I paid for a professional editor to give me a structural edit and she found the problematic scenes. I really didn't know what was wrong with the book, just that something wasn't quite right. However, I did get one for the second book in my crime series, Delirium, when I got to a point when I had ‘lost the plot.' I had a structural edit for Stone of Fire which was my first novel.Īs the other ARKANE novels follow a similar formula, I didn’t get structural edits for the other books in the series. problems with characters if fiction, and with chapter order or flow issues when non-fiction. It's usually presented as a report with sections for the various aspects of the book e.g. It's cheaper than a full line by line edit and will help you determine whether you need to do some significant rewrites or re-organization. This isn't a line by line analysis, but more of an overview on what you can improve. If this is your first book or the first book in a series, it can be worth getting a structural edit (sometimes called a story edit for fiction or an editorial review). (2) Structural edit / story edit / editorial review If you are struggling to get to the point of satisfaction with your words and you have been through several self-edits already, or even several pro editors, then read The Pursuit of Perfection and How It Harms Writers by Kristine Kathryn Rusch. When I am satisfied that my self-edits are the best I can do, I will send the manuscript to my editor.Ĭlick here to check out my list of recommended editors. After that’s done, I will print again and repeat the process, but that usually results in fewer changes. Then I go back to Scrivener and type all my changes into the manuscript, inevitably changing some more things along the way. That first pass usually takes at least a week and is the most substantial edit. I note down new scenes or chapters that need writing, continuity issues, problems with characters and much more. I write all kinds of notes in the margins and scribble and cross things out. Once I have the first draft in Scrivener, I print the whole thing out and do the first pass by hand. Then I go back and start a major rewrite based on those notes. I note down new scenes that need writing, continuity issues, problems with characters and much more. Once I have a first draft I print the whole thing out and do the first pass with handwritten notes. Personally, I love the rewriting and redrafting process. But once those words are down, you can improve on them. Repeat until satisfied.įor many writers, the first draft is just the bare bones and often no one will ever see that version of the manuscript. Here’s my process, and I believe it’s relevant whether you are writing fiction or non-fiction. It is definitely time to celebrate because you have achieved a lot more than most writers! But it's also only the first step towards your finished book. Many new writers are confused about what happens after you have managed to get the first draft out of your head and onto the page.
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