Build from the Ground up!

Prose is architecture, not interior decoration. – Ernest Hemingway

I have always said to people writing is like building a house.

The first draft is the foundations of the house. It has to be stable and strong. There has to be a good idea in place for the novel to stand upon. There has to be something to build up on.

The second draft is putting the walls in and creating the structures for the upper levels of the house. It is patching up the plot holes you might have missed in the first draft. This creates stronger structures for the novel to sit on. It makes editing easier.

The third draft is putting the roof on. So you have finished the whole thing. The characters all finish where they are meant, there are no loose ends. Some character you have forgotten in some land or other. It gives you a rounded plot line and all twists and turns are finished off.

Then the editing starts and this is when you are picking out the furniture for the house. You test out the couches, beds, and chairs. You pick your colours for the bathroom and kitchen. You are picking up on all the little finer details you have missed when you were focusing on the bigger problems such as plot and character development.

I'm pretty sure every builder will tell you building a house is a long process. It takes time and it takes dedication. Although with writing you don't always have to go by a plan, you can plan later. But it does take guts and dedication to produce a novel, short story or even a poem. It is your heart and soul that goes into the words, so you have to take your time. Don't be afraid of taking longer on some elements than others. If sometimes doesn't feel right, pause and work out what it is that doesn't make sense. There is nothing in writing that can't be fixed.

But like I say in my other posts, don't forget to have FUN! If you are not having fun, take a break. Figure out what's making it hard or difficult, but don't give up on yourself!

I know you can do it!

#Editing #tips #ideas #Edting