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Q&A How to survive editing

You have already identified the plot as your main problem. As long as the plot remains unfixed, you feel no motivation for fixing the rest. As you have discovered, you can NOT fix the plot just b...

posted 6y ago by Stig Hemmer‭  ·  last activity 5y ago by System‭

Answer
#3: Attribution notice added by user avatar System‭ · 2019-12-08T09:18:47Z (about 5 years ago)
Source: https://writers.stackexchange.com/a/37451
License name: CC BY-SA 3.0
License URL: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/
#2: Initial revision by user avatar Stig Hemmer‭ · 2019-12-08T09:18:47Z (about 5 years ago)
You have already identified the plot as your main problem. As long as the plot remains unfixed, you feel no motivation for fixing the rest.

As you have discovered, you can _NOT_ fix the plot just by staring at the text. The problem isn't confined to single sentences and paragraphs that can be fixed in isolation, but is rather that the different parts of the text doesn't fit together.

You need to close the editor, lean back, and think. I don't know how you do your best thinking, maybe you need a hammock, maybe you need a whiteboard. You know yourself best.

One important part of thinking is _no distractions_. Internet-connected computers are _horrible_ for that. It is so easy to just pop by Stackexchange or somewhere else. Just say no to that.

You have made a list of plot problems. Good. Select one problem and focus on that.

Any plot problem is that Part A doesn't fit with Part B. A setup that doesn't match its resolution, a character that seems different from one part to another, etc.

It is easy to think "Part B is bad because I have already established Part A." It can be useful to turn that on its head and say "Part A is bad because it doesn't set up properly for part B." This can open your mind to other solutions.

Possible solutions are to remove either part, or to change one or both of them. Or perhaps you need something new elsewhere to make things work out. Since I don't know your exact problems, I cannot say more.

Once you have worked out in broad strokes how to solve the problem, it is time to open the editor again and start editing. Remove what should be removed. Change what should be changed. Add what should be added. Problem solved, on to the next.

The plot will never be perfect. It is important find a point where you say "Good enough" and move on. Then it is time to look at the other problems with style and spelling and whatnot.

Good Luck!

#1: Imported from external source by user avatar System‭ · 2018-07-05T08:34:10Z (over 6 years ago)
Original score: 4