I’m definitely a self-taught fiction writer. Indeed, I’m still in the process of self-teaching. Any thoughts my readers may have on my process will be more than welcome.
Right now, I’m on my third pass through the manuscript of my first novel. This is what I mean:
- Pass One was the initial writing. You can see some of my earlier posts under the category “Art of Writing” to glean how I managed that process. That took about a year.
- The second pass was two months of “Anti-Editing,” which I completed about the first of March. I went through the entire manuscript making notes while trying not to spend time actually revising anything. I wasn’t entirely successful at avoiding all revisions, but I was pretty good.
- I’m now on the third pass – actual revisions. This is where I’m fleshing out characters and smoothing over (and adding to) plot lines.
Meanwhile, my first “Beta Reader” is at work. She’s also a light copy editor. I’ve got about 50% of the manuscript back from her and am incorporating her thoughts as I go along with this third pass.
I hope to complete the third pass in another month. Then it goes out to more Beta Readers for comment. Detailed editing will follow that.
PHOTO TAKEN FROM HTTP://CENTRUM.ORG/PROGRAMS/WRITING/
Ann Heitland 