Could you share some tips on editing a draft? :)
hey anon! of course!Â
iâm going to use this post to talk about structural edits, since iâve already answered a question about line editing here.Â
A Guide to Structural Edits
structural editing is editing with the intent of strengthening the plot, pacing, and characterization in your novel.
i have two âdoâsâ and two âdonâtsâ for structural edits. do go with your gut, and do be careful who you listen to. donât look for problems that arenât there, and donât be afraid to divide your problems into separate drafts.
DO:
go with your gut: when you finish draft one (yay! so exciting!) you probably have a sense of what could be fixed. note those things down before you let it rest (and do let it rest! this is important!) and start with those things when you first start editing.Â
this part can be agonizing, especially if you know sort of what needs to be changed but not exactly, and it just feels like something is âoffâ. my advice here is to consider what each of your characters wants most, and if youâre giving it to them too early. another strategy is to try and write out the stakes for each character in the book. outlining these things will help more than you think. this is also the time to address plot holes.
be careful who you listen to: if youâre anything like me, you like to get beta readers involved as early as draft one. this is great, because you get extra eyes on the project. but be careful: not every beta is going to have opinions you agree with. you donât have to do everything betas suggest. DO consider suggestions, though, even if they donât seem awesome to you at first. but at the end of the day, itâs your book, and you get the final say.
bonus: WAIT. as i said above, letting your draft rest is important. give yourself time and mental space between drafts. this is ESSENTIAL. you wonât be able to be critical of yourself if the draft is fresh, and when youâre editing, you need that critical eye. remember that at the end of the day, what youâre trying to do is make your story the best it can be. corny, but true. give your story the best possible chance at success!Â
DONâT:
look for problems that arenât there: sometimes itâs tempting to pick apart a plot because youâre bored with it. sometimes when youâre editing itâs easier to invent problems that arenât actually there in order to avoid what you actually need to be addressing. donât waste your time on areas that are strong because youâre trying to make it âperfectâ, especially not in your first round of editing.
be afraid to divide your problems into special drafts: if your draft is looking pretty rough and you know you have big issues in more than one area (wordcount, characterization, plot, dialogue, description, action), feel free to take several passes through it. my first novel took six drafts, and i took the problems one at a time. this was actually very helpful, because itâs much less overwhelming to tackle one issue rather than all at once.Â
bonus: if youâre hoping to be traditionally published, donât query your first draft. just donât do that. agents can tell. itâs tempting to just start, but it is worth it to wait and polish your story before you send it to an agent. if this is your first ever novel, i recommend at least three drafts between starting and querying.
happy editing! now go forth and make words!
