I have nearly finished what I hope is the penultimate thorough edit of my novel. I must have done over twenty edits. Editing has been an exhausting, but enlightening process. In the beginning, I thought that each subsequent edit would be much easier. I was wrong. But after each subsequent edit my novel was tighter and pacier.
During my edits I discovered weaknesses, repetition, shoes and socks problems, clunky sentences, poor grammar and punctuation, missing signposts, unsuitable chapter titles, chapters that ended without a hook or cliff-hanger, 48,000 words of superfluous text, lengthy descriptions, and dialogue that needed much improvement.
I thought my first draft was brilliant, but Hemingway was right, ‘The first draft of everything is always shit.’
I continued to read the best award winning authors of adult and children’s literature as I wrote my first draft. I believe it was beneficial to my prose. I noticed a significant improvement in my writing, the further I progressed through my manuscript.
I have learnt much in the process of writing my first novel. I believed I had a firm grasp of the aspects of the novel, but knowing how to best orchestrate them was another matter. I hope that I have got it right. I have more work to do, but I can see the light at the end of the tunnel.
The most important lesson I learned is to thoroughly plan from the outset. If I had planned better, I would have saved myself considerable effort and time. But I am confident that the second novel in what I hope will be a series, will take less than half the time of the first.
Editing has been an enlightening experience. As the shape of my novel improved so did my editing.
Cutting superfluous text that hindered the pace and the flow was vital.
Editing involves a comprehensive range of tasks. To many to do in a few edits, or all at once. Progress would have been to slow if I had tried to tackle everything that needed to be done. I used a checklist and picked a few tasks to do in a single edit.
Errors that I failed to notice in earlier edits were due to fatigue, and the thought that the editing process would never end. I confess that I rushed earlier edits, knowing that I would do more.
Things became much clearer with each subsequent edit. As everything linked together it was obvious what needed cutting or amending.
Editing is very time consuming and though provoking process.
Useful lesson?
That light at the end of a tunnel - can be a train coming...
:-)
David
Ha! That first tip made me guffaw, Victoria.
(Is that one of the first signs?! Eek!)
I must say Adrian, you have been on quite a journey and, indeed, learned a lot. Well done!
I tooam exhausted, but learning so I know how diddicult your achievement is.