Since 2009, I have started eight novels and two novellas. I have finished drafts of five of them. Three I will never look at again (not to edit or salvage, anyway — maybe to learn from them). In terms of major …
Processing a Visual Block
I mentioned in my last post that I’m in the midst of editing Planes Shifter. This is planned to be the second-to-last edit, because I’m aiming to submit to at least one agent by July 1st. Following this draft, a …
Celebrating the End of a Stage
On Friday night, I finished the read through of Planes Shifter. About two weeks earlier than I’d expected to. This was the first time I’d read it from start to finish, without letting myself tweak anything. The last time I …
A New Editing Checklist
The early stages of writerhood can be confusing. The advice given to the first-time or aspiring writer generally points to “finishing your first draft.” Once you’ve crossed that border, you can call yourself a writer, and the suggestions of next stages are …
Editing Categories: Meeting My Story’s Needs
Before I could bring myself to start the paper edit of Planes Shifter, I searched the internet for guidance. How do you begin editing two years of your life’s work? I’d seen inspiring photos of highlighters and lovely desks with …
Discovering Writing Weaknesses
Every writer has strengths and weaknesses, and we learn what these are as we write. At some point, we realise just how many skills we don’t yet have. Sometimes we recognise a weakness in our work: “oh, I need to …