Depends I think.  I usually go back.  Better cherry picking that way. I hear it is good to let a few people read before you do editing because something you thought was boring or stupid might be the coolest thing on the page. I had a conversation with Anne Rice once and she said that she really loves feedback.  The smallest things give her insight on what people find interesting.

If I edit as I go it ends up loosing some of the edge.  Plus I am dyslexic and editing as I go gets a bit maddening. I rarely edit blogs though other than spell check.  That why I end up posting and re-posting. Almost every stinking time.

Wait, you met Anne Rice?

How?  Where?  When?

I usually edit after I’ve finished writing, but I haven’t written anything longer than a blog post or article yet.  I have a friend who is working on a novel, and he told me recently that he does the first edit on each chapter as he finishes it.  One of the reasons is that it helps break the monotony.

Nothing spectacular.  Although I thought it was cool, being a big fan. I met her via email.

I had read her Vampire books and always liked them.  I picked up her new novel Christ the Lord out of Egypt, thinking she was probably an atheist and that this book was some attempt to make Jesus out to be the ultimate Vampire or something. To make matters worse it was during all that Mithra/doubt phase.  So I turned to the prologue, started to read and found myself in tears in the middle of Barnes and Noble...reading the Prologue to her new book. She had converted back to Catholicism a few years back and was now devoting her time and writing to the Life of Christ.

I was so moved by the experience that I went home and emailed her, thinking that she would probably never respond if she read it at all. She was kind enough to email back and we emailed back and forth a few other times. 
I was thinking about posting the correspondence sometime.

You should shoot her a line. I am sure she would respond.

So it’s a good book, that one?  I used to love the vampire books. 

I try very very hard not to edit as I go, but it feels impossible.  Sometimes, I just don’t edit at all, in order to accomplish something.  (my blog)

I’ve found it helpful to keep a “trash” document where I save many “gems” that I really need to cut.  Somehow, just knowing these sentences and ideas won’t be gone forever helps me keep hacking.

Since I write fiction it’s easier to edit. But usually writing it on a computer word document with grammar and spell check usually helps me. After I’m done I edit. I’ll add in more where I think I need more detail. I take out where I think I can. I print it out and let my friends and parents read it and sit there looking at them and at the end of each chapter go “Well?” Then they have a say and can go “well you should put more in here” or “I think you went on about a subject too much here”. Then there are times when I’ll have spelled a word like off but didn’t hit the f button 2 times. So the computer doesn’t catch it but my mom, sister, and I will. So human editing is a good thing.

I’m just now exploring the site, and came across the “how do you edit” question. So, here’s how my writing process works (because I know you’re all so interested

I actually just joined a writer’s group recently, and it has helped my writing tremendously. My job is a writer at a non-profit, so I discovered I was writing all day for “work” and nothing at all for “pleasure.” So, I joined this group as a means of accountability. Currently, I’m writing a series of creative non-fiction essays on growing up in the south (or something like that). I usually crank out a relatively short essay on Saturday, then take it to the group on Sunday. I don’t even read through it, I just take it, full of typos and cliches and all of that junk. Then my group reads it, and we just talk, while I take notes furiously. This stays. This goes. Put more here. Say less there.

It’s GREAT! Because sometimes, the stuff I hate, just needs a little tweaking. And sometimes, those parts I loved are just not right for the piece. And I always end up with something better than I began with.

Sorry to be so long-winded!