I'm half way through with the second draft of Fraternity of Greed and I've noticed that this first run of editing isn't going to suffice for a complete job. I find myself just deleting adverbs and fixing grammar and spelling errors. I thought about it longer and it became clear that editing a first draft of a novel is like restoring an old car. I have never restored a car but I imagine the process makes a lot of logical sense. Most of the process can be summed up in two or three major steps.
The first step is to make sure the car is fully functional and involves going through the vehicle to find which of the original parts work well and which need replacing. This first run through Fraternity of Greed feels very utilitarian like that first step in car restoration; going through and replacing hoses, spark plugs and air filters; double checking transmissions and belts to make sure that the car can still drive or in my case, the novel is readable.
The second step is more aesthetic than utilitarian. The car now drives but looks old and needs some body work. Checking for exterior dents or replacing seats and the steering wheel really turns a junker into a reasonable automobile. Once the second draft of Fraternity of Greed is ready I will go through the novel and check for tone and pace problems. Ironing out these grand issues make the novel much more readable, much like the first edit, but also can dramatically increase the aesthetics of the novel.
Finally, the car needs to be detailed with a new paint job and a thorough wash and wax. The tires are shined and any chrome is polished. The third draft of Fraternity of Greed will go into this process and will be completed in many ways but a final look for symbolism and word choice will make the novel "pop".
The first step is to make sure the car is fully functional and involves going through the vehicle to find which of the original parts work well and which need replacing. This first run through Fraternity of Greed feels very utilitarian like that first step in car restoration; going through and replacing hoses, spark plugs and air filters; double checking transmissions and belts to make sure that the car can still drive or in my case, the novel is readable.
The second step is more aesthetic than utilitarian. The car now drives but looks old and needs some body work. Checking for exterior dents or replacing seats and the steering wheel really turns a junker into a reasonable automobile. Once the second draft of Fraternity of Greed is ready I will go through the novel and check for tone and pace problems. Ironing out these grand issues make the novel much more readable, much like the first edit, but also can dramatically increase the aesthetics of the novel.
Finally, the car needs to be detailed with a new paint job and a thorough wash and wax. The tires are shined and any chrome is polished. The third draft of Fraternity of Greed will go into this process and will be completed in many ways but a final look for symbolism and word choice will make the novel "pop".
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