The First Draft:
You have finished your first draft, written the characters, formed the plot and penned your ideas.
It's ready, right, to send off to the publisher?
Wrong.
The first draft ALWAYS needs revision, NO exceptions.
Go into editing mode, with the attitude that your work is crap. (If you are a good writer it will not be that bad, but you must let go of any affection you have for your prose.)
Be ruthless, tighten weak passages, eliminate fluff, kill off useless characters and polish your plot points.
Then do it again, and again, and again if necessary. And don't forget to check spelling and grammar.
Only then, after all that editing, may it just be ready to send to an editor or publisher.
It's ready, right, to send off to the publisher?
Wrong.
The first draft ALWAYS needs revision, NO exceptions.
Go into editing mode, with the attitude that your work is crap. (If you are a good writer it will not be that bad, but you must let go of any affection you have for your prose.)
Be ruthless, tighten weak passages, eliminate fluff, kill off useless characters and polish your plot points.
Then do it again, and again, and again if necessary. And don't forget to check spelling and grammar.
Only then, after all that editing, may it just be ready to send to an editor or publisher.
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