I'm done...now what

The Scip · Mar 14, 2007

I finished the first draft of my novel a few days ago. It felt great! But, I printed it up and now it's just sitting there, looking at me. I've heard a few different thoughts about when to begin revising. Some have said start right away, others have said start something else and then come back to it.

I'm just interested to find out what everyone does when they finished.

PeeDee · Mar 14, 2007

Celebrate.

Write something else (a short story; a novella; a few blog posts; a novel).

Then come back, when you can think about chopping out two or three chapters without having a deep feeling of dread and depression. Whether this takes you a week to get the distance you need, or a month, or longer only you can truly tell.

johnzakour · Mar 14, 2007

Begin editing and editing and editing. I'm still editing the ones published in the 90s...

PeeDee · Mar 14, 2007

Don't listen to John, he's depressing.

Rich · Mar 14, 2007

I dig in immediately. (although, I've never written a novel.)

PeeDee · Mar 14, 2007

I personally dig in immediately, particularly with short stories, which is my comfortable form. I was just offering good generalized advice, above.

scarletpeaches · Mar 14, 2007

I'd leave it for a bit; editing a novel is a heck of a lot of work and you need objectivity. You need to read your book with 'fresh eyes' so go away and do something else for a bit, until you're not so close to your characters. Wait 'til you start to forget them, then go back to it and edit.

ORION · Mar 14, 2007

It is REALLY important to let it sit for at least 2 weeks and sometimes longer. I have several novels at different points so my first drafts sometimes sit for over a month. On my first edit pass I go straight through from beginning to end -- line editing -- at this point I get better ideas of expanding narrative and altering the plot arc slightly. On each edit pass I end up adding words -- after about the fifth edit pass I am cutting. Between every couple edits I let it sit again. This really allows you to come fresh to your project and see holes you otherwise might miss. This is also the time I send it to a couple beta readers even though I have an editor - they often pick up inconsistencies.
When I get my editorial letter from my editor I address each issue as they come up and go straight through again.
This is just my experience.

DeadlyAccurate · Mar 14, 2007

I'd leave it, too, and write something else. Try something different, like a short story in a different genre. Not only will your writing improve doing something different, but you'll also gain some perspective on the book. This is also a good time to read a book on writing, if you've been interested in doing so.

maestrowork · Mar 14, 2007

Let it sit for a few weeks. Meanwhile, go out and have some fun. You've earned it.

Tomorrow, start a new story.

Come back to this one in a few weeks and begin your editing.

engmajor2005 · Mar 14, 2007

I called my parents--in tears--when I finished the first one. Then, I celebrated. I bought a Cadbury's Royal Dark and and a Ben and Jerry's shake. I then ordered pizza for dinner that night. I was a happy little writer.

I don't know what I'll do when I finish the second one. Probably the same thing. It's a feeling similar to losing those eighty pounds the doctor told you to drop; it feels good knowing you've done it, even if nobody else cares.

Shady Lane · Mar 14, 2007

Here's what I do:

I give it a few days, but I don't write anything else. I just relax, congratulate myself, read a few favorite books.

Then I pick up the book and read through it, just as if it's something I'm reading for pleasure. I do this because between writing the beginning of the first draft and the end I tend to lose track of some plot points. There are always some "Oh, right, I forgot," moments when I reread.

This also gives me a little time to convince myself that maybe it's not so awful after all.

Ande then I go through from the beginning, and I open a new word document. Using the first draft just as reference, (as in, in this chapter he's supposed to get shot) I rewrite the entire thing, cutting and adding and generally producing a new book based on the same plot.

And then the third draft is a mix of the best parts of the first and the best parts of the second, and the fourth and fifth are a polish of the third.

Then I'm done.

The Scip · Mar 14, 2007

thanks for all of the advice, it really helps knowing what others do!
I still can't believe I finally finished the damn thing! I'm so pumped though!

Shady Lane · Mar 14, 2007

Congratulations, definitely. First draft's the hardest.

maestrowork · Mar 14, 2007

The Scip said:
thanks for all of the advice, it really helps knowing what others do!
I still can't believe I finally finished the damn thing! I'm so pumped though!

It's a great feeling, isn't it? I still remember my first "THE END." I was pumping my fists in the air and I went, "OMG! I actually finished this."

Here's to more exciting things to come.

Mr. Fix · Mar 14, 2007

I have finished my work at least five times now. And every time I look at it, I find another addition to a train of thought, or a new place to add or cut something out. Truely, some outside help/eyes are important to review what I've done, yes?

Azure Skye · Mar 14, 2007

The Scip said:
I finished the first draft of my novel a few days ago. It felt great! But, I printed it up and now it's just sitting there, looking at me. I've heard a few different thoughts about when to begin revising. Some have said start right away, others have said start something else and then come back to it.

I'm just interested to find out what everyone does when they finished.

First, I have a cup of tea. Exhale.

When I finished my first draft, I went to it right away. Then I made an outline to fix the plot. After the second and third draft, I let it sit for a while.

It's waiting for me again. I haven't looked at it in a few weeks but I've been getting ready to submit. Legitimate excuse.

Do what *you* feel is right.

johnzakour · Mar 14, 2007

PeeDee said:
Don't listen to John, he's depressing.

I'm not depressing I'm anal. There's a difference ya know!

Still, I've never actually called up any of my publishers and asked them if I could make edits on the second printings. Though I thought of it.

Yeah, I guess if you're not on a deadline you can take some time off. I'm usually on a deadline and must edit quickly before I forget. I'm old you know.

expatbrat · Mar 14, 2007

Firstly - congrats on getting this far!

I finished my first draft about 6 months ago. Now I have this massive wedge of paper, bound together with shoe laces through punched-holes, sitting on my desk. I've completely covered most pages in red pen with helpful notes like "boring - cut this," "re-write", "WTF!" etc. It all seemed too much to start-over for a while so I let it sit there for a couple of months.

Now I have opened a new file on my computer "expat brat, second draft" and I've started deleting, fixing, cleaning, re-working. Having the first draft sitting there complete gives me the freedom to delete. I often have both files (first and second draft) open on my screen side by side so if I want something back I can just copy it from the original.

I am sure there are much faster better ways of doing this than my bogged down methods...

PeeDee · Mar 14, 2007

johnzakour said:
Yeah, I guess if you're not on a deadline you can take some time off. I'm usually on a deadline and must edit quickly before I forget. I'm old you know.

THat's my preferred method of editing. On a deadline. You do what you need to, you pay attention, and then you get it outta the house before it rots.

That's the big thing I'm always trying to avoid. Get the story out before it goes sour on me.

maestrowork · Mar 14, 2007

But I want to ask: Did you do the hachacha dance yet?

Sage · Mar 14, 2007

I prefer working on it soon after finishing it. Usually there are plot points I know I have to fix or scenes I want to expand on & I want to get them before I forget. Or, you know, in the last one there was the character who changed sex on me two chapters in

I wrote my last WIP during NaNo, so I wasn't quite as attached to the story I had written as in previous mss. It wasn't until I had edited several times & gotten lots of positive comments that I got really attached to "my words." I actually had an easier time editing it right away (after a couple of days to celebrate) than I did in my latest edit.

Raphee · Mar 14, 2007

Let it sit for month or so.
Don't look at it. Bury it in GrandMa's house or something.
Read other authors to relax and critically analyse how they structure their work.
Browse AW.
On your edit apply what you have learnt.
Do the edit on paper, not the computer screen. Transfer later.

Cassiopeia · Mar 15, 2007

Congrats on finishing! I am jealous

Shadow_Ferret · Mar 15, 2007

Me personally, I'd tackle it immediately. My first finished first draft I put aside, like "they" advise, and I still haven't gotten back to it. That was several years ago. In the meantime, I finished another novel and I didn't take time off from that one, got into editing it right away, and now I'm subbing that around to various agents.

Takes your pick.

In my case, taking time off opens the door to procrastination.

I'm done...now what

...walks this way.

Where's my tea, please...?

Dangerous with a Keyboard

Where's my tea, please...?

Where's my tea, please...?

Sailed away years ago

Absolutely Fazed

Fear the Death Ray

my name is hannah

...walks this way.

my name is hannah

Fear the Death Ray

Fixed on the future...

Huh?

Dangerous with a Keyboard

Look what we made:

Where's my tea, please...?

Fear the Death Ray

Our Lady of Parentheticals

In debt to AW

Otherwise Occupied

Court Jester