Tips on Starting Your Second Draft
Now that NaNoWriMo is over and you hopefully have a first draft (or no-draft) to work from, you might be itching to start editing. After you’ve given yourself a little time to cool off, feel free to start the process! The second draft is the time when you should start shaping your novel to become what you want it to be, which includes tackling any structural problems.
If you plan on starting a second draft soon, be sure to follow these tips!
Know the Structure of Your Story
If you’re not quite sure how you want your story to fit together, now’s the time to figure it out. Figure out the order of events you want to take place and if it all makes sense together. It helps to reread your story and take notes on scenes you want to change or chapters you want to rearrange.
Which leads into…
Learn Story Arcs
Studying up on story arcs will help you understand your own story structure. Most stories follow a basic story structure, so learning story arcs will help your strengthen your novel. There should be a rise and fall of action, an inciting incident, a climax, a resolution, etc. Read up on it here.
Focus on Plot Holes
Many story issues show up in the form of plot holes. A plot hole is a gap or inconsistency in a story that can not be explained. Plot holes can be found in all shapes and sizes, so it’s important you iron them out during your subsequent drafts. You need to explain how things happen and make sure details connect logically.
Make Sure Character Motivation Checks Up
A character with no motivation or poor motivation can be corrected during the second draft. It’s really important that you understand what your character needs or wants. What’s driving your character? Is this clear in every scene? Do their actions make sense or line up with motivation? Ask yourself these questions during the second draft.
Fill in Scenes
I like to use the second draft to fill in scenes that don’t feel complete. If I didn’t explain enough or I feel like I could add more interaction between characters, that’s when I do it. Fill in scenes that you feel could add more to your story.
Take a Look at Transitions
Transitioning between scenes is an important scene to master, so take a look at all that during your second draft. Establish where your characters are and make location changes clear. Use chapter breaks for extreme changes or sudden cliffhangers and avoid switching constantly between different POVs and story lines without explanations.
-Kris Noel
