Why Does Editing Take So Much Effort?

Writing is exciting, where you pour your ideas onto the page. Editing is the meticulous craft of shaping those ideas into their most effective form. Sometimes, the latter can take much more effort.

Why Editing Can Be Harder Than Writing

Writing a first draft feels like unleashing creativity. You get to let your ideas flow freely without worrying too much about mistakes. Editing, however, is a different story. It’s all about refinement.

Editors make hundreds of judgment calls on each page. Should they preserve your unusual phrasing or revise for clarity? When does your creative rule-breaking enhance the work, and when does it confuse readers?

These decisions demand careful consideration. One change can collapse a story, much like a Jenga tower—each move might seem small, but the wrong choice can bring the whole structure crashing down.

Editors also carry the weight of responsibility. They know their work directly impacts the success of your publication. A missed error or poor structural suggestion could harm your reputation or message.

Self-Editing and Its Limitations

If you don’t have the budget, you’re likely looking to self-edit your work. There are advantages, mainly:

• You maintain complete creative control over your manuscript.
• You can make changes on your own time, without anyone else’s input.

However, self-editing has its challenges. It’s hard to view your own writing objectively. Since you know exactly what you meant to say, it can be tough to spot where your meaning might be unclear. Plus, your brain tends to correct errors automatically as you read, so mistakes slip through.

These limitations highlight why professional editing is often preferred, even essential.

Editing as a Collaborative Effort

If you decide to go with professional editing, be prepared for a more complex process. It’s not just about handing off your work and getting it back fixed—it’s a team effort. It’s a back-and-forth process that involves discussing changes and making sure everything aligns with your original vision.

The technical aspects of collaboration add effort too. Tracking changes, managing versions, and ensuring all feedback gets incorporated takes careful organization. When there are multiple voices involved, like from a publishing house, the process becomes even more complicated.

Things like time zone differences, scheduling conflicts, and varying expectations can create additional challenges. It’s a process that all sides need to navigate carefully to ensure everyone’s on the same page.

Other Factors That Make Editing Labor-Intensive

Several additional factors contribute to editing’s demanding nature:

• Tight deadlines. Pressure to meet a deadline makes careful editing harder. Editors must work quickly, which leads to mental fatigue and an increased chance of missing small details.
• Research requirements. Fact-checking, verifying statistics, and ensuring accuracy take time. Editors often need to become temporary experts on a topic to make sure everything is correct.
• Technical challenges. Issues with file formats, annotation systems, or tracking changes can slow down the process. Editors might find themselves working on these obstacles more than the actual content.
• Beyond grammar. Editing isn’t just about fixing grammar mistakes. They also have to consider tone, structure, pacing, and more, which adds more complexity.

Perhaps the most frustrating aspect is that great editing often goes unnoticed. When done well, editing should feel invisible to the reader, creating a smooth, engaging experience.

What to Do While Waiting for Your Finished Edit

After submitting your work to an editor, you’ll face a waiting period. Use this time productively:

• Take a break. Step away from the work for a while. A fresh mind will help you see things more clearly when you return to it.
• Begin work on another project. Outline ideas, conduct research, or draft initial sections. Writing a new piece can be a great way to stay inspired.
• Update your platform. Refresh your website, work on your social media accounts, and engage with your audience.
• Reflect. Think about what worked in the draft and areas where you can improve next time. This reflection will make your next writing project easier.
• Prepare for feedback. Mentally prepare yourself for the editor’s suggestions. Be open to criticism—it’s all about improving your work.

Tips to Make the Editing Process Smoother

You can significantly improve the editing process with these professional practices:

• Self-edit first. Before sending your work to an editor, do a first pass yourself. Catch any obvious errors or areas that need improvement.

• Provide comprehensive project information. Share your target audience, publication goals, and any style guides or brand requirements. The more context your editor has, the better they can serve your specific needs.
• Use editing tools. Tools like grammar checkers or readability analyzers can catch small mistakes and give your editor a head start.
• Ask questions. When you get edits back, review them carefully and ask questions about anything unclear. It’s better to make the changes you agree with now than wait until later, when more work has been built on top of the old version.

Conclusion

Editing is a grind, but it’s one of the most important parts of the writing process. It’s where you transform your draft into something polished and powerful. Remember, the goal is to improve your work, and that’s worth every ounce of effort you and your editor put in.

What do you do when your work is being edited? Share your thoughts below!

If you enjoyed this post, then you might also like:

• The 3 Stages of the Nonfiction Book Editing Process
• What’s the Difference between Revising and Editing?
• Types of Editing: Knowing What You Need When
• Developmental Editing: What to Look For and How to Find the Right Editor