Page proofs for Grace for the Good Girl are due a week from today. And once I turn those in, I won’t see the book again until it’s a book, with a cover and everything. The heavy editing is over, and now we’re in the combing stage. It’s like looking for lice after the lice scare is over – you know they’re all gone, but any minute you might find one. That’s gross. I’m sorry. Go ahead, throw out your breakfast. You can eat tomorrow.
The Nester wrote a post yesterday called How to Edit a Room. Basically, she clears out everything smaller than a football and leaves only the big stuff. Then she sits in her newly quieted room and takes note of how it feels. She only adds back the stuff that has purpose, is loved, and is beautiful. She says it much better and Nester-ish than me so you’ll have to read the post.
Some of her advice on editing a room you can obviously apply to editing your writing, namely to take out all the stuff you don’t love. As I’m working on my second book, I’m trying to leave out all the parts someone would skip. It’s forcing me to be brave and trust the reader. If I put it in there, it has to be important and worth it. Such is the way of editing – we add, delete, correct, condense, re-shape, clean up, and make better. And I can’t help but let editing float over to so many other areas.
Schedule. I’m in a busy season right now. There are lots of things to be done and I simply can’t say no to some of them. If I sit in front of my calendar too long, my breathing gets shallow and my heart speeds up because I realize that I’ve already said no to the non-essentials and my schedule is still so full. And so editing my schedule looks like shifting my eyes from the burden of my calendar to the easy, light-load living of Jesus.
Fears. When I turn off phones and TVs and machines at the end of the day, that’s when the fears I’ve been living with seem to show themselves. I want to be relentless with these. Skip them. Be brave. Take them out.
Thoughts. We can control what we think about, and this is our first line of defense when it comes to editing our fears. Thoughts come fast and furious, but they only come one at a time. I can filter my thoughts through the screen of true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent, or praiseworthy. If it doesn’t fit in one of those categories, I’m free to get rid of it.
Inhibitions. As our thoughts are edited down to the true and the pure and the excellent, our inhibitions will edit themselves. Let your unnatural and uncomfortable self fall away to the cutting room floor, and allow yourself to move freely and create liberally with an eye for beauty and a heart bent brave toward adventure.
Thanks Nester for encouraging me to think about the big umbrella of editing. Are there any other areas significant in your life right now that could use some red pen action?
I love this (and I loved Nester’s post yesterday, too). It’s tricky – I find myself too far on either end of the spectrum – too much or not enough. So many words rattling around, so I choose none. Too much stuff so I want to get rid of it all. It’s easier than really having to think, face, and put forth the nitty gritty of it all and choose what is really right there that I love and want to express.
I love this line:
“Let your unnatural and uncomfortable self fall away to the cutting room floor, and allow yourself to move freely and create liberally with an eye for beauty and a heart bent brave toward adventure.”
for someone who doesn’t want to blog anymore you sure do have some fabulous thoughts left to share. keep going. we all need you!!
Emily, the exact same line stood out to me, too. And I totally understand what it feels like to have so many words that I choose none. Being willing to hunker down and do the work – the editing, if you will – is always the challenge.
Imperfect´s last [type] ..But Even If He Did Not
I do the same thing – all or nothing editing. And thanks – every time I finish a post I think “There. That’s all I have to say. I’m done writing forever.” But then the next day comes and I have just one more post in me. We’ll see how long that goes
Emily´s last [type] ..on editing
Oh definitely fears and thoughts! I have to submit these things to God more than once a day.
Angela @ Homegrown Mom´s last [type] ..Prairie Primer Giveaway!
it’s so much easier for me to remove the extra candle on the table or take out another “smaller than a football” thingy than to effectively tweek how i’m spending my time.
if i could only “quiet” my time as easily as i quiet my home!
i love the comparison!
paige´s last [type] ..four roses & free time
Oh Paige, I’m so there with you today. My soul feels cluttered up and crowded. If only I could just put my soul clutter in the Good will pile!
Emily´s last [type] ..on editing
So good, so nice, so true, so something I need to sit down and examine within myself. Thanks (and pass it along to the nester, if you want) for this post. I must go and be introspective now. Have a great Wednesday!
Mariah´s last [type] ..I think its a Haiku
This goes along with editing thoughts. I am editing my insecurities. It seems I am much more afraid of what someone *might* think of me than what someone *really does think.* This doesn’t mean that after I edit my insecurities that there are some that are allowed to stay, but that if I uncover something that might actually be true, I can examine it and work on bettering myself as a result of it. But I am finding that the majority or insecure thoughts run the range from the untrue and unfounded to the ridiculous. Many are just a lie from the evil one.
Jenn@ Spejory´s last [type] ..Books books books!
Well, I’m going to go the literal route here. I wrote a whole chapter last week and with every word, it felt less and less essential. Like a boring means to an end. It haunted me. OK, maybe that’s a bit dramatic, but it really did bug me.
I really like what you said about editing our thoughts. “I’m free to get rid of it.” A-to-the-Men.
Flower Patch Farmgirl´s last [type] ..The Magazine Heart – Spring Edition
“Haunting” is absolutely the right word, I think. I have a whole book haunting me right now – this book for teen girls is just not right. Yet.
Emily´s last [type] ..on editing
I love reading your posts about writing – they inspire me to write (which is a good thing, because I’ve had to write a lot of papers for Seminary this semester). I also love your transparency about your emotional state as you work through the writing, and the fact that you’re so down to earth about the whole process. May you see God’s hand at work during this week giving you the time, energy and mental clarity to get the editing done!
I’m a newbie to your blog…I LOVE IT!! Very excited about your book coming in September! Thank you so much for taking the time to share such nuggets of wisdom with us all. It is very much appreciated!
You’re welcome, Cherith! So glad you found us here.
emily freeman´s last [type] ..on editing
I love your pairing of being brave and editing. That it takes courage to live (and write) with just the necessary, without the fluff and excess. To be able to “move freely and create liberally with an eye for beauty and a heart bent brave…” Rich, tremendous words. Thank you for the boost, the energy you share with us.
Maureen´s last [type] ..Control Tower
We edit our homes, our schedules, and maybe even our relationships.
I was thinking that maybe right now…God is editing me.
that’ll preach.
Emily´s last [type] ..on editing
I’ve got some serious editing work needing to be done in my life right now. You’ve given me much to think about today.
Jamie @ Six Bricks High´s last [type] ..About food- a book- and the fear of failure
Nester’s post really resonated with me because I can so relate to anything that involves “editing.” And now you’ve expressed beautifully how that transfers to all areas of life. One thing I’ve noticed recently is that if I don’t edit all areas of my life from time to time I feel cluttered and chaotic and the art doesn’t come. It all simply becomes work and work is not nearly as fun as creating art!
Bonita´s last [type] ..Boss That Clock!
I am soon approaching cleaning and rearranging my living room so your sharing of editing the room was just what I needed. and editing other things I carry around within me, too. great thoughts today!
I need to edit my internet time. Blogging itself is not even the problem. It’s running around from Facebook, to Twitter, to email 5 times an hour. I need to really manage that better and stick to specific times in the day to check and leave it alone the rest of the time.
Thank you for drawing this out. I did read Nester’s post yesterday. I loved her statement about “you don’t even have to move your husband…” Seemed fitting and funny.
Her first picture was neat because the first time I saw it, I missed her dog camouflaged in the background!
Anyways, it didn’t apply to me as a decorator since I really don’t keep too much stuff in my house as it is. But it can certainly apply to other ares of my life. You drew that out here very well.
Christin´s last [type] ..Day 3 10 Ways to Give Life to Your Home 31 Days to Clean
I have so much to do with a wedding in the family this week, but I can never resist a quick visit here. I am always rewarded. Your writing has been just brilliant in recent weeks Emily (and it was so good before!). For me it is all the nagging cares and worries He tells me over and over again to give to Him. I do….but then I run back and pick them up again as though He really isn’t capable or interested enough. I need to edit these worries out and insert faith.
Thank you so very much for this.
Linda´s last [type] ..Wedding Week
I love this too! With any writing that i do, I sometimes write a whole bunch of nothin and then delete, delete, delete. I have a bad habit of writing from my head the first time around. Then, I have the heavy editing. That’s a lot of deleting. Then, the combing. I love the way you described it. Even if it was lice. ha ha!
xoxo, cat
cat moore´s last [type] ..Praise You In This Storm
Loved The Nester’s post on editing, and love the additional application here. Thanks for the great insight! Can’t help but think that as we edit ourselves into the “quiet” we are more able to be aware of and available for how the Lord wants to rearrange us…
Emily G.´s last [type] ..Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie
Call me crazy, but I think you’ve had a third book coming out of the shadows lately in spite of yourself. You are gifted and a gift.
Lisa´s last [type] ..dis·cern·ment
Well maybe you’re right. *wink*
Emily´s last [type] ..on editing
Yes to everything Lisa said!
Kristen-Chasing Blue Skies´s last [type] ..When You Feel Life Swirling
I wanna hear more about the easy, light-load living of Jesus…I guess I’ll buy the book!
Meg´s last [type] ..The Girls Space
I love the flow and beauty of your writing! I’ve been reading your blog for a while but thought I would finally pipe up and say how much I enjoy reading your words. I especially loved the love in the morning and faithfulness at night posts. I found myself thinking on God’s love in the morning and faithfulness in the night- such good, sweet things to dwell on (I could read a whole book like that… hint hint:))
Can’t wait to read your book! Thanks for sharing!
I love your ‘hint hint’. So funny. And thank you for your kind words. I’m so glad you’ve enjoyed your time here!
Emily´s last [type] ..on editing
I love to write. Even though my “writings” are just short paragraphs, I know that I need to get better at taking out the stuff that just isn’t good enough. I feel like the way I write doesn’t attract people sometimes, and its hard to take out the things that aren’t absoultely necessary. Congratulations your accomplishment. You are a fantastic writer.
A few weeks ago, you mentioned that you were working on a book for teen girls. I happen to be a teen girl and I was wondering what specifically the book was about…unless it’s top secret
I appreciate that you do these posts, even though your schedule is very full … because I really enjoy them….. even though I am just now getting to read it at 10:50pm. Work, water plants, exercise, dinner, laundry and then I get to read your blog.
I have such an unhealthy fear of lice! It’s probably not the lice I fear, just the thousands of loads of laundry that come with the ridding of the lice. I itch just thinking of it.
My favorite place to be is in the “the easy, light-load living of Jesus.”
Tracey´s last [type] ..13 years ago today
Yes! This post is so inspiring to me! I definitely need to daily submit especially my thoughts and fears to God for daily editing!
Great post! I’m looking to cut away the striving…. striving to be loved by all, accepted by all, cherished by all. Ultimately those who are true do care and the One who matters the most certainly cherishes me. If I edit out all the striving I will be a much happier, healthier me. Thanks for the great post! It brought me back to this truth…
“Am I now trying to win the approval of human beings, or of God? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ.”- Galatians 1:10
Monique´s last [type] ..The Royal Wedding
Such wise words, Emily — all so true. I’ll never forget my best friend’s comment when she was critiqueing an early version of my manuscript. She told she “put it down and was having trouble picking it back up again” when she had gotten to a certain part. I pretended I wasn’t mad at her for saying that — it was kind of harsh! But in the end she was dead-on right (that section later hit the cutting room floor!). And I am so grateful that she had the courage to tell me.
Michelle DeRusha@Graceful´s last [type] ..Sowing Seeds
This is what I’ve been missing in cleaning out my home. “Then she sits in her newly quieted room and takes note of how it feels. She only adds back the stuff that has purpose, is loved, and is beautiful.” Purpose for the refilling. What am I going for?? It’s a great idea and now I’m going to put a little elbow grease into it around my own house!
Laurie Wallin´s last [type] ..The StepMoms Toolbox- An Interview With Peggy Nolan
Happy Mother’s to all moms,almost-moms,and for thoe of you blessed to have your mothers,hope u can spend the day&Njoy
came here b/c i was thinking of you and of tuesdays unwrapped and how much that taught me that it’s ok to slow down and to look around and appreciate the (many) little God gifts i’ve been given. and then i started missing you-being here and reading your words.
can’t wait for your book. i need grace.
and Lord, i hope i can still be considered a good girl!
i heard this saying and loved it, and it seems appropriate to your post: consider the thoughts you think like the clothes you put on – every day.
xo
patty´s last [type] ..Being Readied
I’d like to edit the expectations out of my life. They weigh me down and fester into disappointment. I’m pulling out the red pen.
Esther Feng´s last [type] ..When Its Hard to Keep Your Eyes on Jesus
i read Nester’s post the other day and loved what she shared~ getting ready to finally move all our stuff from the states to our new home in canada in a few wks. i needed to take those mental notes. and again. here! though editing my STUFF can seem easier than editing my BRAIN!!
but i think the latter is most important, for peace in my heart AND my home.
happy mother’s day emily dear~
grace.to.be´s last [type] ..Thursday- May 05- 2011
I love the Nester’s philosophy of decorating. Oh my goodness! It truly can fit in so many areas of life
Jenny´s last [type] ..Motherhood I Heart Faces Challenge
Hello from a long time lurker! Love this post, love all of your writing….have a frivolous question for you – wondering what color yellow your walls are painted in these pics? I think I have eleventy million yellow paint sample chips and still haven’t found the one!