Approaching the First Edit

By Terry Shames

Probably in the history of writing someone got everything right the first time. But let’s face it--you probably didn’t. More likely the opposite is true. The first draft is a hot mess.

There are books, articles and classes on how to edit your manuscript. But no one addresses how to bridge that huge gap between relief that you actually got a draft done and dread that you now have to start the editing process. It’s brutal. It doesn’t just happen to beginners either. Every writer has that sinking feeling when they start to edit.

Here are a few hints to ease you into the process:

1) Remind yourself that editing takes time. It took several weeks or months to write the first draft. It’s going to take just as long to edit—or longer. Remember how insurmountable 70,000 words looked when you typed the first page? It wasn’t. You finished and you can do it again. (And again).

2) Before you begin, spend a few hours thinking about what general things work well in the book. “My dialog seemed to come really easily. I felt like I knew the protagonist. I love one of the plot twists I came up with.” Be specific. Write them down.

3) Now spend equal time thinking about what you know needs to be addressed. Again, be specific. “I still don’t feel like I’ve nailed the protagonist’s girlfriend. The middle seemed really slow. I may need to do a little more research on X.”

4) Decide in advance how you are going to tackle the edits. Do you work best going chapter by chapter, forging ahead until the entire edit cycle is done? Do you work best perfecting one scene at a time before you move forward? Do you feel so strongly about the plot issues that you have to address them before you tackle the characters?

It’s best to establish control from the beginning. When you feel as if you’ve run off the rails, it can steady you to go back and remind yourself what is good about the story. And to remind yourself that you knew some things needed work.____________________________________________________________

Terry Shames writes the best-selling Samuel Craddock series, set in the fictitious town of Jarrett Creek, Texas. A Killing at Cotton Hill was a finalist for numerous awards and won the Macavity for Best First Mystery, 2013. The Last Death of Jack Harbin was a Macavity finalist for Best Mystery, 2014 and was named one of the top ten mysteries of 2014 by Library Journal and top five of 2014 by MysteryPeople. Her fifth Craddock mystery, The Necessary Murder of Nonie Blake released January 2016. www.terryshames.com.

Approaching the First Edit

By Terry Shames

You finished! The first draft is done. High fives all around. You deserve to celebrate because for every writer who finishes a first daft there are hundreds who promised themselves they would and that day never arrived.

Now give yourself a few days to tackle the chores that have been pushed to the background. And do something nice for yourself--get a massage, have an extra glass of wine, or go out to dinner. Try to make the feeling last because before long you’ll have that nagging realization that you aren’t done—not by a long shot. Fear will start to build in you. You’ll tiptoe around your desk and computer, hoping whatever is lurking there won’t reach out and grab you.

Probably in the history of writing someone got everything right the first time. But let’s face it--you probably didn’t. More likely the opposite is true. The first draft is a hot mess.

There are books, articles and classes on how to edit your manuscript. But no one addresses how to bridge that huge gap between relief that you actually got a draft done and dread that you now have to start the editing process. It’s brutal. It doesn’t just happen to beginners either. Every writer has that sinking feeling when they start to edit.

Here are a few hints to ease you into the process:

1)     Remind yourself that editing takes time. It took several weeks or months to write the first draft. It’s going to take just as long to edit—or longer. Remember how insurmountable 70,000 words looked when you typed the first page? It wasn’t. You finished and you can do it again. (And again).

2)     Before you begin, spend a few hours thinking about what general things work well in the book. “My dialog seemed to come really easily. I felt like I knew the protagonist. I love one of the plot twists I came up with.” Be specific. Write them down.

3)     Now spend equal time thinking about what you know needs to be addressed. Again, be specific. “I still don’t feel like I’ve nailed the protagonist’s girlfriend. The middle seemed really slow. I may need to do a little more research on X.”

4)     Decide in advance how you are going to tackle the edits. Do you work best going chapter by chapter, forging ahead until the entire edit cycle is done? Do you work best perfecting one scene at a time before you move forward? Do you feel so strongly about the plot issues that you have to address them before you tackle the characters?

It’s best to establish control from the beginning. When you feel as if you’ve run off the rails, it can steady you to go back and remind yourself what is good about the story. And to remind yourself that you knew some things needed work. 

_____________________________________________________ 

Terry Shames writes the best-selling Samuel Craddock series, set in the fictitious town of Jarrett Creek, Texas. A Killing at Cotton Hill was a finalist for numerous awards and won the Macavity for Best First Mystery, 2013. The Last Death of Jack Harbin was a Macavity finalist for Best Mystery, 2014 and was named one of the top ten mysteries of 2014 by Library Journal and top five of 2014 by MysteryPeople. Her fifth Craddock mystery, The Necessary Murder of Nonie Blake launched January 2016. www.terryshames.com.

Perseverance—and More Writing!

By Terry Shames

When I finally got my first publishing contract, friends who had supported me during my long prelude to publication crowed, “Perseverance pays off—you did it!”

Although I smiled in agreement what I secretly knew is that it took a lot more than perseverance.

In the late eighties and early nineties I wrote one book after another and snagged one fabulous agent after another, each of whom would at the end of a year send my torn and tattered manuscript back saying with regret, “close, but no cigar.”

When my son started school I took time off from the rejection cycle to just be a mom. I wrote school newsletters, articles and copy for annual reports. And I wrote some fiction, but I didn’t send anything out. When he was a senior in high school, it was time to gear up again. I wrote a new book, and started looking for an agent. But in ten years, the publishing world had changed! Before, I had easily found agents. This time, even an agent eluded me. Although I got several nibbles, there were no offers of representation.

So what happened that eventually led to success? I started taking myself seriously, stopped sending out “good enough” manuscripts, and started trying to write the best novel I could--something that came from deep inside me. I studied current fiction trends, paid attention to how the publishing world was evolving, and worked on finding an agent who was right for me. Before, I had simply trusted to luck and instinct to find my way to publication. Now I realized it took a lot more.

You can learn a great deal from books about writing and publishing. But nothing is better than talking to fellow-writers. I attended workshops and writers’ conferences, and joined a critique group. I talked to other writers who had written one book after another before they got published--and I listened to what they did to finally break through.

With the current publishing climate, I had to make the decision whether I still wanted to go through a traditional publisher or strike out on my own. Was it perseverance, stubbornness, or fear that kept me going after a traditional publisher? Probably a little of each. I knew that whichever way I chose, I still had to perfect my craft, make my book as good as it could be and target my audience.

Bottom line: I learned to take myself seriously as a professional. I did the hard work of making my book the best it could be in terms of craft. I did the hard work of finding good beta readers, and finding the right agent for me. So in the end, it wasn’t just that I persevered, but that I kept learning.

And finally I found a publishing home and I thought I was home free. Not so fast! There was a new learning curve, one I’m just beginning to understand—promotion and marketing. A whole new bag of tricks.

______________________________________________________________________

Terry Shames is the best-selling author of A Killing at Cotton Hill and The Last Death of Jack Harbin, (Seventh Street Books). Her most recent book,  Dead Broke in Jarrett Creek releases October 7th,2014 and can be pre-ordered. Her books are set in small-town Texas and feature ex-chief of police Samuel Craddock. Terry grew up in Texas and has abiding affection for the small town where here grandparents lived, the model for the fictional town of Jarrett Creek. She lives in Berkeley, CA with her husband and two rowdy terriers. She is Vice President of Norcal Sisters in Crime and on the board of MWA Norcal. For more information, please visit her website: www.Terryshames.com.