Lost the plot, part two
When you are working on your novel it is not helpful to start editing it too soon. The next tip is; NEVER read back what you have just written. It is much better to write until you run dry then pack it up and put it away un-read and un-edited. WHY? Well I have discovered that I cannot be objective or even rational about my work when I have just produced it. In the past I have started to edit it right away and made it much worse or had to throw it away in frustration because I felt it was rubbish. But if I wait until the next day and then read it again it is much easier to see the flaws and put them right. If after reading it I know what should come next I start writing again and the manuscript moves forward.
NEVER edit it fully until the whole novel is finished or you’ll never complete it. I have known a few friends who have attempted to write a novel but never got passed chapter 5. Why is this? It is because they continually edited these first few chapters until they were sick to death of it or had completely edited out all the flow and originality from it. So, get it down on paper/computer before going over it more than once. Once it is complete then it’s the time to move on to the editing phase and believe me, you’ll do this many times before it is good enough to submit to anyone.
When you are working on your novel it is not helpful to start editing it too soon. The next tip is; NEVER read back what you have just written. It is much better to write until you run dry then pack it up and put it away un-read and un-edited. WHY? Well I have discovered that I cannot be objective or even rational about my work when I have just produced it. In the past I have started to edit it right away and made it much worse or had to throw it away in frustration because I felt it was rubbish. But if I wait until the next day and then read it again it is much easier to see the flaws and put them right. If after reading it I know what should come next I start writing again and the manuscript moves forward.
NEVER edit it fully until the whole novel is finished or you’ll never complete it. I have known a few friends who have attempted to write a novel but never got passed chapter 5. Why is this? It is because they continually edited these first few chapters until they were sick to death of it or had completely edited out all the flow and originality from it. So, get it down on paper/computer before going over it more than once. Once it is complete then it’s the time to move on to the editing phase and believe me, you’ll do this many times before it is good enough to submit to anyone.