Writing Skills

A new post I’m starting this year is “Ask the Author.” That’s right, it’s your chance to ask your questions about me and my writing. The year’s first question comes from Chris Deanne: Tell me about your first edit.

Every writer has his/her own process. Many write the full manuscript before doing any editing at all. However, I almost always edit the previous day’s work before starting on today’s writing. One, it helps me recapture where I was in the story; and two, it helps get me warmed up for writing.

I also have a critique group I participate in each month and will make edits in the scene that day based on their feedback.

But I think Chris was asking about that first edit after completing the full draft.

First, I step away from the story for at least a week (preferably longer) to allow my brain to forget the big and little details of the story. That allows me to see holes anywhere in the story.

If I have a beta reader group, I’ll send a pdf of the story to them and give them a deadline of when I need their feedback.

Next, I read through the whole story as if I was a reader reading it for the first time. I usually print out the story to do this. Things on the printed page look different than on the computer screen.

I often encourage other writers to read their manuscript out loud or have their writing program read it out loud. (Fun fact about me: I fell asleep reading stories to my children, so I’m not sure listening to my story will work for me.)

As I’m reading through, I’ll make note of…

• Typos and punctuation errors
• Holes in the plot
• Errors in time frame
• Errors in characters’ details and their behavior.
• Something that is unclear in a scene
• Any idea I get to enhance a scene
• Any item that needs research to ensure the fact is accurate
• Clarity of point of view character

Once this is done, I’ll read through my beta readers’ feedback and make any necessary revisions.

This process is going to look different for every author. Because I edit during the writing process, this first edit of the full draft is more like a developmental edit–I’m mostly looking for big picture errors.

While writing, I might decide halfway through that I’m going to change a plot detail. Rather than revising after completing the manuscript, I’ll go back to the beginning of the story and rework every scene as needed to support that new plot detail before continuing.

I do make plot changes during that first read through, too. In writing Claiming Her Inheritance, I decided I would put a fake snake in Sally’s saddle bags. That meant I had to reread and revise as necessary every scene from that point to the end of the story to ensure every scene supported that change.

This is what constitutes my first edit, Chris. Thanks for asking, and I hope that’s what you were looking for.

Do you have a question you’d like to ask? Put it in the comments below. I’ll either reply to your comment or create a blog post to answer it.