:)
My pleasure.
I’m about to enter the editing stage and I’ve been avoiding it. I think I’ll just send it to an editor and have them muddle through it.
I have someone looking through my manuscript at the moment but it is taking a long time, I thought I might reach out and ask for beta readers….
I have thought of that too.
I think this is another cause for procrastination… decision making is not my forte!
I must admit I’ve been dragging my heels too.