Monday, February 20, 2012

Book finished? Now the real work begins . . .

I've just typed the finishing words to my work in progress and that first draft is done. Isn't it amazing that only now does the real work begin.

When sitting down to write a book, you'd think getting the story down on the page would be the hard part. It is a struggle, don't get me wrong, but the real hard work begins when you start to shape that story into something that is ready for others to read. I always thought my story made so much sense along the way. After all, I just wrote down what my characters shared with me.

Then when I started to go back and read what I'd written, I realize how much polish and work is still ahead of me. It's not that I think the first draft is trash ... it just needs twice as many hours of editing. The silliest things crop up when you begin going over your draft. Wrong words such as there for their or hear for here happen a lot. Then there are the repetitive words ... I get a lot of journey, quest, ride, road and forest. Time to break out the thesaurus. I love using it, but sometimes that can be distracting. I get caught up looking up cool new words. Next up is fixing all those boring dull verbs and cutting out the dreaded adverbs. Also need to cut out the telling and work on doing more showing.

Those are just the start of the work. It seems there are always plot holes, subplots started but never finished, tasks hinted at but never realized. Time to streamline all of that into what is important to progress the story and what can be removed. Then there are those parts that are very cool and need to be fleshed out in the rest of the story.

My next issue during the editing process is cutting out description. In this case less is often more, but I tend to get long winded and want to describe the scene in detail. I often forget that my readers have an imagination and it is better to let them fill in some of those details to help draw them into the story and make it feel as if they are participating. Don't you connect better to stories that you feel you are part of because you are adding in the details that you see rather than always being told what you are seeing?

So now you've done a lot of editing. You've tightened and sharpened. You've clarified bits and cleared up confusion. Time to hand it off to beta readers or editors to see what someone else sees. You'd think this was when you'd get to relax. Right? Wrong.

For self-published writers, like myself, you still have more work ahead. What about a book cover? Have you got a title? Are you creating buzz that your work is nearing completion and will be available soon? Are you ready to format your work for self-publication? A lot of these issues I didn't even realize I needed to worry about until I was ready to put my book out there.

Once my book was released I realized all the marketing would fall on my shoulders. I don't know a lot about marketing and have taken a learn as you go path. If you can get tips and hints ahead of time be sure to put them to work as soon as possible, it can make a difference. Finding people to review your book is important and the sooner you can line them up, the better. Good reviewers often have a long waiting list and you want to get yours on that list as soon as possible.

Another thing I didn't ever think about before I'd already released my book was links to my blog, website and information on where to find other writing I have done. I also never thought about putting a teaser to other work and especially to the next book in the series. I have seen other self-published authors working together -- if you are in the same genre -- to promote each other at the end of their books. These are all additional touches that I think can make a difference in helping to grow who you are as a writer and building a fan base.

Time for me to get back to work on some of these. As they say, there's no rest for the wicked.

14 comments:

  1. I can totally relate! I just finished draft 2 of a novel and it's ridiculous how much work you still have to do! It never ends....never, I tell you! ;D Luckily, I have great editors. :)

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    1. Great editors do help the work run smooth. I never expected before that getting the story done would be the easy part of writing a book, but I've learned a lot of new fun things along the way so I can't complain...well, not too much anyway.

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  2. Good luck in all of that!
    I have one finished first draft that I haven't even touched since finishing (it's going to be my summer project) and one half-finished first draft which I'm going to finish in November (NaNo is my life-saver). Not sure if I'll try and publish, I just like the idea that they'll be written and completed!

    But yes, good luck with your editing and your book cover and title and marketing and just everything! :D

    Faye :)

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    1. Thanks, Faye!

      I have tons of sorta written, partly written and just an idea jotted down stories piled up beside my desk. I'm grateful to get one done. I'm looking forward to giving NaNo a try this year, I just missed out on it last year, I heard about it too late in November.

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    2. Oh, it's so great! I've done it twice now. I honestly thought I would never, ever, be able to write 50,000 words in a month. It was such a FEAT to ask of me, especially as the longest project I had written before that had only been 9,000 words!

      Then, boom. I DID it. And that elation was so great. I honestly felt like I could hit the roof for an entire week afterwards! Hehe.
      Then, since I had done it once, I knew I simply had to do it again, no ifs, no buts. And I managed it again and it was great and, if anything, that story was better by far and is actually my un-finished one. It's 50,000 words but it's no where near finished. :D

      It really helps to have a good writing community to help you get through it though. Sometimes just one, or two people who do it with you, who can really persuade you to JUST GET WORDS written!

      [/rambling]
      Sorry about that. LOL.

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    3. I agree it's very much about just getting words on a page. Sometimes, I know I spend more time trying to get just the right words down and let the story lag behind. Now, I try and get the story down and find the right words in the revisions.

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  3. Interesting post Bridget! It does seem very arduous when you put it all together like that. I quite like editing though. I enjoy taking the time to really shape the raw material into something much better. Do you edit as you write your novel much? Or do you leave the vast majority of it until you have finished writing it all out?
    Congrats on finishing :)

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    1. I have moments where I find myself editing as I go and that tends to slow down the process of actually getting the story out. When I realize what I am doing I try and not agonize over getting each sentence or word right and just finish the scene.

      Thanks for stopping in. Editing isn't all bad, just sometimes takes me out of enjoying the creation of the story.

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  4. The work is definitely never done, but I enjoy (most of the time) being able to do it all myself. There are times where it piles all together and seems like a mountain I have to climb, but taking a break and just focusing on each thing as one step makes is easier to deal with, and before you know it, you have a finished book. And that's something to celebrate.

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    1. I think I've stared up at that same mountain, Patricia. It can be overwhelming. It's very much about tackling one project at a time and yep, before you know it you've done it. Finishing a project of any kind is definitely something to celebrate.

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  5. Great post! It makes you realize just how hard authors work. It was very cool reading and seeing I'm not alone in all this. It's fun though, isn't it? I feel so lucky to have found something I love doing so much. Makes working a real joy.

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    1. Oh we're very lucky to do something we love. Thanks for dropping in and commenting. Authors do work hard and it is amazing how much work is involved.

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  6. You are so right, Bridget! Remember when we were young and naive and thought the writing was actually the hard part? That turns out to be the easiest part of all!!
    I'm waiting for the edits on my second book to drop into my e-mail any day now. We're looking at a May Release. *crosses fingers*
    Then, just like with the politicians, comes the shaking hands and kissing babies part - the promotion! *sigh*
    Somehow, it's still totally worth it in the end. It is, right? ;)

    -Jimmy

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    1. That is so right, Jimmy. Writing is the easiest part. Then comes all that hard work to help share the writing with masses.

      It is so totally worth it, I think.

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