QTN:
Every time I sit down to edit my stories, I keep changing it. Sometimes they change so much that I feel like I lost the main thrill of the story. How can I tell how much editing is enough and when it's time to stop?

ANS:
Let me say at the outset that I think it's really good that you are making revision such a priority - even if it sounds like you might not be going about it quite the right way! The truth is, far too many writers choose to send out their work without putting in the labour required to polish it until it shines. Not only is that disrespectful to readers, it is also unlikely to win them many fans. Most of the time, good writing involves so much revision that it might as well be called “re-writing”. As Seth Godin says, “The first step is to say it poorly. And then say it again and again and again until you're able to edit your words into something that works.”

Nevertheless, learning when to let go of the story is more of an art than a science, and it can take time to find the right balance. Partly, it depends on whether your writing style is that of a “plotter” or a “pantser” - namely, whether you plan out the story before you start writing, or whether you decide to do the whole thing spontaneously. Most of us are somewhere in between. But if you are a pantser, and prefer to make up the story as you go along, revision can be challenging in terms of retaining the flow of the story.

One thing that might help is to think through the plot structure of your story very carefully, determining how much time and space you want to give to each segment. Develop a clear picture in your head of how the structure should look, and how the story is divided into sections. You can then revisit your story critically, looking at it from the perspective of the structure you have developed, and decide where you might need to flesh something out, or trim it down.

Another approach would be to sit down and read your story through from beginning to end, without being drawn into making changes while you are reading. Keep a piece of paper nearby, and jot down new ideas for changes. But don't give in to the temptation of beginning the revisions immediately. Once you have read through the story, you will have a clearer idea of how to tighten the plot structure and to make the story flow more smoothly. You can then start revising, referring to your list of possible alterations.

But the truth is, there comes a point when you just have to accept that a story is finished (even though, if you are like me, a reluctant perfectionist, you may never feel that it's ready!) Otherwise you can spend your entire life working on one story, which would be a terrible waste - even if you wrote the world's greatest story. So take a step back, and decide when you can bear to hand over this story to its reader. Remember, you can always revisit it in a year's time. So the question becomes whether it is good enough, not whether it is perfect. And if the answer is “yes”, then - like every worried parent - you must let your child go and watch anxiously while she makes her own way in the world!

Queries on writing may be sent to Farah Ghuznavi [email protected]