Play: The Editing Strategy for When You’re Banging Your Head Against the Wall
We’re all familiar with how fun writing prompts can be when we have writer’s block. But we rarely talk about “editor’s block”: when you know something’s not working but feel trapped in a cage of your own words. Here you’ll find a new creative editing exercise each month to get that red ink flowing!
PS: If you want writing prompts as well, I highly recommend Moira King’s prompt book, Short Order!
This month’s prompt: Choose a character whose voice sounds too similar to another character’s. Rewrite a chapter of their dialogue in the voice of someone you can’t stand. What do you learn about their cadence, word choices, and filler word use? How does that reflect their personality? How you view them? Now go back to your character and reassess what unique quirks they might have in their “real” voice.
Archive:
July 2026:
Identify a scene of interpersonal conflict that’s falling flat. Rewrite the scene so the characters are only allowed to fight about something other than what the conflict is truly about. How does pulling the conflict below the surface allow new vulnerabilities and behaviors to show?
June 2026:
Choose a chapter that doesn’t have a clear arc. Take two pages and rewrite them as a one paragraph summary. Be specific. How does changing the pace change the arc?
May 2026:
Choose a scene that has a long, more or less unbroken chain of dialogue. Choose two senses other than sight and incorporate both into the scene. What emotions arise and shift when you move into your character’s sensory experience?
August 2026
Select a non-POV character who has an incomplete or inconsistent growth arc. Choose a chapter to rewrite entirely in their POV. What new things do you learn about their motivations, their flaws, and their potential by centering their journey and identity?
Let’s get to work!
