How To Get Through The Second Draft Of Your Book
Finishing the first draft of your novel is an exciting and elating experience. This applies in particular to first-time writers, and there is nothing quite like writing the final line of the last chapter and realising that you’ve done it, you’ve made it to the end!
Well..sort of.
Of course, as we all know finishing writing your novel does not mean that you’ve finished it. While it’s good and indeed necessary to celebrate having done so, many authors believe it is only when you have finished your first draft that the real work begins.
Surviving the second draft of your novel is a challenge. It’s where you realise that quite a lot of what you initially wrote was in a sleep-deprived stupor, that your book is full of inconsistencies, spelling and grammar mistakes and a fair bit of it is actually quite boring!
Writing the second draft is where your book begins to take shape, where it becomes something exciting, something that actually might just appeal to an agent or publisher. However, it is also the most difficult and draining part of writing a book. Trying to shape everything you have written, being able to distance yourself from this piece of work that you poured your heart and soul into, being open to criticism and able to spot mistakes, is truly hard.
So what are the strategies you can put in place to get you through your second draft?
Embrace chaos
It can be a bit overwhelming to start ploughing through your first draft, particularly if you aren’t feeling too positive about it. However, now is the time to embrace the chaos. No one’s first draft is slick and sleek and brilliant - remember that. Sure, it will take some time to work through everything and get your book in order, but now is the time to persevere and stay positive.
Find useful apps
There are LOADS of useful writing apps there that can help you with the editing process. Simply have a search online and look at what’s on offer. Many writers swear by using these tools to keep them organised and on track.
Create goals and deadlines
You are never going to get through your second draft unless you set some useful, well thought out goals for yourself. Think about what you need to do to get your book in good shape and then give yourself reasonable, realistic deadlines and make sure you prioritise this over everything else. Otherwise, it’s all too easy to lose interest in your book and see all that hard work go to waste.
Worry about one thing at a time
Trying to edit your book all at once may be a good idea. Concentrate on content, structure, and plot at first - this is probably the hardest part. Then look at spelling and grammar later. Spelling and grammar is the easiest thing to check so wait and do this last otherwise you might run out of steam before you’ve even tackled the tough stuff.
Don’t go over and over the same piece trying to make it perfect
It’s so easy just to keep reading and re-reading your first five chapters, tearing them apart and building them back up again over and over again. This is not an ideal way to edit your book, and you’ll end up with a knockout beginning which then trails off. Go through each chapter once at first and then come back to it. You can always go over it again later if needs be.
Get a second opinion
Useful critiques of your book are invaluable at this stage. Find yourself a writing partner who can support and advise you, or be brave and find people you know will give you an entirely unbiased opinion to get some feedback (there are websites and forums online for this). Getting constructive criticism and using it wisely will help you see your book through another person's eyes and shed light on errors that you may not have otherwise seen.
By following the above, you can successfully navigate your way through the minefield that is drafting your second book. We can’t promise that it will be perfect by the time you have finished, but you’ll have chipped away sufficiently that you’ll be able to see the clearing through the trees.
Bethany Cadman -author of 'Doctor Vanilla's Sunflowers'
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