Last week, I started this series on the editing process. But let’s stop for a moment and look at WHAT you will be editing. I mean, if you haven’t written anything, you aren’t ready to EDIT.
You will be starting with the all-important FIRST DRAFT.
The first draft of anything you write is just the beginning. It’s all about getting your thoughts on paper. You want to completely empty your mind about your story idea. Describe in great detail your MC, and the supporting characters, too.
The MOST IMPORTANT part about the first draft is to simply get the story down on paper.
Tess Gerritsen says: “I don’t stop to revise during the first draft. Because it’s all going to be changed anyway when I finally figure out what the book is about.”
Once you’ve written the whole story down, you can look at it objectively. You will find out if you even have a story.
It’s also important to remember that nobody writes a perfect first draft. There will be many rewrites and edits after you’ve completed this first step. Most writers write at least three drafts and sometimes as many as 10 or more.
The Editing process is essential, but more importantly, you have to WRITE. Some of you will edit yourselves as you write – but I don’t recommend that. Just write – let yourself get it all out without censorship. You can take out or add parts when you begin to work on your manuscript.
Remember: Writing is a journey through your mind. When you’re writing fiction, you are telling YOUR VIEW on reality. Editing is bringing it into terms that your readers can understand.
