On Writing and Editing and Procrastination

I talked to a friend the other day and found her in the process of making tomato sauce. “I haven’t made tomato sauce in years,” I said. “Not since someone gave me an excess of tomatoes one summer.”

“Well, it was either this or edit the book I’m working on,” she said.

She preferred making tomato sauce to editing? That wouldn’t have been my choice. I generally enjoy editing. So I left our conversation feeling superior to my friend—I would never procrastinate on my work to make tomato sauce.

But then, two days later, I found myself doing laundry instead of drafting my novel. I’d outlined the next few scenes I was supposed to write, but when I sat at my computer, my outline didn’t make any sense. What did I mean that the scene was supposed to show Ruth (one of my characters) becoming upset? Why would Ruth be upset—she should be happy in her current circumstances?

So I abandoned my laptop and went to eat lunch. Then I folded the laundry fresh out of the dryer. The clothes could have waited until evening in the laundry basket, but at least I felt like I was doing something productive. Because I wouldn’t be productive staring at the blank computer screen.

As I folded clothes, I remembered my friend delaying her editing project. It’s not the same thing at all, I told myself. Editing is easy. I have to fill up a blank page. I’m writing a first draft—that’s much harder. I tried to justify my own procrastination.

But other times came to mind also, times when I’d procrastinated over editing my books. Why had I procrastinated then?

• Because I knew something was wrong in my novel and I didn’t know what.
• Because beta readers had given me some feedback that pointed out errors and implausibilities and awkward plot turns.
• Because the book was 20,000 words too long, and I needed to cut chunks out and that would be hard.
• Or because I simply threw an internal tantrum and refused to deal with the problems in my manuscript. (For more on my past procrastination, see here and here.)

I could think of several reasons why editing is sometimes even harder than the first draft.

But it’s all right, I told myself while folding that laundry. Lots of people tell writers to put their work aside for a bit, to let their subconscious deal with the problem. Sooner or later, the answer will come.

And it did. But not for a while.

First, I drafted this post.

And then I drafted another post.

And finally, that evening, I was able to turn back to my blank page and write a chapter in my novel.

It’s only a rough draft. A very rough draft.

But it’s something. Words to read through on another day. Words to send to my critique group. Words I can edit and polish and throw another hissy fit over on some future date. Until ultimately at least some of those words make it into a published novel.

I hope.

My book will get done. Not as soon as I like, but someday. After all, I’m a writer. Writers write.

So yes, I’ve put off both first drafts and editing work in my writing years. And I’m sure I will do it again in the future. I’m no better than my friend.

Writers, which do you like better—writing first drafts or editing? Why do you procrastinate on either?