Hi Writers,
I am trying to gather some advise on the next step after you have finished the first draft of your novel and are about to jump into the editing stage. I'd like to know what methods other writers use to get through this and do they enjoy this part more than the first draft part?
Thanks guys
Thanks for the advise guys, will take it all on board :)
Adrian Sroka posted his own list of helpful advice when editing if you can track it down on this site.
I love editing. The first draft is the bare bones warts & all version whereas editing puts on the flesh, cuts the crap and brings it alive. My problem is that consequently I find it difficult to stop, to know when a piece is finally finished!
Don't be in a hurry, expect to do multiple edits and read it aloud to see how it flows. Have fun.
I like Paul's cooking analogy - editing is like cooking a delicious curry with lots of wonderful spices you add as the flavours mature.
The advise I've been given is to let the manuscript rest for a couple of months after first completion. Then return to it with fresh eyes. Read each chapter out loud - I felt daft at first but quickly became aware of its benefits.
Through each edit I look for pace, tone, character development, central theme, sub-plots, grammar, have all questions raised been answered, scene structure. I will pick only 1 or 2 of these points and read through, then do another sweep with another couple and so on.
I print each chapter and lay the entire novel/manuscript out on the floor then scan the chapters for all the points. This helps me to get the bigger picture and spot where the story is at its weakest or rushed and where I need to spruce it up.
The Wrtier's & Artists book How to Write by Harry Bingham covers all this and so does The Writer's Journey by Christopher Vogler. I've found both books really helpful.
Happy editing