Beyond NaNoWriMo Part III
Setting goals for your second draft
In my past post, I shared some advice about what to do in between the first and second drafts. Continuing that train of thought, once you’ve reread the entire thing and taken good notes, it’s time to figure out where to focus your efforts for your revision. Major things to consider:
Is the pace working?
Have you provided enough context and development in the early chapters to let your reader into the world of the story? It’s good to show the protagonist at home, at work, and at play/with friends in the first few chapters. It’s tempting to rush into the conflict and action, but the conflict will only matter to readers if we feel a connection to the character, so don’t skimp on painting a picture of their life.
That said, it is important to give the reader a sense of forward momentum. Is there enough action to keep the reader engaged? Your main conflict should kick in somewhere between 10%–15% of the way through your manuscript. You can identify this by using your word count!
Have you relied on a lot of flashbacks? Do you actually need them? Flashbacks can be annoying to readers because they distract us from the present moment and can feel gimmicky or as if the narrator is withholding information. Maybe the flashback was something you as a writer needed to explore but that the reader doesn’t actually need. If a flashback is so pivotal to the story, maybe that’s where the story should begin! Explore the possibility of telling the story chronologically.
Are the stakes high enough?
What does your main character stand to lose if they don’t succeed in getting what they want in this story? The higher the stakes, the more engaged your reader will be! There must be repercussions to success or failure. Make sure those stakes are clear and apparent to your reader!
Does the main character evolve throughout the story? How is he or she different at the end?
Readers respond best to dynamic characters who experience meaningful growth due to the events of the story. Can you clearly articulate the way your character has changed? How is this made clear in the story?
There are, of course, plenty of other things you might want to focus on, but my advice is to set, at most, three specific and concrete goals that you want to accomplish in your second draft, and, to the best of your ability, let go of other concerns. You can’t fix everything in one pass! Slow and steady progress is the name of the game. No manuscript—and, let’s face it, no book—is perfect, so don’t let perfect be the enemy of good!
Use those good notes you’ve written to establish your goals, write those goals down and post them near your computer, and you’re ready to dive into that second draft!
I’d love to hear what sorts of goals you are pursuing in your second draft. Let me know in the comments! I’ll be back on past time in this series, next Friday, with some final thoughts on revision!