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"[His novella] is based on the odd noises emanating from the flat above him. Clumps. Scratching sounds. An almost continuous mumbling whose words the author cannot discern, no matter how diligently he concentrates. What sort of universe is happening up there? ... He rises, crosses to his desk, and draws a large X through each page of the notebook."  

That's novelist Lance Olsen imagining (in his new book, Anxious Pleasures) how Kafka might have revised his famous novella, "The Metamorphosis".

As I've been revising my own novel these last few months, I realized that I've lost touch with some of the basic skills of editing: patience, patience, and patience. Blogging has taught me how to write quick and dirty essays, pieces of writing I post without even thinking.

To revive my editing instincts, I called on Olsen, the author of nine novels and the Rebel Yell writing handbook. Anxious Pleasures is a brilliant example of revision--a polished, perfectly pitched novel. Today, Olsen shares his editing secrets.

Welcome to my deceptively simple feature, Five Easy Questions. In the spirit of Jack Nicholson’s mad piano player, I run a weekly set of quality interviews with writing pioneers—delivering some practical, unexpected advice about web publishing.

Jason Boog: 
Could you describe the process you went through to edit Anxious Pleasures? How did you pare down that manuscript to your razor-sharp, prose that would make Kafka happy? What are the most common mistakes a writer can avoid in this stage of editing?

Lance Olsen: 
My rule of thumb during editing is simple, if cold-hearted: When in doubt, cut it out. Continue reading...

What I adore is producing a large, sprawling, clayey mess of a first draft, then sculpting it down to something bright and sharp-cornered.  In many ways--and I know how aberrant this sounds to most--editing is the part of the writing I enjoy most.  The anxiety of creation is behind me.  With every mark I can feel my writing improve.

As all writers will tell all writers, one should put one's writing aside for awhile to marinate between drafts.

What most writers won't tell most writers is that you have to be the most pitiless when editing your own work.  Think about the position of each chapter, each paragraph, each sentence, each verb, each comma and semi-colon.  Take nothing for granted.

The most common mistake, if mine is any indication, is to believe, upon completing a first or second or third draft, that you've just contributed significantly to the history of western literature.

That is, avoid loving your work at any cost.

Its seeming brilliance is always a shameless hussy that will leave you in the end.