Thursday, December 27, 2012

Editing Through - A Writing Journal

The story idea for At Second Glance came in a flickering second. However, the first draft took me several years to craft (since I had no idea what I was doing when I first started writing). Once I finished that draft, the editing process started. I'm still editing this novel, quite some time later.

Truth be told, this whole editing process has been a lot of trial and error for me. As stated before, I didn't have much writing experience when I started ASG. I didn't know how to construct a story or anything about structure, let alone how to handle the serious subject matter of Emma's abuse.

This editing process is what's really made the book so far. Though I've had to scrap a lot, what I have now shows for it. If there's one thing I've learned from this editing process it's this: you're going to end up rewriting everything.

It doesn't matter if you're J.K. Rowling or Stephen King. Whether it's to adjust the mood, or that you just want to scrap it, you will eventually rewriting everything. That's not a bad thing. Your manuscript moulds and changes with time.

If I have one piece of advice for those currently editing, it's to find the heart of your story and stick to it. Every chapter, every line... needs to contribute to it. Otherwise you don't need it, trust me.

Editing might be a pain sometimes but it transforms your writing... for the better.

Are you in the editing process? Have other thoughts? Make sure to leave a comment below! We always reply. :)

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