What Editing Taught Me About Editing My Life
- Ruchi Acharya
- 23 hours ago
- 6 min read
Every writer knows the power of editing. A manuscript is nullified—invalid, void, and useless—if it is not edited. The act of revisiting a manuscript, cutting unnecessary words, rearranging sentences, and refining ideas is essential and almost magical.
Henceforth, what we need is not ChatGPT, Perplexity, or any other AI tool, but a living human being—someone who has read and felt a zillion books, who is as passionate as you are, who reads your story while exploring the hidden meanings behind the words, and who, most importantly, understands the pain of a brilliant manuscript locked away in a drawer, gathering dust. And that dust doesn’t settle only on the manuscript—it settles on your writing spirit as well. It makes you sick to watch white termites slowly eating away at your dream.
Writers often misconstrue that in order to create a clear, compelling story is a mark of a genius writer. What they forget is human loves to see flaws too. You can polish your manuscript as much as you want using the AI tools, but what about adding feelings to it? For that, you need a human editor. Towards the end, we will help you to find one. Pinky promise.
Editing your manuscript is more than just a step in writing—it can serve as a powerful metaphor for editing your life. Just as an unedited script can confuse readers and obscure meaning, an unexamined life filled with unresolved thoughts and cluttered emotions can cloud your mind and harm your mental well-being.
This blog explores how the discipline of editing your manuscript is parallel to the process of editing your life. Let's open the Pandora box and reveal how both practices can lead to greater clarity, focus, and peace of mind. Something that we are all craving for. I'm desperate!
Why Unedited Manuscripts Harm Your Mind
I struggled to find the right words for this subheading, but this is the clearest way I can put it: an unedited manuscript behaves like a mental infection. It quietly spreads negative self-talk—thoughts like you’re not good enough, you can’t do this, or you’re a failure. In a world that already doubts artistic careers, this internal criticism only grows louder and heavier. If you continue to self-criticise yourself daily, you're more likely to develop mental illness. Believe me when I say this, some of them are curable, and some aren't. I don't want to scare you, but from one author to another, awareness is the key.
Now imagine reading a manuscript filled with typos, repeated ideas, and unclear sentences. It’s mentally exhausting and deeply frustrating—even for the writer.
Many of us carry the cognitive distortion that we must get everything right in one attempt. Yet even the best coders and engineers rely on multiple iterations, revisions, and debugging. Instead of offering ourselves self-compassion, we slip into self-criticism and become hostile toward our own imperfect drafts.
Similarly, when the mind holds unprocessed emotions, unresolved conflicts, and disorganized thoughts, it creates psychological clutter.
Left unattended, this mental overload leads to emotional burnout and a slow erosion of self-worth. It hollows you from inside. And the worst part is that it is invisible. These inner “typos” generate constant mental noise, pulling attention away from clarity, creativity, and what truly matters.
When you neglect to edit your life, you might experience:
Mental clutter that reduces your ability to focus
Emotional overwhelm from unresolved feelings
Stress and anxiety caused by internal conflicts
Difficulty making decisions due to unclear priorities
Just like a manuscript, your mind needs regular editing to remove what no longer serves you and to clarify your purpose.
How Editing Your Manuscript Mirrors Editing Your Life
Editing a manuscript involves several key steps that can be applied to personal growth and mental clarity:
1. Identifying What Doesn’t Work
In writing, you spot sentences that don’t fit or ideas that repeat unnecessarily. In life, this means recognising habits, thoughts, or relationships that drain your energy or cause confusion. No matter how difficult it is, stick to your goal to attain mastery in the art of creative writing. Cut off all the chords that no longer serve you. And see the magic unfold. (PS- I am saying from my personal experience)
Example: You might realise that constantly checking your phone disrupts your focus. Removing this habit is like cutting a distracting paragraph. Say NO to doom-scrolling. Shakespeare didn't. Be productive.
2. Reorganising for Flow and Meaning
Writers rearrange paragraphs to improve the story’s flow. Similarly, you can reorder your daily routines or priorities to create a smoother, more meaningful life. Don't get stuck in your mundane routine. Creativity needs new energy, new feelings, or, say, new ideas to feed on. How are you going to achieve that? By getting out of your comfort zone. Step out. Breathe fresh air. Pluck beautiful flowers for your vase. Listen to music that you haven't explored. Try things that you truly hate. You may never know what good will come out of being experimental.
Example: Shifting your morning routine to include meditation before emails can set a calmer tone for the day. "Me time" is important.
3. Clarifying Your Message
Editing sharpens the message so readers understand it clearly. We all want our manuscripts to be universal. Through our stories, we want to become a hero, a messiah, or say a hope inthe reader's eyes. In order to do so, we need to get our message or the moral of the story straight to the point and right.
Similarly, editing your life means clarifying your values and goals so your actions align with what truly matters. Don't get persuaded so easily by this commercialised world that you forget who you truly are. Be authentic. Be granular. Develop a backbone to fight for your own identity. That's what you'll be carrying to your grave.
Example: Journaling about your core values helps you make choices that reflect your authentic self. Draw two columns and create a set of rules of Do's and Don'ts.
4. Removing Redundancies and Distractions
Cutting repeated words or off-topic sections makes writing stronger. As writers, we prune all the unwanted auxiliary write-ups. In life, this means letting go of distractions and commitments that don’t add value. Don’t get consumed by everything. In today’s world, we have too many options—and this is both a boon and a curse.
Especially for female writers, our minds are wired to differentiate countless colours, perceive layered emotions, and, most importantly, choose the best of the best. Choosing the best can be powerful—but pause and ask yourself: is it truly for you, or for the world?
For instance, are you wearing that outfit because you love it, or because you want approval at the party?
Example: Saying no to social invitations that don’t bring joy frees up time for meaningful connections. Write not for the sake of winning the writing competitions but to compete with your best write-ups.
Editing a manuscript requires focus and attention to detail, much like reflecting on one’s life to gain mental clarity.
The Benefits of Editing Your Life Regularly
Just as a well-edited manuscript engages readers, a well-edited life brings mental clarity and emotional balance.
Just as we keep returning to our manuscript, whether it's unfinished, shattered, misunderstood, broken, or doesn't make any sense, similarly, keep returning to your life to make it better and merrier.
Some of the pretty perks include:
Astronomical focus and hyper-productivity
Reduced stress and terminated anxiety
Stronger relationships based on clear communication
Spiritual self-awareness and a boost in confidence
Regular editing helps you stay aligned with your goals and values, preventing mental clutter from building up again. So, show up daily. Don't bunk the sacred teaching of self-love regularly. Water the plant every day.
Real-Life Example: A Writer’s Journey to Mental Clarity
Consider Sarah, a novelist who struggled with anxiety and procrastination. I'd have said my name, but Sarah it is. She realised her unedited manuscript mirrored her unedited life—both were chaotic and overwhelming. Whether you agree or not, we somehow naturally tend to bring our inner emotions out in our manuscript. It may not be an entirely replica, but at least a section or say an ounce, will surely be true. By applying editing techniques to her daily habits, she:
Scheduled specific writing times to reduce procrastination. Right now!
Practiced mindfulness to clear mental clutter every MORNING
Prioritized self-care and social connections. Apply that face mask.
Let go of perfectionism in both writing and life. Go crazy!
Over time, Sarah found her mental clarity improved, and her writing became more focused and meaningful. You produce what you feel. So simply take actions to make you feel better. Sit with yourself. Counsel yourself. Figure it out yourself.
Editing your manuscript is more than a writing task. It is a practice that reflects how you can edit your life for better mental clarity. By identifying what no longer serves you, rearranging your priorities, and removing distractions, you create space for focus, peace, and growth.
Remember, in the beginning, I promised you that I would find you an editor. I am not going to utter a word and let you explore it by yourself. Well, please feel free to explore Wingless Dreamer Editorial Services.
ABOUT THE BLOGGER
RUCHI ACHARYA
Ruchi Acharya is the Founder & CEO of Wingless Dreamer Publisher, a global literary platform. An Oxford graduate in English Literature, her poetry book "Off the Cliff" is available on Amazon. Featured in 150 journals like Borderless Journal and The Washington Review, she champions literature and culture. Based in Mumbai, she explores history and nurtures writers.
"All worries are less with wine."
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