I have, just minutes ago, typed ‘The End’ on my draft of Pitkirtly XIV. Of course this isn’t really the end as every novel always needs quite a bit more work even once this stage has been reached. But there is no doubt that writing the first draft – making something out of nothing – takes more energy and effort than doing any number of edits. Or at least this is the case for me.
I already know that my first editing task will be to sort out people’s last names. I’ve managed to introduce quite a few new characters in this story, and although I think I’ve got to grips with their first names, and hope I won’t find I have any characters with more than one name, I can see the term [****lastname****] scattered quite liberally through the pages. This is a technique I learned during NaNoWriMo, when trying not to get distracted by side issues while rushing towards the end of the novel. I really think I may have overdone it in this case though!
Another task will be to make a list of the chapters and make sure they’re in the right order. After that I can get down to the level of sentences, which also have a way of coming out in the wrong order, and then to individual words and their unintentional variants.
Somewhere along the way, as well, I had better finalise the title and design a cover. I hope to raid the family photo stashes for a suitable image, as I only have a vague idea about what it might look like.
Watch this space for more! I have to go and lie in a heap now.
Cecilia Peartree - woman of mystery 