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Joined: 7/20/2011
Posts: 2
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I've finally finished the first draft of my novel, and I'm ready to tackle the second draft. But I'm having a little trouble buckling down and actually getting into it. Going back through and editing is not nearly as fun and exciting as writing, and I've got a bunch of ideas jumping around in my brain for the next book in this series (it wasn't originally planned to be a series, but I'm finding that I've got more story to tell).
So I'm just wondering, how do you guys motivate yourselves to get through a second draft? Do you take breaks and do new writing in between, or do you plow through? I'd really like to finish up this book sooner rather than later.
Also, any tips/tricks on editing your own work?
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Joined: 4/28/2011
Posts: 60
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I used to face this problem when I wrote. I'd crank out a first draft pretty quickly and then feel completely unmotivated to do the painstaking work of editing and rewriting. I've since given up on that method. Now I don't really have first or second or third drafts. I edit and rewrite as I go along. So now, by the time I've gotten to chapter three, I've already rewritten and editing the previous ones, usually several times. By the time I finish, I'll have edited and rewritten at least a dozen times and likely more like 20. I know this doesn't help you much now, but you might want to keep it in mind when you begin your next book.
As for your existing problem, set yourself a goal, such as, "I'll do 10 pages each day." Whatever you do, realize that most writers find editing and rewriting the least engaging part of the process (other than trying to publish, of course).
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Joined: 3/14/2011
Posts: 44
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Do you have beta readers? I'm a tinkerer, so while I'd love to do nothing more than jump into fiddling with my first draft, instead I send the manuscript out to readers.
I find it easier to edit and revise to feedback, and readers can help you spot problems you might glimpse but not fully comprehend. Once I have feedback, I determine what is useful, prioritize it and then edit accordingly. That way I have smaller goals (finish this chapter, or rework that timing) to achieve, rather than an entire novel staring at me.
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Joined: 3/16/2011
Posts: 279
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I try to make my MS as accessible as possible during rewrites. I'll port it into Kindle format and read it while I'm waiting at the doctor's office or when I'm waiting for my stop on the T. Print out your MS and paperclip it into chapters, leave the current one on your desk/in your bag/right on hand. Five minutes here and there make a difference.
Like the others, I set realistic goals for the day. X amount of pages or a chapter.
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Don’t take this wrong, because I’m just guessing, but…
Often, when I hear that someone loves to write but doesn't want to edit, it’s from a writer who just sat down and began typing—someone with a story to tell but only the generalized writing schools we’re all given in school. Writing the story is easy, and fun, because we’re creating something very special to us, and fascinated to see where it leads.
But then the creating is finished and we go back and see it as a reader. And because we don’t know, for example, the three things a reader wants to know when entering a scene—or even what a scene actually is and does, what we find is ourselves talking about a story, not presenting the story itself. And because of that it’s no longer exciting. And if it’s not exciting to the author…
Obviously, as I said, I’m talking about possibilities, not you, specifically. But if your tools of the trade consist of a desire to write, a story idea, and the skills you learned in your primary education (in other words whast we all start out with), you might want to add to that, because in primary school we learn generalized skills. We learn chemistry but we’re not Chemists; math but we’re not Mathematicians; science but we’re not Scientists; and we learn writing, but not Writing.
The library is a great place to start adding the craft of the pros.
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Joined: 5/4/2011
Posts: 19
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Simply, editing sucks. On the other hand, every rewrite makes the work better. It's all part of the job. My best advise is to send out your first draft, have it rejected, get pissed, and rework the entire thing. Personally, I write a first draft, move on to another project, slave at it for months, then come back for the rewrite (and 3rd draft after that). The best motivation is getting it good enough to sell.
The only real trick I've found that helps is listening an audio version of my writing. I use software to read my writing and it's amazing at picking up errors. Highly suggest this technique, plus there's lots of cool voices out there. I use an English woman's voice and it's awesome.
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Joined: 7/20/2011
Posts: 2
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Thanks for the tips! The idea of breaking it into pieces is great, because every time I pick up the MS, I find myself rushing through.
Drake, what software do you use for listening?
And just to be clear, I in no way think it's boring to revise. It's just daunting. And yes, it is easier to keep on writing the story than address what needs looking at, but I'm working on it.
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Joined: 5/12/2011
Posts: 240
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Here's my pattern:
First, I'm a lot like L R Waterbury. I do tons of revising as I go. I tend to write 500-1500 words on one day, then reread the next morning while eating breakfast and ignoring my children (who are probably watching t.v.) and fiddle as I re-read. Then, if it's a writing day, I'll reread yesterday's writing again before I add today's writing and tidy it up another time. I might also read the scene aloud to one or two people in the course of the following day or two, tweaking as I go, yet again. In this sense, I could not possibly count the number of "drafts" actually contained in my "first" draft, which is what I call it the first time I get to The End.
Second, I take my "first" draft and give it a good proof-read. Usually I do this aloud, to my partner. (And, by the way, reading aloud is my number one piece of advice to any writer looking for revising tips.) I clean and tweak and fiddle as I read to her.
Third, (and I'm still calling it a first draft at this point), I send my draft to about a half-dozen "beta readers." In case you aren't hip to that particular lingo, a beta reader is someone who will give a thorough and careful read to your draft, then give you deadly honest feedback in more or less detail (depending on her/his style). I have some marvelous people I use for this. I try to vary them so that I have people both smack in the bulls eye of my target audience and people far outside it to get the most perspective on the writing.
Once I've got 2 to 4 good strong responses from the beta readers, I go back to the salt mines for the major revisions.
After that "second" draft is complete, I do another proofing and perhaps give it to one or two readers (depending on how much I think I'm tiring them out!) and then am ready to query.
While I'm waiting for beta readers to do their thing (usually a month or two, at least) I will let myself move on to drafting the Next Book, whatever that is--a sequel or Something Completely Different. At this rate, it's about ready to go out to beta readers while I'm doing the hard core revising of MS #1.
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Joined: 3/13/2011
Posts: 244
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What I usually do is to give it a couple days then read through the entire thing, leaving comments in the margin for what questions I have or any big plot holes that come to mind as I read. I fix typos as I go but leave anything beyond that for after the first read-through of the whole manuscript.
After that, I go through and address each and every note that I left for myself. Whether it's a note questioning my logic, a plot hole of some sort, or inconsistency in description, etcetera.
I find that the read-through of the whole thing while I force myself not to make any changes or cuts helps to get me excited for the prospect of revising the piece.
Motivation for the subsequent drafts comes in different ways. I don't send a manuscript to betas until at least draft 3. When I get the beta reads back, I'm really eager to dig in and fix what I couldn't see in the manuscript. Creating a detailed outline for the manuscript from which I can work as I revise is another way I motivate myself to get into revisions.
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