Editing 104: Why to Consider Architectural Editing

After the last post, a question was posed: why should we consider doing it this way? Today, I want to spend some time answering that question with examples from the last discussion.

My first answer is that we all have finite space in our brains for what we can think about at one time. I have gradually moved toward more architectural writing styles because I don’t have the ability to hold everything in my head at once. As I write a chapter, I consider: Is the character behaving the way I need for the current character arc? Are they showing the right amount of stress without overdoing it? Is their reaction to Character ABC appropriate for the relationship arc I want? Has Plot A moved forward as planned? Did Plot B get mentioned in the way I intended? Am I conveying the right theme?

If I had to remember all of this simultaneously, something would inevitably get overlooked. Similarly, when I edit, if I don’t recall everything I’m supposed to be doing in a chapter, I might accidentally leave something out or change it unintentionally. In short, my intellectual limitations require me to be so structured, allowing me to focus on one or two things at a time and do them better.

“What if I have moments of inspiration and really want to change XYZ?” Go for it. You are the author, but you need to understand how that change will affect the rest of the chapters.

Early in the writing process, we may need to create 3-5 chapters in detail before realizing, “Oh, that’s what Character A sounds like.” We might have had it wrong in our outlines and need to go back to fix it. The same thing happens in editing, where you can hear the evolution of your characters on the page. Sometimes, you have to go back and tweak, and there’s nothing wrong with that.

Let’s look at an example from a book set in a post-apocalyptic Fallen Earth.

I have a main character, Dustin, who is a down-on-his-luck soldier who went AWOL and is trying to make a living as a mercenary. I have his friend and commanding officer in the mix. I need to introduce the world, some of the magic of the setting, and at least one conflict.

Plot A: Main conflict

Main character A: Dustin

Best friend: Booker

World Building: What kind of magic exists? When is this taking place?

I’m writing down what I’ve already written, so this is the editing outline after a rough draft read-through:

	Dustin	Main conflict	Booker	World Build
Chapter 1	- Dustin as a soldier introduced. - Dustin as a drunk introduced - Establish him as unreliable.	- A off screen big bad has been terrorizing the local city	- Shown as a friend to Dustin but also his commanding officer - Establish him as tolerant	- Mentions of magic, clear references shown to a destroyed America.

Pretty straightforward. When I jot down Chapter 2, I find this:

	Dustin	Main conflict	Booker	World Build
Chapter 2	- Establish Dustin as likable by remembering people and their hobbies.	- Show Dustin on duty, interacting with local citizens	Not in this chapter	- Demonstrate modes of travel in the post apocalypse.   - Show Dustin interact with some kids who could accidently trigger magic. Show how magic works.

In this first draft, the item “Establish Dustin as likable by remembering people and their hobbies” was independent of “Show Dustin interacting with some kids who could accidentally trigger magic. Show how magic works.” This was a waste of space. I realized this as soon as I saw it, so I made a note in my edit:

	Dustin	Main conflict	Booker	World Build
Chapter 2	- Establish Dustin as likable by remembering people and their hobbies.   - Have the children he interacts with be kids who know him and he has told them to be careful before.	- Show Dustin on duty, interacting with local citizens	Not in this chapter	- Demonstrate modes of travel in the post apocalypse.   - Show Dustin interact with some kids who could accidently trigger magic. Show how magic works.

Now I know I can remove an interaction with some adults and shift the recognition and “good guy” nature over to the same interaction that shows how magic works. Now both elements have context, and we accomplish two things with one action.

In the same chapters during the first draft, I didn’t have a character who later became pivotal—a kind of sidekick to Dustin. I had to add:

	Dustin	Keddrick
Chapter 1	- Dustin as a soldier introduced. - Dustin as a drunk introduced - Establish him as unreliable. - Show him briefly interact with Keddrick. Establish how they know one another.	- Show Keddrick as a young kid, naïve and looking up to the oldest soldier in the crew, Dustin, despite his flaws.
Chapter 2:	- Establish Dustin as likable by remembering people and their hobbies.  - Have the children he interacts with be kids who know him and he has told them to be careful before.	Not in this chapter
Chapter 3	- Dustin interrupts a drunken brawl at high noon.	- Keddrick comes up on the tail end of the brawl, and further idolizes Dustin, and helps him arrest some of the combatants.

Etc. I had to further introduce this character’s thread throughout the entire story because I needed a counterpoint and his role later in Chapter 15.

I wouldn’t be able to add an entire character seamlessly without a narrative structure because I would forget where different characters should think of them at times, or where they are at other times without reminding myself. The scaffolding behind the writing is not intended to stifle creativity, but to enable it.

The single most important part of editing is that you need to have something to edit. Remember, first and foremost, that writers write. So, if you’re working on your first draft, get back to it. If you’re editing, keep moving forward.

Next up, Editing 105: “I Made a BIG Mistake.”