Writing that second novel=good for editing?

So, after finishing my first novel, I got caught up in a cycle of editing and obsessing over the query. Finally, I had to force myself to step back from the first novel and work on other projects.

One of the projects was an unrelated novel that I've now put on hold because of lack of inspiration. And one was a sequel to the first novel, mostly for fun (and for my husband, who really wants to know what happens next)

Anyways, now that I'm well into the sequel and writing every day on it, I'm getting more clarity on what needs to be fixed in my first book. I've also noticed that I'm not making a lot of the mistakes that I made while writing my first book.

Part of this was reading a great book on editing, and lurking on the SYW work boards here and doing some critiques myself. Part of it was editing my own work and learning what I do on a regular basis so I now know what to avoid.

It's just interesting how the process seems to be working for me. Has anyone else found that it's easier to write a better first draft the second time around? Or that writing something new helps with editing your project in editing?

David I said:

I'm not saying you shouldn't write your first novel with all the seriousness and craft you can muster. But you also shouldn't be surprised if it isn't snapped up--or even worthy of being submitted.

My debut novel was my fourth novel. (And now, weirdly, the second novel I wrote is being published after the fourth I wrote.)

I don't think it ever gets easier, because as your skills improve you tend to raise your own bar. But, as Orion says, I do believe you get better.

Click to expand...

I think you're right about the first novels thing. As much as I am approaching these first two with all intentions of getting published, I'm also pretty sure they won't get there. But I'm having a lot of fun writing them.

And you're right-it doesn't get easier. It actually feels more difficult writing this time around because I'm more conscious of the mistakes I made the first time around, but it also feels like I'm better able to avoid the mistakes that were pointed out by some of my critiquers, and I'm really able to see the bigger picture. With the first novel, I just sort of wrote it for fun without any idea of where it was going to end. I just had vague ideas for scenes I wanted to see in it. Yikes.

But it turned out okay after a lot of work, and hopefully with more work it will be GREAT.

In the meantime, I'm stocking up on my writing and hopefully I'll get to the point where it is publishable.

That's also awesome that your second novel is now being published. I really do think that writing more and starting a new project gives you the clarity to go back and make previous projects publishable. Not always, but sometimes.

Anyways, thanks to everyone for the feedback. It's interesting to see the process unfold and to watch my writing evolve (at least, I hope it's evolving). Though I've been having a 'bad writing' week where everything feels crappy and my inner editor is way too loud with his naysaying. But I'm still writing through it. For now, instead of editing chapter by chapter, I'm writing all the way through and then I'm going to do a big round of edits when I finish the first draft. That way, I won't spend so much time polishing scenes that will get cut, as Devil mentioned.