My Personal EDITING PROCESS | 7 Action Steps to Edit the First Draft of Your Novel

[@BethanyAtazadeh]

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[@TheWriteNowMom]

I get editing fright. At the moment, I have one novel, three novellas, and a short story that needs to be edited. Each one started with taking a break to distance myself, but I can't bring myself to come back to them. I know I have to do it or I can't move on and, eventually, publish them. A part of me wonders if that distance just took the excitement from the story and if it would work differently if I jumped into edits while still riding the high of finishing the draft. These (along with the previous editing video I just watched) are some great tips, though, and I hope to start editing next week.

[@BethanyAtazadeh]

Good luck, you've got this! You could definitely try a different process and see if it helps you to keep up the momentum, that's a great plan! But you're also not alone in having a hard time starting edits, I have that every time, you gotta push through and dive in! :)

[@therealannataylor]

I love editing. It’s my favorite part of storytelling! Getting it to the point of potential perfection is just so fun! I’ve found recently that I’m naturally an over writer, but I learned I needed to be an underwriter. If I had to keep revising the scene instead of just adding important things it put me into a terrible slump 😕

[@therealannataylor]

I liked the bonus tip too. It feels incredibly obvious to me now 😂

[@BethanyAtazadeh]

That's awesome! And I have to agree that I love seeing the finished product haha, that's a very good point! Glad you enjoyed! :)

[@freedomthroughspirit]

Relating! I'm enjoying the editing rounds but it is a lot of work, fortunately it's just a one thing at a time process so not too overwhelming. I overwrote thanks to NaNoWriMo since I was only focused on word count but boy has it been more work to reduce than to add (taking me multiple passes for each bloated set of scenes, like a sculptor making a cut into the clay then stepping back to see where to slim it next). I'm going to underwrite next time, write faster and leaner and then add.

[@iosyntropy]

you, freaking, nailed it

[@N.Traveler]

This is so similar to my process! Sometimes I forget why a certain step is important and the way you explained it was a great reminder to never skip any part of the process. I'd like to add to step 3. Reading through and making notes: find a system to organize your notes (take it from someone who spent hours searching for the scene in my manuscript that I wrote notes for). I prefer to note as advised by Susan Dennard: [chapter] - [number of problem] - [category of problem: P plot, C= character, S= setting, O = other] - [short description of problem] (important: don't yet write a solution). Also, scribble this same 'code' on the side of your manuscript for easy reference but describe the problem on a separate paper. Example: 18 - 2 - S - use more senses and describe the room. I also read the whole manuscript in one day/sitting to make me feel pressed for time and prevent the temptation of getting stuck on the details. Hope that helps anyone. Happy writing/revising everyone!

[@klairablains2841]

I actually listen to my work. Text to speech also helps greatly finding the typos.

[@jessevail4087]

Editing...ugh. The worst part of the process for me. I've written 3 of my six-book series now and I still dread going back through and editing it all.

[@thomasswritingjourney]

I loved and saved this video. I definitely have writer's blindness when it comes to editing. One writer mentioned something about editing out certain words like just in their story and I looked at my wip and said Haha I didn't make that mistake. Um well 1 year later I went over it and yeah it appeared right before my very eyes. The word just in several places in my wip. Anyway this was a fantastic video. This will definitely help my self editing process!👍😍

[@BethanyAtazadeh]

Haha it happens to the best of us! Glad it was helpful! :D

[@aliaikezoe9149]

I love the idea of getting a proof copy to actually proofread your drafts! I heard tips like changing the font size & style of your draft helps reduce the blindness, but printing it out is another great idea. I've also tried the tip of when starting the second draft after jotting down all the notes, which is to rewrite the document. Having the first draft and notes at your side but retyping every single word. It's tedious but it helps loosen up a lot more creativity when editing. Sort of like "rebuilding" entirely to the better version than "tweaking" the original version. I love your writing advice and tips so much! Can't wait til the next post :D

[@BethanyAtazadeh]

Thank you so much! And that's a great idea, I have a critique partner who does that and it works super well for her, love that tip!

[@rosannebowman2592]

I definitely tend to be an underwriter now. I am usually in a hurry to tell myself the story.

[@tomaria100]

Thank you, Bethany! This is helpful.

[@WriteHollyDavis]

Great vid, thank you! I'm going to start tackling 1st draft edits this week.

[@BethanyAtazadeh]

Good luck! :D

[@BoEkingster]

i like your advice... for me, space never helps. i remember everything, feel everything... but i agree, it's good advice. yes, printing it out is a huge step and a must do.

[@lesleybarklay798]

Great video, thanks again Bethany!

[@BethanyAtazadeh]

Thanks for watching! :)

[@tierajade]

I loved the "fast voice"!!! 🤣🤣🤣

[@davemcveigh3996]

This is great! Thank you!

[@writeronwheels5594]

I'm still in the outline stage (had to start over when NaNo got away from me) but I can't wait to put this to good use!

[@BethanyAtazadeh]

Yay!

[@readerturnedwriter]

This was awesome! Thank you so much for sharing ♥️

[@BethanyAtazadeh]

So glad it was helpful! :D

[@MissHolliday3110]

Would love a video on forming community as a writer: the importance of connecting with other authors, how to find a critique partner and mentor, etc. I really need community as I write my first novel. It has evolved and changed so much (from a YA fantasy to adult epic fantasy) and I need guidance for the process and someone to help me discover my story... and the occasional pep talk when I feel like crap because I'm stuck on my outline and overwhelmed with ideas.

[@BethanyAtazadeh]

That's a great idea for a video - my friend Brittany Wang has done a bunch of videos on community in the past, if you are interested in checking them out on her youtube channel, I definitely recommend that! :)

[@MissHolliday3110]

@@BethanyAtazadeh thanks!

[@havvaalexander9520]

This was great. I saved it to my edit list. Thank you 👍

[@BethanyAtazadeh]

Glad it was helpful!

[@judiangel4173]

Had a beta reader who gave me some great comments. Including giving me pages of her notes as she read. Very helpful as I edit, but still feel a little frightful although I feel the story is good. Scifi/fantasy novel, 101,400 words. This was very helpful, good presentation. Thank you for sharing the information.

[@BethanyAtazadeh]

Glad it was helpful!

[@katieknightley]

Great tips! Proud of you for all those rounds of edits! I should prob do more and delve deeper/analyze better before CPs read it, but yay for learning & growing 😄 lol Lol Penny ❤️

[@BethanyAtazadeh]

Thanks Katie!

[@katieknightley]

@@BethanyAtazadeh I just hate reading my book that much haha. It does help to divide and conquer the edits though :)

[@Sanscripter]

This editing is my process

[@megankirrmann6624]

Editing my novel in general......mind numbing..... intimidating......bit the outcome is better!!!

[@successby1000wins]

Thanks for putting this video together! It's perfect timing as I begin editing my book #2. Wish I had watched this before I finished up book #1 in November :) FYI, following your advice, just submitted my rough draft to OD to print a copy for editing. That should be WAY easier than editing from the computer. I'm a physical person, so it'll be nice having the copy in my hand rather on a computer screen!

[@BethanyAtazadeh]

So glad it was helpful! :D

[@mollysung4696]

Yesss early :D

[@mollysung4696]

(I needed this right now lol)

[@BethanyAtazadeh]

Yay! So glad it's helpful! :D

[@drewmonroe3747]

Finally someone who can explain this topic without making it so complicated! Thank you Bethany!! Do you do all of your own editing? Is it okay for an author to take this route before publishing? Looking forward to watching your video's on beta readers. I think this is what I do need. A 2nd, 3rd and 4th set of eyes, lol. I am a fiction, drama writer.

[@antoniodossantos5960]

Thanks... Greetings from Colombia The Venezuelan Immigrant writer 🌎

[@SennaCrow]

Good lord, you had so few words to delete on your first novel! My first book is currently (complete) at 312,000 words! I will make very little money at all on the book wven as a self-published author. I'll have to figure out and create a lossleader to fit into the story's timeline, so I can place it before the current book in the series. It'll be difficult, but I'm going to have fun with it!

[@daydreamingstars2980]

Going into my 18th round of editing! *gods help me*

[@missdameenor]

The “dumpster fire” draft 😆 for me anyway.

[@essauthor]

Working on a print out helps me so much too; one reason being that I can't fix things right away.

[@authoralaskawalters]

This was so helpful. Could you make a video on how to start a successful author tube channel and how to get the most out of patreon as a creator and how to draw people to your patreon?

[@robbygaines1807]

Bethany, thank you so much for taking the time to tell us what you have learned through this process. Have you found that programs for editing such as Grammarly help eliminate some of the editing steps? I have been impressed by what that program catches. A lot in my case. (-; Thanks again for your help.

[@BethanyAtazadeh]

I don't have grammarly, but I think it could help some people! Personally it wouldn't help me because I'm already a grammar nazi. The type of edits I do as self-edits are focused on developmental edits (plot, characters, adding detail, etc) and style (rephrasing and playing with word choices), both of which grammarly doesn't do, it's just a simple spell check system.

[@authorjdnichols]

Thanks for sharing! Quick question - how many feedback questions do you give your beta readers?

[@BethanyAtazadeh]

I honestly change the number of questions every time I send them, but you can check out my videos on beta readers to get a sense of some of the common questions I ask.

[@mtolivesecurityshipping5455]

I am on my 5th draft, and I still feel my novel needs to improve before paying an editor. I do have a problem with writing my novel in the past tense at times because there is so much action. I am also not the best keyboarder; I still need to look at it at times.

[@luisaah5707]

I am currently at my 2nd draft edits and I feel similar. However, you are doing the work and each time will getter better😊.

[@sailor.britters]

I get stuck between drafts every time. Maybe printing out my MS will help lol.

[@marciejuarez1483]

I have the same problem stopping to edit... Again and again, and again.🙄

[@user-su1rd1hm4m]

Is there one book of yours that you hate the most and the other that you love the most?

[@theunwantedbookclub8823]

I'm gonna be making a video on editing or LACK THEREOF. I'm a firm believer that a writer can become objective enough to 'edit' their own works so that they sell fine, without losing the personal touch/taste that the writer leaves. Only because these days, every writing style reads THE EXACT SAME. And I feel like editors are stripping writers of their personal flare for the sake of 'professionalism' in order to make sales. Then again, there are plenty of writers who are AGAINST ANY EDITING at all, and their works are...for lack of a better term...amateur.

[@mirouu13]

I’m so stressed with my book, reading and editing it over and over again, I mix there Philosophy, Psychology, Religions... I think readers will be from somekind of counter culture/ hippy culture. But i’m so stressed, because i wanna there to be very much different emojis, same emojis as whatsap, and i’m writing it in google docs, and it is so hard to get these emojis with the text some kind of pdf, without they go broke. And because emojis it is so expensive that somebody help me put it in somekind of format that i can self publish. And i think i wanna just remove emojis and let there only be some colored hearts, then i have money and i can publish it. I really cannot waiting anymore 😭😭😭😭 I think i’m pushing my self really too hard...