Editing

Step one: wait a couple of weeks. As long as you can. Then re-read the ms.

IMO, distance is essential. You need to be able to look at your work as objectively as you can, not through the lens of your new-born baby. Every writer, artist, and musician I've known has always believed that the last thing they worked on is their best work. It's only after a while that you can look at it and see beyond your pride in your new creation.

There are a lot of different methodologies out there, and I'm not in a position to argue the merits of any of them, but I would definitely suggest you take a break. Maybe do Nanowrimo and knock out another first story, and then return to your "main" work?

You're not editing yet, you're working on the second draft. Read it, make notes and work through it. Some writers edit from back to front, others work on the chapter of the moment. No one way works for everyone.

I personally give it a read through and make notes about where to edit. Then I start from the beginning and work through the changes. Often, I have to write something toward the middle or end and go back to the beginning again to set it up. I kind of write drafts 2 through eleven at the same time.

Jeff

I agree with Onesecondglance, walk away from it for a while. I've walked away from mine for close to a year and worked on other projects. Now is the perfect time with NaNoWriMo to try anther project even if it goes now where. Just write--anything.

Also, I'd recommend going into the Share Your Work board, view the critiques, maybe post up the first chapter of your story for critique and gain a few experience points under your belt.

I do it the same way as Jeff--a straight read-through without stopping to make formal changes. I have a highlighter and a pen, and highlight the easy things to change (typos, grammar issues, etc). For the more significant things that pop up, I make notes in the margin (expand, tighten, clarify, plot issue, check this for accuracy--things like that). For things being considered for deletion, I X them out for a sunset review. The main thing I want to do is read the story as a new reader would, to see how it holds together, how it flows, how the pace works for each scene and beyond--things like that.

Many like Holly Lisle's method: http://hollylisle.com/one-pass-manuscript-revision-from-first-draft-to-last-in-one-cycle/

In addition to the above (especially letting it sit on the backburner for a bit so you can get some distance from it), you might want to check out Self-Editing for Fiction Writers.

Jamesaritchie said:

Many like Holly Lisle's method: http://hollylisle.com/one-pass-manuscript-revision-from-first-draft-to-last-in-one-cycle/

Click to expand...

I editing process of the above link looks effective.

One thing that I like to do as I write my WIP is create a beat sheet in a spreadsheet. Basically I have a column for the scene number and a column for tension/conflict. For each scene I put in a value from a scale of 1-10 for the tension. Then, I graph the two columns to get an overall view of the tension/conflict in the manuscript.

This helps with spotting the sagging middle in some novels and where you need to increase the conflict.

Some specific (and obvious) advice, many of these can be broken:

- Kill as many adverbs as you can. "I'm very tired" VS "I'm tired". Keep some if they make it sound better.
- Avoid filtering: "I opened my eyes and saw a large Rhino in the corner of the room" VS "There was a large Rhino in the corner of the room". Again, choose what sounds better.
- Repetitious words, or overusing 'I'. Especially in the same paragraph or opening consecutive paragraphs with the same word, avoid if you can, but still not necessary to change.
- Say lines of dialogue out loud, see if they sound realistic.
- Make sure any attempts at sarcasm made by your characters is extremely clear, otherwise some readers won't read between the lines.
- Although cliches are bad, if you've used them in a new and exciting way then there's no need to worry.
- Be careful of tense issues.
- You don't need to end every chapter with tension but it helps with the books pacing. If any of the chapters end with the main character relaxing and not worrying about the future (at least) then something is wrong.
- Consider ending chapters one or two paragraphs early if it raises the tension.
- Make sure flashbacks or changes of POV are broken up using scenes or chapters, otherwise it could be very confusing.
- Go through and see if all of your main characters have some kind of arc. Not every character needs one but it does give them more dimensions to their character. Do things intensify for each character and do they have a moment of truth which could lead them down two different paths?
- Avoid Deus ex Machina (acts of God) to resolve or explain things.

Seconding the Holly Lisle One-Pass Revision suggestion.

celticroots said:

Having just finished the first draft of my novel, I know that what will come next is editing. Except I am not really sure how to edit (stupid I know). And the thought of editing something this long is really daunting. But I have Self-Editing for Fiction Writers and Revision and Self-Editing by James Scott Bell.

I had some issues with my plot during the first draft. But my subconscious solved a lot of the problems, so I may have to get rid of some aspects of the plot while keeping others. When it comes time to write the second draft, I am planning to write a chapter by chapter outline.

Any advice would be great!

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There's been some good advice. One tip from me is to find a piece of fiction online that preferably hasn't been published. Fanfiction is fine and ripe for editing.

Edit it to hell and back. Try to make it good. Do this multiple times. Be ruthless. Get rid of useless adjectives. Eliminate pointless characters. Economy of words is important. Does that scene really need to be there? Does this sentence add anything? Things like that. They'll never know you're tearing their work apart. Once you get a hang on this you can look at what you wrote and take the same mindset. Look at it not as your baby, but as something that needs to be manhandled and kill everything you have to. Kill it and make it good.

Hmm. I was going cuckoo for coco puffs last month when I finished my first draft. Holly's method is very thorough. I'll throw mine in for shitz and giggles:

Supplies:

1 pen
Double-spaced printed manuscript
1 highlighter
1 Notebook

Part 1, Red-line:

Keeping what Holly suggested in mind, start reading from the very beginning. With your trusty pen, mark words, unclear passages, word choice, grammar, etc just as they taught you in school. As you go, highlight the bigger paragraphs/scenes and or dialogue that just needs to be rewritten. Don't waste your time rewriting now. Just highlight.

While doing this, use your notebook to write down plot holes you find including the page it's on. For example: "Change physical description," "This scene is not consistent with plot", "Need to be more descriptive", etc.

Continue until the end. Remember to read aloud as you go.

Part. 2, the Edit.

On another thread I mention that I rewrite a new draft from scratch. Basically, transcribe the whole thing in a new blank document named "Second Draft". With your notes at your side and your manuscript too, start making the changes. Start from the beginning and work your way through. Some parts will be be more tedious because you might have to rewrite them entirely but since you highlighted said scenes, you'll know which ones they are.

That's it. That's all there is. At least for me. It took me weeks to figure out what worked for me. Take with with a grain of salt and as always, good luck.