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Zinbiel's avatar

When you say "first draft", what does that mean, exactly? The result of a few cycles of editing in a single session?

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L. T. Noble's avatar

It means:

I wrote it.

I line edited it.

I polished it.

No rewrites, no major changes.

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Zinbiel's avatar

Okay, thanks. I think some people use ‘first draft’ to mean a less worked piece. I guess if you are just doing one plot section at a time, without backtracking, that’s a first draft.

I never know whether I’m on my twentieth draft or my third.

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L. T. Noble's avatar

I actually write the entire story straight through. Then I add chapters, not well mostly according to my editor.

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L. T. Noble's avatar

So far, I have not done a second draft. But that's changing: I had a developmental editor help me out. Fun stuff!

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Zinbiel's avatar

It’s a fascinating process, seeing how a novel evolves. I’m doing my own developmental edits, but I’m sure I’d do better with fresh eyes.

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L. T. Noble's avatar

It really is. My polishing is kinda like developmental editing, because I make sure that the story stays consistent (scars stay on the same side of the face/body, wounds don't magically vanish, etc.). But having fresh eyes is great!

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