Dear Geist,

Am I the only writer who revises by adding stuff to my novel rather than going after the text with a machete? Why do books and writers’ advice posts always talk about revising in terms of trimming, condensing, shortening, tightening, etc., etc., etc.?

—John V, Cyberspace

Dear John,

No, you aren’t the only one who adds to a story during revisions. But we’re guessing that you do go over the finer details too, at some point later in your work. Whether you take advantage of online writing advice, or consult tried and true books about writing and language, or go by your own lights and experience, is up to you. Any serious act of revising is a way to dig deeper, in order to get hold of a character, a theme or some other aspect of the work. And you are in very good company. Here is the late, great Grace Paley on the subject: “You don't always whittle down, sometimes you whittle up.”

—The Editors