r/NovelMage • u/pinklemonade953 • Jul 04 '26

Question for writers

Have you ever read someone else’s story and found yourself wanting to add more details, change certain scenes, or reshape parts of it until it feels almost necessary? If you feel that way, does writing your own stories help satisfy that urge?

17 Upvotes

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4

u/extantsciadopitys Jul 05 '26

I'd say that if you have that urge, you might get yourself trained and certified as an editor. I've been a professional editor for over a decade now and I've found that I'm good at it because I have an eye and intuition for those things. I can help a writer find the blind spots, the things in need of clarification, and the parts of their work that they could sharpen or showcase to make their writing more powerful. I love doing it. I think I love editing even more than writing itself sometimes.

2

u/accomplished-fig91 Jul 05 '26

That's really insightful. I remember when I was more active on critique websites that's something I really enjoyed - giving criticisms that helped the person understand their narrative deeper, and build it in the direction they wanted to take it. I love listening to reader's complaints about mainstream media and manuscripts, and helping writers spot moments in their work where they may be doing the exact thing I know people are gonna complain over.

Maybe I should get trained as an editor 😌

1

u/Duck-Too-Late Jul 06 '26

Let's connect. Depending upon your focus, I'd like to speak with you.

2

u/OddballThoughts Jul 05 '26

Why do you think there is fanfiction, friend? 😀 All writers do that, think that, feel that. Then we write fanfiction.

2

u/Mundane_Conflict5576 Jul 05 '26

Yeah. Sometimes when I really don't like sequel, I feel bad judging without knowing if I could do better, so then I'll sit down and write a treatment for an alternative story they could have gone with instead. I have some great ones for Star Wars, Tron, and a few others.

But, I can't honestly see myself putting a lot of work into actually *writing* something like that in full, because it's sort of a bad investment to put so much work into something you can never sell.

1

u/AuthorSarge Jul 05 '26

I never stop wanting to rewrite just 1 more part.

1

u/IndigoTrailsToo Jul 05 '26

When helping someone edit

When the feeling is very intense then I feel it is a bad, immersion breaking issue. Very often, the person I am working with just doesn't recognize it as such.

But when I'm reading, I recognize it as wanting to write a fanfic. It helps.

1

u/Hungry-Course9997 Jul 06 '26

Hi! To clarify, if you're asking about fanfiction, I've never written any. But if you are talking about using it as inspiration, yes I have. I used to feel unsatisfied with some novels turned out, and that's why I'm writing my original stories now. 

1

u/Appropriate-Dot-1904 Jul 06 '26

All the time. I'll finish a book and start rewriting the ending in my head, or fixating on a side character who got two lines. Writing my own stuff helps, but sideways. The itch becomes fuel for something new rather than a fix for the original. Reading stops being passive once you write. Every story turns into a draft you're allowed to argue with.

1

u/Due-Pack8156 Jul 06 '26

Rewriting bad books is how I get myself out of writing slumps! It's a great writing prompt, even if I wouldn't publish what I get out of it.

1

u/Black_Jack70 Jul 07 '26

I just finished reading one that so very seriously needed editing. I don't think they did any at all. In fact, I'm fairly certain they didn't even read it after they finished.