This is a question that many writers ponder, especially when on tight deadlines or with looming word count requirements. The answer, perhaps unsurprisingly, is that it depends. There are many factors that contribute to how much time is spent editing versus writing the initial draft. In this article, we’ll explore the key considerations and attempt to provide some guidance on when editing may take longer than writing.
The experience level of the writer
One of the biggest factors is the skill and experience level of the writer. Beginning writers often spend far more time editing and revising their work than someone who has been writing for many years. An experienced writer has typically developed efficient writing habits and techniques that allow them to produce cleaner first drafts that require less editing. Some major reasons that inexperienced writers take longer editing:
- Lack of outline or plan for structure and flow of ideas
- Struggle finding the right words and phrasing to convey meaning
- Little sense of overall style, tone, or voice
- Prone to verbose or repetitive writing that needs condensing
Meanwhile, an experienced writer might have an intuitive sense for structuring an article efficiently, employing variation in sentence structure, choosing precise vocabulary, and writing concisely. Their greater command over the craft of writing allows their first drafts to require less revision compared to a beginner.
The length and complexity of the piece
Generally, the longer and more complex a writing project is, the more time will be spent editing. A short 500 word article can often be written and revised fairly quickly. But a long 10,000 word eBook or research paper will require much more editing to refine the structure, flow, and content. Some reasons longer projects require more editing:
- Harder to maintain cohesion and logical flow through an entire book versus a short article
- Higher chance of repetition or including extraneous material that needs to be cut
- Multiple chapters or sections to transition smoothly
- Fact checking and accuracy more critical with lengthy technical/research papers
The complexity of the topic also increases editing requirements. An article on a simpler subject generally requires less reworking than one that synthesizes research from many sources or covers an unfamiliar field.
The quality standards and expectations
Higher standards for publication also typically increase editing time compared to more casual writing projects. Pieces intended for wide audiences often go through multiple rounds of editing to meet quality expectations. Some examples include:
- Newspaper/magazine articles – strong hook, tight writing, fact-checked
- Academic journal papers – rigorous methodology, thorough peer-review
- Business/technical documents – precise terminology, accuracy crucial
- Marketing materials – polished, on-brand, maximized impact
When there are elevated standards, tight deadlines, or a lot riding on publication, extra editing time is warranted to hone the work. More surface-level proofreading doesn’t cut it. For professional publishers or companies, thorough editing evaluates nuances like:
- Logical flow of ideas from section to section
- Transitions between paragraphs and concepts
- Sentence structure variation and impact
- Word choice: clarity, meaning, and connotations
- Overall tone, voice, and resonance for intended audience
Meeting high standards often requires multiple editing passes focused on different aspects of the writing. This eats up more time than simply fixing typos and grammar.
The editing skills of the writer
Writers who are less skilled at editing will also tend to spend more time revising their work. Even experienced writers can struggle with objectively self-editing their own writing. It feels very different than editing someone else’s work, and it’s easy to become blind to gaps and opportunities for improvement. Some writers are also simply better at editing – they’ve developed an eye for quickly strengthening weak spots in a manuscript. A few factors that can make someone better at editing include:
- Practical experience editing many pieces
- Strong grasp of methods like reorganizing, cutting, rewriting
- Ability to detach emotionally from writing when editing
- Meticulous attention to detail and mechanics
- Knowledge of grammar rules and editorial guidelines
Just as with writing itself, editing is a skill that improves through commitment and practice over time. Writers who are less practiced or inclined toward editing will slog through it rather than moving nimbly and confidently.
The type of editing being performed
Not all editing is created equal. Some types of editing go much deeper than others and therefore take more time. For example:
- Proofreading – Fixing typos and grammar errors at the surface level.
- Copyediting – Tightening language, improving flow and structure.
- Developmental editing – Assessing ideas, organization, evidence. Major structural changes.
- Fact checking/accuracy edit – Verifying factual statements and sources.
Proofreading is the lightest edit, spotting minor mechanical errors but not making major interventions. On the other end of the spectrum, developmental editing dives deep to shape the essence and architecture of the piece. That naturally requires more time and labor from the editor. Writers who only do light proofreading will clearly spend less time editing than those doing heavy reorganization and rewriting.
The number of total drafts and edits
How many rounds of editing are being performed also impacts the time investment. An editor might do read-throughs focused on different aspects:
- Grammar and mechanics
- Structural organization and flow
- Fact checking and accuracy
- Style consistency and readability
Highly polished published pieces may go through many drafts and edits before being finalized. For example, a book might have an initial structural edit, followed by a detailed line edit focusing on language. Then another sweep just for consistency and style. Finally, a last proofread before publishing. The more layers of edits, the more time clearly required. Whereas a blog post might just get a quick proofread before going live.
Conclusion
In summary, editing often does require more time compared to the initial writing for experienced writers working on lengthy, complex projects with high standards. However, for beginning writers, or simpler short pieces, the writing itself can take longer than polishing the draft. Editing skills, depth of editing, and number of edit passes are also key factors that impact editing time. While the writing process differs for everyone, hopefully these points give some insight into when to budget extra hours for editing versus full draft writing!