Editing: Phase One

Turns out I'm not taking any time off! I finished the novel Sunday morning and Sunday night I started work on the editing.

I established a basic framework for the editing process, dividing it into a series of six phases. Phase One is the preliminary work to document what I have already written. This will provide me with detailed notes to review as I contemplate what I'd like to change. Even though I made detailed outlines and notes before and while writing, some things changed during the writing process and I didn't always update the earlier notes and outlines. I'd benefit from a fresh look, so I'll start from scratch, go over the manuscript to remind me of what I did, and write a new set of tables, etc., to document "what is".

Here's a list of tasks I came up with for this first phase:

Complete Basic Story Conceptualization Tables (THEME/LESSON)
Complete Basic Story Plotting Tables (BASIC OUTLINE)
Make Glossary of Characters, Places, Events, Etc., Prepare Appendix
Review, Simplify Dual Versions of Mythology, Prepare Appendix
Review, Expand Language, Prepare Appendix
Make Master Scene List (all scenes of all chapters, w/word counts)
Make Goal/Complication/Resolution Table for all scenes

I have already completed the first two and am still working on the third one. I figure it will take up to a week to do this while also doing the planning for my next novel, OCCUPANT, which I'd like to start writing next week if possible. I already did some planning work on that a few weeks ago, so I just need to finish what I have already been putting together, rather than start it from scratch. I might still change my mind and choose another novel to write next -- this week I will determine that for sure.

Some of the tables I refer to in the To-Do list above are things I created that I'd like to put on the internet for others to download in case they are of use to other writers. They've certainly helped me as I've used them and refined them over the past several months. I'll get around to it before too long.

You might have noticed the "12-Step Challenge" blog has been removed. I plan to replace it with a "Tips and Tricks" blog to share the concepts I've learned and put into use that have been helpful to me in finishing my novel. I'll later also put up some other section to share writing samples, or samples from writing exercises. I've also thought of writing a serial and putting it online, just for fun.

I'll keep working throughout this week on Phase One of the editing and will post here as I make progress.

Adrian