Could you share some tips on editing a draft? :)
i’m going to use this post to talk about structural edits, since i’ve already answered a question about line editing here.
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 “do’s” and two “don’ts” for structural edits. do go with your gut, and do be careful who you listen to. don’t look for problems that aren’t there, and don’t be afraid to divide your problems into separate drafts.
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.
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 “off”. my advice here is to consider what each of your characters wants most, and if you’re 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 you’re 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 don’t have to do everything betas suggest. DO consider suggestions, though, even if they don’t seem awesome to you at first. but at the end of the day, it’s 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 won’t be able to be critical of yourself if the draft is fresh, and when you’re editing, you need that critical eye. remember that at the end of the day, what you’re trying to do is make your story the best it can be. corny, but true. give your story the best possible chance at success!
look for problems that aren’t there: sometimes it’s tempting to pick apart a plot because you’re bored with it. sometimes when you’re editing it’s easier to invent problems that aren’t actually there in order to avoid what you actually need to be addressing. don’t waste your time on areas that are strong because you’re trying to make it “perfect”, 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 it’s much less overwhelming to tackle one issue rather than all at once.
bonus: if you’re hoping to be traditionally published, don’t query your first draft. just don’t do that. agents can tell. it’s 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!
