How to Love Second Drafts
Revision is when the fun begins. Really.
Writing the first draft of a novel is a practice in following directions. At least, it is for me. That means the first draft of a novel is never really any fun. The first draft is the structure and bare bones of what you’re trying to say. Most of the work is preplotting. I use two different plotting devices to help me plan out my novel. These devices may be particularly helpful for those of us (myself included) who prefer to focus more on character development and emotional plot and may not always be sure how to move a physical plot forward.
The hero’s journey
The hero’s journey is something we learn in school. It can be applied to most major films. This “journey” acts as a story template, focusing on a main character who goes on some sort of journey to learn a major life lesson. I love this story template because it’s fun, easy to break down into sections, and always seems to work. It’s open-ended enough that you can make some changes, but still come out of things with a solid plotline.
Save the cat!: Beat sheet
A beat sheet is another story template that my agent introduced me to. I don’t think it’s as much fun as the hero’s journey, but it is incredibly helpful in learning how to meter out your…
