This is how I’m going to write my first novel. It’s all rather unproven, but this is what I’m intending to do. The structure of the drafting process is based around Savannah Gilbo’s podcast, amended to suit my way of working, and my circumstance, as a first time author – plus a few ideas of my own.
Timings
I work full time, so my aim is to complete my first book within a year. If I could write a book a year, while working full time, that would be amazing. That feels optimistic, but it’s a target that might be achievable.
I’m currently three and a half months in, and I’m on stage three – so broadly on track.
How Many Drafts
I’m anticipating multiple drafts but I’m not certain how many. There are seven drafting stages, so in theory, seven drafts minimum. Each staging could be one draft or many, so it wouldn’t surprise me if there were ten or more. Also, if I’ve had enough, I could imagine skipping stages. It’s a movable feast.
The Plan
1. Outline
For the outline I did the following:
- Split the story up into its scenes.
- Write a short summary for each scene
- Write a brief bio of each major character, including what their flaws and hopes are.
- Write a sentence for each minor character
- Write a sentence for each significant location
2. First Draft
I wrote each scene in full and once a scene was written, I allowed myself one quick read through, to correct any major grammatical or spelling errors. Then it is done for the first draft, and there is no going back to it – even if there is major inconsistencies. That is for the edits. First draft is forward only, as quickly as possible.
3. First Read Through.
I compiled the draft onto a kindle, took a break and came back to the book and read through. I didn’t take notes while I was reading, and didn’t correct the draft as I went along. The point of this is to was a sense of the shape of the story, and any major narrative flaws, or any scenes that needed to be added or removed.
4. Story Level Drafts
This is about where I am now. I’m adding any missing scenes, combining scenes or remove scenes. This is where I’m changing subplots, characters and location, correcting any narrative inconsistencies such as suddenly changing motivation, plot timings that just can’t work, or characters being referred to as dead, then being alive in subsequent chapters.
I’m checking each character has a decent character arc. The aim is that each character changes and grows, but doesn’t mutate out of all recognition. It’s a good stage to check that any point of view is consistent, and I’m not jumping between people’s heads.
5. Initial Beta Read Drafts
I need to check that what I’m are writing makes sense, that I can tell a coherent story, and to correct any major flaws in my prose such as repeated uses of cliches, info dumping or excessive beautiful writing that is unreadable. So I need an early beat read.
I’m goign to take the first three chapters, or suitable subsection, and correct all spelling and grammatical errors. Polish the work as much as I can, down to the sentence level. At the end of this edit, I aim for the first chapters to be as good as I can get them.
The I need to locate one or two beta readers and ask them to read the first polished section and ask them to be honest and give them pointers to the areas in my writing that I’m are unsure about, and particularly want them to check. I’ll get them to skip minor spelling or grammar errors at this stage, and focus on the bigger picture. Then I will thank them again.
Armed with my beta readers feedback, I’ll go back and correct those fundamentals. Feedback is a gift, so I’m told.
6. Scene Level Drafts
My novel should now be in a more stable state. The scenes that remain, are highly likely to make it to the final cut, so it’s time to edit each scene individually. Each scene should have a narrative purpose, and have its own arc. Some might be more muted and reflective that others, but each has its place. If I don’t know what a scene adds to the story, and it’s survived my previous edits, then it’s time for it to go. I need to be brutal.
This will be a good place to refine my character actions and reactions – following the old adage ‘show don’t tell’. My character isn’t frightened; her skin prickles and eyes dart around the room – except better than what I’ve just written there.
This could be combined with the sentence level draft. The risk of doing that, is that I will spend time making my sentences tightly polished, and uniquely beautiful, only to completely remove them, when my scene arc changes.
7. Sentence Level Drafts
It’s time to get my draft as good as you possible can. I’ll check each sentence and firm up any remaining grammatical errors, and remove all unnecessary words and tighten everything up. I’ll make sure that each word conveys my meaning, and if there is a simpler word that does the job, then I’ll use that.
8. Full Beta Read Drafts
If I still have any goodwill left from my previous beta readers, then I’ll give them the full work, with suitable thanks and multiple bottles of wine. I then need to wait patiently (which I’m terrible at) for their feedback, and once I have it, I’ll put my big boy panties on, and do the needed redrafting. As a first time writer, it might be a shock, and I might be back to the story level edits. It’s all a learning and my next novel will be better at this stage and so less painful (I hope). I antipicate that this will be the hardest draft of all.
9. Final Read Through and Polish
Final stretch now. I’ll read through once more, and add any final tweaks and polishes. Then I’m done – well almost.
10. Backwards Read
This isn’t for the gentle of heart, so I might skip it. Everyone makes elementary grammatical mistakes in their writing. I’ll be so used to my words at this point, that I’ll be skimming over them, reading what I think should be there, not what is actually is on the page. My plan to catch those last errors is read the book backwards, a sentence at a time. This breaks the context, and I’ll read what is there and spot those last one or two errors.
I did this before handing my Master’s dissertation. I was obsessed though, so it depends how obsessed I get this time, to whether I go this far.
Photo by Camille Orgel on Unsplash
