What next?

[pickupyourpenandwrite]

So…

I’ve done it, I’ve written my first draft (okay that was about three months ago.) Now, all I see are glaring plot holes, some mistakes and several areas I want to improve. And what have I done to my draft since then… Nothing. It seems that I am a bit lost. Does anybody have any advice on what to do once you have written a first draft? Any tips would be great.

Thanks!

"Come out from them and be separate says the Lord." 2 Corinthians 6:17

[Audrey Caylin]

@pickupyourpenandwrite congrats on finishing your draft! 😀

I usually let my draft sit for several weeks or months once I’m done (it seems you’ve already done that). Then I go and read through it, not making any changes, but marking things that I want to change. I do this with the comments section in Word or just write a list.

Depending on how much editing the draft needs, you can go and start fixing the things on the list, starting with plot and characters (for example, giving an MC stronger motivations, changing a plot twist, etc), or you might have to go back to an outline and rewrite everything (I always end up with the latter 😛 )

audreycaylin.com

[pickupyourpenandwrite]

Thanks! I’ve read and made comments on the margin at the moment and will probably have to rewrite a lot…

"Come out from them and be separate says the Lord." 2 Corinthians 6:17

[MNValentine]

@pickupyourpenandwrite Yet again there’s no right answer. Some people rewrite completely, other people do more like me. I write it through the first time, kind of keeping in mind changes I need to make. When I finish, I do a round two where I make all the major changes – filling huge plotholes, changing cheesy fight scenes, turning two battles into one – that kind of thing. Then I edit carefully by reading each chapter and rewriting the odd sentence, adding descriptions, fixing typos. Then I hand it off to beta readers and go from there. My older sister prefers to write and rewrite completely, but I think it depends on how clean you are on your first draft.

Hope there was something helpful in all that rambling… 😀 And good job finishing a story!!!

Silence! Silence everyone, for the king's speech!

[Daeus]

@pickupyourpenandwrite Just a note of encouragement. Rewriting/doing major revisions may be a tough process, but it will teach you A TON and leave you feeling a much more confident writer afterward.

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