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WORDS FOR WRITERS: Stages of Editing

WORDS FOR WRITERS: Stages of Editing

Draft one of a manuscript is for you. In this draft, you get to tell your story to yourself. You can write as much as you want, go off on tangents or side quests, or infodump and worldbuild to your heart’s content.

Draft two is for your readers. Draft two is where you rework the story you told yourself to ensure that you transmit it to the readers in a way that is entertaining, enjoyable, and understandable. That’s not to say it has to be basic or simplistic—but it must be comprehensible.

As Neil Gaiman is fond of saying: In draft one, write down everything that happens. In draft two, go back and make it look like you knew what you were doing all along.

So where do you start? Here’s how I usually break up my phases of editing.

JM FreyWORDS FOR WRITERS: Stages of Editing
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ANNOUNCEMENT: “Dear Abby” now on Radish

ANNOUNCEMENT: “Dear Abby” now on Radish

In my continued quest to republish my backlist for my erotica works as Peggy Barnett, I’ve begun to serialize DEAR ABBY on Radish. I’m shocked and delighted that my readership is growing on this reading app, and am amazed by how much everyone seems to like my weird early-career spice.

You keep being awesome, you thirsty Radish Readers!

About the novella:

Abigail writes hokey travel advice articles that promote her company’s package tours. She gets to experience tons of resorts every year, but there’s only so much a girl can stand. So when a beautiful woman begins to pay Abby more than the standard amount of attention, Abby takes notice. After all, a nice vacation affair is just what she might need to liven up her trip. But then things start to get weird. A creepy black mark has appeared on Abby’s palm, Abby’s new lover is growing unusually possessive, and Abby… Abby can’t seem to be able to have sex enough. Abby’s lover is named after a goddess, but she couldn’t really be one… could she?

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JM FreyANNOUNCEMENT: “Dear Abby” now on Radish
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WORDS FOR WRITERS: Secondary Characters and Subplots

WORDS FOR WRITERS: Secondary Characters and Subplots

This post is the fourth in a series on subplots.

As you’re developing your secondary plot, you’ll need to start thinking about who is going to carry it. Some subplots continue to feature, or may be told from, the POV of your main character. Other subplots may focus instead on a minor or secondary character, who guides the reader through this second storyline.

It’s tempting to spend all of your energy on developing a really rich main character while going light on secondary characters, but you should consider putting as much initial thought into your main character’s friends, family members, and enemies as you do with them.

(Besides, we all know that really great side-characters are everyone’s favorite in novels, anyway. Sure, we like Frodo Baggins, but Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli, Sam, Merry, or Pippin are the ones people name when you ask them who their fave is.)

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JM FreyWORDS FOR WRITERS: Secondary Characters and Subplots
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