Time to Write Week 42

Group 1: Edits chapter 22 and chapter 2

Group 2: Writing Chapter 42

Group 3: Writing Chapter 22

11 weeks remaining in our writing journey. 

I thought I would share some editing steps for those winding things down. 

Once you write The End...some say put your story away  for a week or two. I think a break is good. Most of the time I don't do that but we are all different. I absolutely dislike writing a story but I love having written and because a different part of my brain is used for editing I go right into that. 

Fresh eyes on the manuscript after some time off csn be good. 

Read through the whole story making more notes of what is needed. 

Once you have read through then you are working on draft two of your story. Each time it will get better and I will be honest. One or two times is not enough. 

Fix any big issues first. This may require using your book notebook to see where the issue fixed affects story. Go and fix problems related to an issue all the way through. 

This is where scene maps and your chapter outline csn be quit a bit of help. 

As you read work look for plot holes. 
Cut boring sections. 
Beef up dialogue to be realistic. 
How is the story pacing. Does it flow?
What's missing? What didn't you answer? Readers hat to have something unanswered or left hanging. 

Once you have fixed any story arc issues then work on each characters arc and growth in more detail. 

When you are satisfied on the number 2 run through read it all again from the beginning. Check grammar and punctuation and take a break from the story once more. 
Search for passive sections by locating.... had just was. Where a lot are together is leas active. 

Search for filter words: saw watched realized felt etc. 

When you pick it up again you have some decisions to make. What was your word count goal? As you read this time fluff if you need more words and cut where you csn if less. This is review #3. 

So for the number 4 read thru just read. Then begin looking for like words close together. Replaced verbs with active verbs. Cut what Adverbs you can. 

There is no set plan on how to edit or in what order. These are just hints so do what works best for you. 

Onward!!!