So, now we’re on to the second draft. What I do when writing the first is make notes in Scrivener (my word processor of choice) because I’m a pantser and the plot evolves as I go. But because of that, changes occur which create plot holes etc I do not, and let me stress this, DO NOT EDIT A FIRST DRAFT. I never go back once a chapter is written. Ever. I keep on going and make notes on what to change or add.
Now, when I start the second draft, I look at said notes and go in order. This means, starting from the beginning and making sure the story is clear and concise. I change the things I need to change, add dialogue, fix plot holes, and make sure there’s no continuity issues. SECONDS DRAFTS, for me, DO NOT INCLUDE EDITING GRAMMAR, SENTENCE STRUCTURE, etc No. This is about the story ONLY. If I see something, sure, I’ll fix it really quick, but I don’t focus on it. My mind is set on the plot and making sure I’m telling a good story.
Second drafts usually take me anywhere from one to two weeks, depending on how many notes I’ve made throughout the first draft. In this particular case, it took me about a week to add and change what I needed to.
My novel went from 74k to 94k in just a week’s time.
Now, it’s third draft time!
To be continued…
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