Welcome to Adventures in Editing! A series of blog posts in which you will see a young writer figure out how the heck to edit a novel. Heeere's your host, Lily!
*Scattered applause*
So. This week I started editing my NaNoWriMo 2012 novel, Noxumbra. (Yes, I did change the title from Noxumbra Manor.)
Overwhelming? Oh, yes. So many levels of yes.
There is so much to fix. Plot holes, flat characters, a not-yet-built-enough world, some Insta!Luv (sorta).... lots of things that just need to be redone and reworked.
This would be the first "Oh carp what I have I done what was I thinking that first page tastes like cardboard" stage. I would be surprised if another didn't visit me half-way through.
One cannot edit, or do anything productive, during an Oh Carp stage. So I kissed it goodbye and sent it off to torment someone else. It still sends me postcards, very depressing post cards, but I try to ignore them and give them to my sister so she can use them as litter for her ducklings.
So, after spending an afternoon or so wallowing in self-pity and general overwhelmed-ness, I decided to develop a battle plan.
Everything gets better when you have a battle plan. Time to pull the Battle Axe of Editing from the dungeon.
I'm still working on my battle plan, but basically it looks like this:
- Make sure the chapters work so I can
tormentwork with a crit partner for NaNoCritMo. - Work on fleshing out the characters. Their backstories etc, will influence the plot.
- Work on the plot:
- Fill in the big BREAKS I left in my manuscript during NaNoWriMo when I needed to get my 2000 words in but had writers' block so I switched scenes.
- Obliterate the Insta!Luv and develop the Nomance properly.
- Develop a reasonable way for the Manor to earn money.
- Make Gwen's life harder.
- Etc, etc, etc.
That's it so far. No doubt it will change somewhat.
I think that's all for this episode. Time to pull the Battle Axe of Editing from the dungeon.
Do you have any advice/questions/random statements about glittered armadillos? Please utilize the handy comment box below!
And a good night/morning/afternoon/whatever to you.
*Lights dim. Closing theme music*
