You can do a lot of clever things with Point of View. Is PoV established early? Is it consistent? Do we only see things that PoV character would see? ![]() But the reader will be happier if they have some idea where they are going (and, erm, if the chapter actually goes somewhere!) The answers can turn out to be misleading. If you can’t answer those questions for the chapter then you need to go away and start again. But if the reader can’t answer these questions after the first couple of paragraphs the chapter is in trouble. I’m talking straightforward answers to these four questions: Who, where, what, why not? You can twist things about if you want. ![]() I’m not talking about in a deep Umberto Eco-esque way. The first and biggest problem a reader has is figuring out what the hell is going on. Who is there? Where are they? What do they want? What is stopping them from getting what they want? You didn’t think we would be finish with a third draft, did you? Mwa hah hah, hah hah hah…. You will notice that there is nothing about spelling and punctuation. Rules to be followed, or, if broken, only broken on purpose. To help me do this, I have put together a checklist of the sort of things I am looking for as I start this third draft. It’s in the third draft that you need to make sure that the words you have chosen tell the story you want to tell. But if you fuss too much over presentation in the first and second draft you’re probably wasting your time on something you’re just going to cut later. The third draft, using my phraseology, is when you go back and start worrying about language. You change characters, wipe out plot lines, tighten, tighten, tighten, until finally, after weeping bloody tears over beautiful writing that did nothing useful and ugly writing that you couldn’t figure out a way to replace, you finish up with a story that will hopefully make sense to someone who isn’t you. You cut out anything that doesn’t actively tell your story. In the second draft you figure out what your story is actually about, and put that front and centre. First drafts don’t always make a lot of sense. Hey, this is English, making up words is totally allowed.Ī second draft is all about story. That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t plan – plan as much as you like – but when you’re actually writing the draft, write in a state of passion, a state of rapture, and, if you write like me, a state of semi-inibriatednous. I am a firm believer in writing it as fast as you can. How do you turn a rough draft into a ready draft? In this article I will describe what I mean by a second and a third draft, and illustrate my personal checklist for revising third drafts. Rather they refer to specific stages in the drafting process. But the titles “second” and “third” don’t refer to a number of revisions (I have worked through each chapter many, any times). I’m going to take a couple of weeks of for Christmas, then get started on the third. You don't have to fall into this category anymore.I just finished the second full draft of a novel. Many aspiring and experienced writers toss out hundreds of pages (and waste valuable time) before they have a workable first draft of a story. Goal sheets for getting-and keeping-your career on track ![]() Brainstorming techniques to keep you motivated ![]() Tips for outlining projects already in development Completed sample worksheets inspired by best-selling books Detailed worksheets to guide you through the outlining process Itemized and flexible schedules to keep you focused each and every day Plus, comprehensive and interactive worksheets make the process seem less like work and more like fun. Flexible and customizable, this revolutionary system can be modified to fit any writer's approach and style. Wiesner's method shows you how to create an outline so detailed and complete that it actually doubles as your first draft. Starting-and finishing-your story has never been easier.įirst Draft Outline provides you with a sure-fire system to reduce time-intensive rewrites and avoid writing detours. Finish an outline so complete it reads like a first draft! Say goodbye to writing and rewriting with no results.
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