When it comes to editing, start in the middle of your story.
I’m not talking about in media res. It has nothing to do with the order of the events in your story. I’m talking about starting in the middle of the structure. Start in the middle of the structure itself. The middle chapter, the middle scene, the middle episode, whatever.
Our egos get attached the beginning and ending of a piece. Openings and closings of a film or book feel so important that you may not have the clearest picture of how much time it should take up, or even how much time you should spend editing it. Started with editing a chapter in the middle of your book or a scene in the middle of your video is more neutral. It’s a task that will give you a clear estimate for how long it takes to edit a chapter (or whatever building block you’re using). Even more importantly, it gives you a healthier idea of how long you should be spending on a given chapter in your editing process.
It’s also worth noting here that the center of your narrative is the event that is often most likely to be able to stand on its own. The middle of a story (the apex) makes a great sample of your work for promotional and distribution purposes, and editing it first will help you test out how well it sustains itself out of context.
I would love your help to get more blogging ideas. Do you have some questions about metafiction, filmmaking or writing? Leave them in the comments :)
Peace,
Ayah
#DeltaPhiFilm