Early Edits and Rewrites

Everyone has their own process for writing a novel. This is mine, based on research, on advice from authors, agents, editors, and designers, and on experimentation and experience. Much of it applies (sometimes on a smaller scale) to producing and publishing short stories, poetry, magazine articles, and non-fiction books.

Last Wednesday's blog was part 1: the first draft. This blog will address rewrites and early editing passes.

1. First read through The day after I finish the first draft, I print out two copies- one each for my wife and me. (You don't have to have someone else reading at this point, but if there is someone you completely trust who likes your work, it can be quite helpful.) These copies get three-hole punched and put into three-ring binders with the title page in the front pocket for easy identification. We read through just to read it as a story. Does it grab and keep our attention? Does it flow well? Is it believable? Does it leave us with questions it shouldn't? Does it wrap everything up too thoroughly? What do we like and dislike at a high level? What jumped out at us (good or bad)? The discussion and notes from this go into the first rewrite.

2. Take a break! At this point, I put the whole thing aside for two to four weeks. Then I read it again with fresh eyes, comparing and contrasting my thoughts with what we said on the first pass. Any new notes go with the old ones. I then put sticky notes on the pages where the questions, suggestions, and other notes go.

3. Research At this point, there have likely been questions raised that require research. For instance, I realized after I wrote the first draft of Year of the Dragon Lord that my knowledge of a horse's pace and endurance was woefully inadequate. I had to research those to find the correct terms to use in each situation, and to map speed and travel times. As I looked at a map to pick routes, I realized that I needed at least a topographic map and a terrain map.

4. Use Google My Maps Google's My Maps was a huge help! Not only could I plot routes and estimate times based on terrain and how open the ground was, but I could add the routes to a custom map, along with pins for places of interest. It let me describe locations and journeys in more detail. The books are both more accurate and more interesting thanks to My Maps.

5. The other three Rs Once I've finished researching known topics, I open the draft on the computer. (I write in LibreOffice, but use whatever works for you.) I open the physical copy at the first sticky note. I read the passage in question, thinking about whatever issue was noted, and then start rewriting, adding, or deleting as necessary. I'll do this for each place in the book that has a sticky note. This may take anywhere from a week to months, depending on how much needs changing, and how difficult I find it to get things "right". Sometimes I have to think about a passage. Other times I just rewrite, reread, repeat (the other three Rs.) Different problems on different days require different approaches. Once the rewrites are finished, I print Sharon a fresh copy. This replaces the old copy in the current book binder, and Sharon archives her old copy into a big binder. I may print a new copy or I may just use the computer for now. We read the new version (possibly after waiting a few days), again making notes. I make changes as necessary. If I need to move things around to make the story work better, this is the ideal time to do it.

6. Targeted editing passes Whether on paper or on the computer, I now begin several targeted passes through the manuscript. I focus on something different with each pass. You may need more or less passes, depending on how you approach things. At the very least, I have passes for:

• time and space (Do distances and times to do things work? Does the weather fit? What about length of day and night, and angle of the sun?)

• characterization (Does each character really work? Do they act consistently with who they are? Is dialogue consistent? Do their actions, dress, and general appearance work throughout the story arc?)

• grammar and punctuation

• spelling

• thoroughness (As the story has developed, what isn't explained well enough? What came out of left field? What motives are missing or wrong?)

• writing style and clarity (Are voice and tense consistent? Am I too verbose or too sparse in places? Where do I use the same word too often? I check the latter both as I read and with a word frequency count program.)

1. Mid-point read through I print two copies of the revised manuscript. Sharon and I each read it as a story again. I'll polish anything that makes sense at this point. Now it's ready to go to my early readers. I will start with that next week.

Image: Rube Goldberg device, public domain. Copyright 2019 Miles O'Neal, Round Rock, TX.