![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
jpskewedthroneAnd may I say that the emphasis is on the "internal" in that. I'm certainly not going to be talking about my editor, Sheila Gilbert, who is a spectacular person because she understands me and loves my work. *grin*
Everyone who writes knows about the internal editor. It's that voice inside your head (for most of us) who speaks up at inopportune moments and says things like, "That sucks, you should fix that," or "Didn't you say in chapter 3 that what you're trying to have your main character do here in chapter 17 is impossible?"
Normally, this internal editor is a very good voice to have and I absolutely love my internal editor, especially when he's right. Typically, when the internal editor speaks up, it means you've got a ton of extra work to do, rewriting for the most part, or just stopping right where you are and figuring out where to go since (after checking) yes indeed you did just try to violate your own magical system's rules, or something. The internal editor is great, I love mine, and it should never go away.
However, that internal editor also sucks. Why? Because he cannot be turned off. And this destroys the enjoyment of many, many things. I can't read a book without the internal editor speaking up and pointing out flaws in the writing, if there are any (and every book has flaws, however minor . . . or at least points where the editor says, "they should have done this here instead, it would have been much better," which is alot of personal preference as well). I can't watch a movie without that editor kicking in and pointing out the plot holes or the character inconsistancies. I can't watch a play or see someone dance or gaze upon a piece of art without that internal editor speaking up. I used to be able to just sit down and enjoy those TV shows or movies or whatever, but not anymore.
*sigh*
Would I give up the editor so I can enjoy those shows? HELL NO! I need him to make my writing not suck. But occasionally I'd like to give him a bottle of wine so he'd shut up while I watched that movie. *grin*
Everyone who writes knows about the internal editor. It's that voice inside your head (for most of us) who speaks up at inopportune moments and says things like, "That sucks, you should fix that," or "Didn't you say in chapter 3 that what you're trying to have your main character do here in chapter 17 is impossible?"
Normally, this internal editor is a very good voice to have and I absolutely love my internal editor, especially when he's right. Typically, when the internal editor speaks up, it means you've got a ton of extra work to do, rewriting for the most part, or just stopping right where you are and figuring out where to go since (after checking) yes indeed you did just try to violate your own magical system's rules, or something. The internal editor is great, I love mine, and it should never go away.
However, that internal editor also sucks. Why? Because he cannot be turned off. And this destroys the enjoyment of many, many things. I can't read a book without the internal editor speaking up and pointing out flaws in the writing, if there are any (and every book has flaws, however minor . . . or at least points where the editor says, "they should have done this here instead, it would have been much better," which is alot of personal preference as well). I can't watch a movie without that editor kicking in and pointing out the plot holes or the character inconsistancies. I can't watch a play or see someone dance or gaze upon a piece of art without that internal editor speaking up. I used to be able to just sit down and enjoy those TV shows or movies or whatever, but not anymore.
*sigh*
Would I give up the editor so I can enjoy those shows? HELL NO! I need him to make my writing not suck. But occasionally I'd like to give him a bottle of wine so he'd shut up while I watched that movie. *grin*
