Happy Tuesday!
Welcome to our special seven-day series: "Editing the First Draft". Stephen King writes in his memoir On Writing, "To write is human, to edit is divine." Editing your novel is where the magic happens, where you find the story elements that click together and form a cohesive narrative. It's where (for me) theme and what I'm trying to say with this book become apparent. We are going to spend the next seven days (broken up by the weekly wrap-up and Monday Motivation) discussing the elements of editing. It's time to pull your story from the cocoon and let it unfurl its wings. Let's dive right in.
Why Edit? You've crafted a great story, and you love it. But now it's time to make it shine, to make it so that everyone else loves it too. Editing is where you refine your work, ensuring it's the best possible version. It's a chance to polish your prose, sharpen your characters, and tighten your plot.
The Revision Mindset Remember, your first draft is just you telling yourself the story. Now, you're preparing to tell it to the world. Put on your reader's hat and view your story with fresh, critical eyes.
The First Look Read through your manuscript without making any changes. Note down your initial thoughts, flag areas you think need work, and get a feel for the overall structure and flow.
That's it for Day 1. Tomorrow, we'll delve into character development. Until then, keep those editing goggles handy!
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