If you want to fast-track this process, just write a new book (first draft) so you’re not thinking about the first one. This not only makes it easier to endure the waiting but it actually makes you “forget” about the details of the first one faster. When I’m done with the first draft of one book I move on to the next one and once I finish that I can immediately go back and read my first one again somewhat fresh even if it only took me a month or two to draft the second book.
@@enfant00x So far I have created another first draft and seven new books with a couple chapters and/or prologues, while waiting to go back to my first draft
I have waited for literal YEARS to watch your revision/editing videos, all because I had never finished a first draft! 106k words and almost four years later, I can finally say I made it!!!
My problem is I only have 10 chapters and writing for about 1 month. I just don’t know how I will even get to 20,000 words. Believe me I’ve said a lot about my sister’s suicide. And you have 106k words! I don’t know whether to be impressed or depressed 😂
@@gingersnap5245you can do it!! i ended up having to do rewrites of a lot of my plot points, so the 106k is steadily decreasing lol. but you’re capable of more than you think, dont give up! i certainly am not!
This came at the perfect time!!! I just finished my first draft, and I'm so overwhelmed now because I've never actually edited an entire story before.💛
Your process is soo similar to mine. One thing I do differently is instead of hiring one proofreader, I hold a contest for who can find the most mistakes in my manuscript and whoever finds the most wins a fun prize. Saves on my budget and lots of people are very motivated to find all of the mistakes! :)
Thank you for such a simple tip as printing out the manuscript to edit the old-fashioned way on paper. That's all it took to unleash my editing energy. I didn't realize I was feeling trapped by my own laptop.
PERFECT timing!!! I literally just finished my first draft and have no idea where to begin edits (because it SORELY needs it lol) Now that I've got two novels and two novellas under my belt (written, not published), I can really see how much outlining helps me in the long run. It helps a lot to have things sorted out beforehand, because no matter what I do, I will ALWAYS end up adding a brand-new very important plot element out of the blue towards the end of the book, one that changes the whole course of the series (if it's a series). These random additions really complete the story, every single time---so I've come to expect that by the time I'm done writing, a lot of things will be different from when I started (entire characters and systems appear and disappear halfway through XD, it's a mess until it's edited). Also, for me, I can't actually figure out the theme of my book until I'm done with it. Because at the end, I can exactly see the whole picture, and I can see the correlation between the theme my characters are leaning towards and the truth that I realize is the one I want to "shout from the rooftops." Then, I sort of edit the theme into my characters and the events that happen in the story.
Same, I can't find the theme until the end or near the end of writing it. And I also just throw in random things here and there that aren't outlined. It makes it much more fun to write in my opinion.
aww thanks! Update, I turned that first draft into my book The Time Warden, which came out in March!! Proof that all of this work we're putting in really does pay off
I am now in the process of rewriting what 20-something years old me saw as a novel, but was essentially just a slightly polished first draft. I found the 15 years inbetween to have been extremely helpful in detaching myself from the original version and spot many weaknesses in plot and characters that I was unable to see back then.
Thank you for being honest but kind. I don't believe there's any reason to totally trash people when trying to help them write their novel as the last person did in her video. This was extremely helpful.
Thanks for this! I've finished my first draft of my first novel, and am ready to start revising, so this helps a lot! Also, I use the "don't decorate while you're still building" metaphor with my writing students. Love it!
Abbie Emmons my QUEEN... your videos have been so enlightening and are pretty much the only thing that is getting me through my final year script project at uni. I'll probably be watching you and supporting you forever.
This was literally gold. I wrote my first draft two years ago and I thought that it's was really something I am confident about so, now I have started revising it after I saw your video. Your way of explaining things is awesome :-)
I came here to tell you thank you! I have just (ten minutes ago) finished my first draft of my first book and needed an Abbie video to celebrate 🎉 I am ecstatic with joy, cuz its been a few years coming. Thanks for all the great content that have helped so many of us (so many in the comments) come to this point!!! 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 Congrats everyone!!!
I'm actually on the 4th draft at the moment, but it still feels like a first draft because it's meant to be the first in a mystery series and the overall story has changed so much and so many times that each draft is basically a new book 😂
Hi! Before this first draft, I had written a story before, back when I was 14. It was a 48k first draft. After I finished, I spent one month away from it, tried to hop back in, and... bam. I could barely edit. First of all, I had no clue what I was doing. I didn't reread any of it. I kept mixing line editing with plot and structure. And I realized, my plot and structure wasn't very strong. I've kind of scrapped that story for the time being. This story is new. I started writing it on March 31st and finished on April 8th, with 57.3k. words. Yes, I was grinding all spring break with some days being 6-7 hours of writing... straight. But now I have my first draft! It's been around a month and a week since then and I'm ready to hop back into editing. This time, I actually have a plan. An editing process.
Abbie, I just read your book 100 Days of Sunlight, and can I just say how much I love this book. I love it so much. I love the characters and Tessa and omg I love Weston. I think my favorite side character is Rudy. You really know how to make such lovable characters. Agghhh I loved it so much. I don’t usually read outside of school but on the rare occasion that I do, it’s got to be a great book, and this is what happened with 100 Days of Sunlight (came home with less than half of it done, finished it by the end of the night). I know you probably don’t want to read this whole thing about me ranting about your book, but thank you so much for creating this! You really are an amazing author!! 🥰❤️❤️
Finally rewatching this after completing my first draft at 130k words. It took 1.5 years writing it alongside another novel. This is bound to help so much, thank you Abbie. ❤
Love the tips! Thank you! For me, however, I prefer to put my 1st draft away for only a few days. I've found if I leave it for a few months then I'm in the thick of another project and it's hard to pick it back up/give it the attention it needs and deserves.
Thank you for the helpful videos. I’ve been writing since i was 15 and it’s funny I unknowingly knew some of it. Outlining has helped me cement ideas and create news ones. It’s hard for me to write more then a few hundred words a day due to the fact I work full time in a hospital. But something is better then nothing.
Really like the focus on decompression time to get into the editing mindset. It makes it so much easier when you consciously split the writing part from the editing part. Thanks!
This parallels my basic process. This is practical and realistic. Getting people to read it is what really makes it work. Once you have that feedback they will help keep things on the ground. From there you can add and improve the work.
Came here because I finally finished the rough draft of my novel after 6 months (from creating characters to plotting to actually writing the draft) of writing. Thank you so much Abby. Your write with me Livestreams helped me so much. Even if I wasn't watching them live, they still gave me the motivation to write.
Last year I ask for and got a Remarkable2 for my bday. Revisions now are like this: compile pdf from scrivener; upload to my Remarkable; use the digital ink pen to make notes, highlight, write new scenes and so on. I love that I can take it everywhere, even for hike in the woods. And it is more eco friendly while giving me the benefits of a different medium and reduced eye strain
Thanks for the post. Working on an intense second draft. I'm published by small press and some paid markets. Self-publishing free eBooks by choice to be nice and for a personal project. Outlining: For me it's the opposite. I always outline, but I don't always use the same method. Each story is different, and I don't mind huge revisions if they are fun. When I over outline, I sometimes outline myself into corners that I need to fix with semi-discovery writing or with daily outlining notes to fix or write the next days work.
The best thing I did to get me in a different headspace was have my non-reader, blue collar husband read my first draft and he was one of the best editors I ever had. He was the complete opposite of my target audience so he looked at it in an objective way I never could.
Thank you for this!! 😄 I’m currently doing a huge rewrite/overhaul of my book (it sorely needed it 😂), and it’s honestly so much fun to see it become the things I’ve always wanted it to be 🤩 Thank you for your amazing videos, they’re helping me so much!!!
Regardless what method we use, we all encounter the headaches at some point. In saying that, as a plantser I see the vision for where It goes. In chapters, I dot point imperative aspects, leaving room for placeholders. Main threads I highlight the dot in one colour, the other, as a sub plot in another (if it's there) the rest is generic to the continuity. Finding this method better because, if I plan the entire novel, I won't surprise myself to discover aspects, there is risk to overlook and rewrite. To some writers it's a cringe moment, to me, that's the most fascinating element. The entire first draft is opportunistic, you're a chef standing in the isle, (pick your ingredients.) From what was once an unfinished short story of 23k at 14, it wasn't the full exposition, after two years now I turned that from one coherent plot, to an 8-9 book series.
I did some intense research on revising at the start of 2021; I've been using the triage method for revising (before I do any line editing) where I read over my story in full, then take time to think over it and decide from the outside looking in what big pieces need to change. I mainly look at the macro elements of the story - character (which obviously involves my theme and the character's arc of change), plot, stakes - and some micro elements - suspense and tension, momentum and pacing. From there, I can kind of create an outline of what happens in my story, then on paper decide how to fix any issues with those elements. THEN I can actually go into the novel... sort of. I have a list of scenes, and go through my book out of order and insert new scenes, fix up old scenes, sprinkle in new elements, pull out some old ones... basically, I fix everything I need to fix to make those macro and micro elements more solid. After that, I leave the novel to sit for a while, then come back and do it all over again. The idea is to keep as much objectivity as possible and keep doing passes to fix those foundational pieces of the story till they're at the level you want them to be. It's called the triage method, because you are taking care of the most serious cases first. In the future, I will go on to do line editing and work my way through every scene, paragraph, and line to make them the best they can be. While I'm excited to start, I have yet to reach that point. I've written 3 drafts of my story, and have given it to a writing buddy to take a look at, and in the future, I want to take her feedback (which was really good, but also somewhat brutal - but good!!) and use it. I think that will be my last hack at the story before I go intensely close with my edits, and THEN I can finally send it to a professional developmental editor. 😂 It's long, it's hard, it hurts my brain a lot sometimes, but I really want to make my story into the best version it can be. 😊
I always love the intro: "Why does your story matter." And what keeps me going is my answer. I answer it every time you ask it. "My story matters because representation matters." I write M/M bear romance. Almost every romance I've read with a husky protagonist wants to change themselves and only when a thin or fit guy comes along and says he's fine the way he does he decide he is fine. What about the husky guy who doesn't feel he has to lose weight to fit into the standards of the gay community? What if he wants love from someone who is also husky. This is why my story matters. It tells the story of the subculture in the gay community that is shunned and misunderstood. I'm a bear, I've been one since my mid-20s and I'm happy. We can be overweight and feel deserving of love the way we are without having to change. :) Thank you for everything you do, Abbie. :)
I'm so glad I found your channel! I actually started watching your plot-outline-character creating videos because I have a new story idea but I realized that I have to learn how to write, but then I remembered that I have a finished book that I wanna edit and so I searched how to edit a book and fortunately, your channel came up once again :D (I finished the book 4 years ago so the first task on the list is done xD)
Thank you for this video! I just recently looked back on a draft I had written for NaNoWriMo back in 2015, and I was surprised how much I liked from it. I'm still debating if this NaNoWriMo I want to start with a new book or do a second draft of this one (it needs a lot of work, and the second half has to be re-written). Unfortunately, it seems like this will be the case of writing a second first draft, and then revising that one, but I'm glad you gave me some direction! Also that tip to not look at the minor things until you have the big things out of the way. It helps me think as I go into writing the next draft that I don't need to worry about the minute details of how the scenes play out, but should make sure the story is consistent and interesting.
PLEASE make a recommendation video of books that will make us fall back in love with writing, something with lyrical literature or anything that makes a writer realize that yeah this is written so beautiful and writing is just magical. :) Thank you
Lol awesome timing. I feel like I've already done the 'decompression time' for a couple of months now ready for the revision phase! My 1st draft was just sitting in my drive since the new year 😆
I outlined my first draft and followed that while writing it. I did some tweaking along the way ( replacing basic words with more colorful ones, fixing grammatical issues, chopping unnecessary sentences) and then set it aside 3 months. I’m just now coming back to it and really all that needs to be changed are just a few inconsistencies in the plot and the over-usage of words.
Thanks to you i really started writing my stories. I wrote 2 stories and their first chapters. Just published it today on wattpad. I used to think about ideas and almost think about writing but would just end up not writing. Then i came across your video and it really helped me. It made me clear with my ideas and stories. Really really thanks a lot. Its all because of you that i finally have published two of my stories (just one chapters of each). Pls read my stories. Its named Dont blood it Past in the future Really thanks a lot. Really really thank you so much. You are really a great person
Ugh, I am in the middle of revision purgatory rewriting stuff I wrote over ten years ago. So, I've had lots of decompression time! Starting to feel like I just should have started something new. Maybe I'll try printing it out. There is something magical about seeing it all in print.
I actually already revised my first draft. It resulted in cutting like 1/3 of the content, that as it turned out, didn't match with a theme of my book and made the goal of my hero look absurd, because there was an "elephant in the room" way easier solution he could go for, but I didn't notice that before. But don't worry I filled it back in with actually good content using proper 3 act story structure.
I'm still on the process of outlining a story which I have been planning for a week now. The process is a whole lot painful but I know it'll be worth everything. I hope I could start writing this week. Thanks for another great helpful video! 🖤
Step 1 Watch Abbie's videos. Step 2 pause it in middle and start writing cause you had an amazing idea. Step-3 resume the video because you really wanna get tht knowledge she is sharing.
One of the benefits of decompression was I realized one of my minor characters needed a name change. Just a small three letter tweak with pronunciation pretty much the same, but now on paper it matches much better the culture I created.
I think I'm finally learning that my gut brain knows what's going on -- I just wish it gave me the words. Thank you for this list. Now I know why I was so overwhelmed (and dreading) editing the non-fiction book I thought I had edited many times before (before I found out I had more that I needed to learn and include before beginning the true editing process -- big grin).
Your videos are absolutely incredible, tips ON POINT and youve helped me develop so many chacters and plots! While im slowly pulling away from fanfiction in order to do my own thing, this helps greatly!
After writing my first novel, I realized I was having “White Room Syndrome” in some of my scenes. I’ve not let anyone read that book yet, but I still love it in general. I’ve expanded the book from near 90k words to a 110k manuscript. I still haven’t let anyone read it yet, as I know its a large ask. So, every few months I look it over again. In the meantime, I’ve written six other novels/novellas and began a trilogy with multiple POV characters. Nothing like Wheel Of Time, but more akin to something like The Warded Man (Peter V. Brett) or Age of Myths(Michael J. Sullivan). For any who don’t know those authors, Peter V Brett’s Demon Cycle Series has multiple POVs, but has a steady main three to five POV characters. Michael J. Sullivan’s Riyria Chronicles has between two and five main POV characters, while Age Of Myths and its following series of books has a rotating cast of around twelve POV characters. Yet, after my first novel was “complete”, I looked for many of the mistakes I saw in my writing after I went back to the authors I love to read/listen to and took notes on things I liked and disliked. I recognized that writing multiple POVs is a serious challenge, and so baby stepped my way into it. Yet, first drafting is more about getting the big parts out, as Abbie mentions. Take your time and figure out if your story has gone as far as you wanted within the first draft before you start major edits. I tend toward reading through for flow, grammar, and consistency of story in my first editing pass. This also becomes more of a challenge with multiple POV characters, so limit yourself to no more than three POs in the first try. I also tend to start with a scene by scene outline that trends toward writing itself to fill in holes I never conceived prior to actually writing. This makes me a bit of a hybrid plotter with a minor in pantsing. Yet, when I go off script, so to speak, I pay much more attention to how it all flows. My second pass of editing usually is line edits and how to write my sentences more economically when possible. I write fantasy, so word count starts to matter when you go beyond 80k. I’m not Brandon Sanderson, so I take his advice and try to cut down my words when they’re superfluous. By my third novel “completed” I have less of that to cut. Yet, I’ve yet to get a pro editor so my mileage varies.
As someone who's still sticking with fanfictions for the moment, I'm actually gonna need advice on this for some longer stories. (Still trying to motivate myself to rewrite and edit the 10k project I did back around October...) Also, quick question. What highlighters do you use? The ones I use keep making the ink smear... meaning I just went to using pencils to mark up the paper.
@@KidsNetworkCrafts Thanks! My dad said it'd probably smear no matter what I use, given it was printer ink, but I also wondered if the ones I was using were cheap... And if their pastel, that'll mean their prettier... so even if they don't work as I'd like...
I finish my first draft and that’s typically it. I’ll usually change some scenes here and there after I initially wrote them, but that’ll more often than not happen in the process of writing the first draft. I know I don’t have to check for spelling. My publisher provides me with a line editor, and they’ll typically fix grammar mistakes for me. For my latest book, Murder in Lima, I also hired a line editor (IIRC) on my own. Thanks to my publisher, with my next book I’ll actually have the money to hire a decent developmental editor, which is going to be amazing! The main problem with being a largely unknown author is that you have to try to balance the books (pun intended) while trying to make your book the best it can be. That’s not an easy task!
Ah yes, quite the good snark for my writing talents that I do. I think you've gained both my school process and, my chances of getting t higher ground a huge huge oomph of the floor.
I have written 2 manuscripts (series) and I have queried within a 2yr span and I have gotten rejections of course. I'm in the "leave it for 3mths" stage and will be revisiting over the Christmas holidays.
dude this was SO helpful. Not gonna lie tho I'm in chapter 10 of my first book in a duology (and ever) and I realized half way through that I'm going to have to write five more chapters to the beginning to give my character move background and well roundedness instead of just offing her parents in the first chapter lol so my revision process gonna need to be First draft, part of second, edit, second, etc
I am doing editing and drafting at the same because due to "writer's block"🙄😅 I edit my previous chapters and when I get the drive and motivation of creating my next chapter with details on top of the drafted chapter ideas. That's just my technique. It helps me to finish my writing faster too and this video is just what I need it!😁❤⭐️
Hi Abby, You've long been my go-to writing video source. I'm working through a university course on creative writing and I'm at 88% of the course completion stage. I've been asked to produce a 1000-word story of which I have written out the first draft. Unfortunately, I am unable to put it away in the ring binder as the deadline is a day away. Is there a video on knocking out a 1000-word story really fast?
Personally, I have to line edit while I revise to an extent because I get creative bursts on how to improve a sentence or dialogue, and I've found that quelling that creativity only stunts my writing. To keep myself from over-editing, I print off the manuscript like you do--thanks to your advice!--and let myself go wild with highlighters and a pen. That way I'm not hacking away at line edits on Scrivener and I can reel myself in when I go into it to make necessary changes.
That is true, I think most people can't help doing a little bit of line editing while going through it. Since some degree of it is unavoidable, it just best to try to avoid getting carried away.
I gotta say, having written my very first draft a little over a month ago, this does give me several ideas on how to start on my revisions. Even so, I still wonder how it will work out. After all, I’m writing a light novel, and this is just the very first entry of what is a longer series.
Been releasing my debut in serial form on Kindle Vella and Laterpress, with an episode every week. Some stuff like this will come into play on a pass for the eventual book / ebook release. On a weekly release cadence, for me it's more rough draft, edit / revise the chapter, proofread, publish. I have two people as extra sets of eyes for typo checks, but they're not good for feedback on the actual quality of the writing. I think it's been working pretty well so far.
What I did was notes of changes that needed to be made when I finished. I complete removed a character and replaced them with someone else (who hopefully will be the lead in the next book) because it fit better. So, I went through and did any changes I felt I needed first. That way, even though I'm close to it, I'm not doing full revision or trying to see the mistakes, errors, etc. I'm just making the changes to the story that fits. That's me though. This is my first manuscript and I just started editing today. :)
Thank you so much for your advice. I'm a newbie writer and I can't seem to gain much process from my writing... turns out it's because I revise too soon. I mean, I revise every time I finish a chapter. That's crazy. I know. I'm getting there. LOL
hello abbie please can you do a video on your outlining process from when you get your first idea to when you finnish the book thank you i really want to be able to write a really a really good standard .
My process is similar but I do break it up into more drafts(or revisions) so I outline freaking everything, do 2-3 drafts, line edit, proof read, feedback, revise one last time and then I'd send it to a professional editor and proof reader. I'm a perfectionist though lol
I write short stories, usually averaging about 7-9k words when finished. My first draft takes me about an hour and a half if I just sit down and do it because I'm a pantser, and it's about 1.5k ish. My decompression time is about month. I feel like it's a lot of time especially for something so short, but it keeps me from burning out. I then edit the very horrible first draft, add a ton, take away of ton and I have a second draft. Then the wait between draft 2 and 3 is probably like a week or two and the third draft takes about two hours to edit because it's mostly done and all I have to do is basic grammar, spelling and punctuation. Then boom, I have an 8k short story that will never see the light of day.
My problem for years was that I would write the first chapter and then edit it to the point of stupid. I would get to the point where I wouldn't write anymore of that story because I'd edited myself into a corner. It has taken years, but I've finally learned to just let it go & to come back to it later. I'll still jot down a note to remind myself why I want and what I want to fix, but I won't fix it. 9 times oit of 10, the fix I wanted to do initially will be totally unnecessary when I go back to it later. One thing I've done with this six book series I'm working on is to color code everything. It has made figuring everything out so much easier. I can find things easier too.
After the first draft I review each chapter one at a time to make sure everything works scene wise. Then I use my computers voice to listen to each page and make additional changes. Then I use prowritingaid. Peer edits. Paid editor. Then my mom beta reader lol.
Still in the process of writing my first draft. I’m already seeing several holes in the plot, where 1+1=2.5. It’s not quite right. The overall impact this has on the story is minimal, but will alter character arcs over the course of the novel, similar to a snowball and avalanche. Would you recommend forgetting about it and moving the story forward, or freeze where I’m at and start making the necessary changes?
abbie: set it aside for 3-4...
me: days
abbie:... months
Fr 💀
If you want to fast-track this process, just write a new book (first draft) so you’re not thinking about the first one. This not only makes it easier to endure the waiting but it actually makes you “forget” about the details of the first one faster. When I’m done with the first draft of one book I move on to the next one and once I finish that I can immediately go back and read my first one again somewhat fresh even if it only took me a month or two to draft the second book.
@@enfant00x So far I have created another first draft and seven new books with a couple chapters and/or prologues, while waiting to go back to my first draft
cant. gotta get it finished within that amount of [days]
She actually said 3-6 months once! 😂
Can we just appreciate that these videos are FREE
Free with decent audio,I can definitely appreciate that.
YES I’m so glad I found this channel
YES! I appreciate Abby SO much!
I have waited for literal YEARS to watch your revision/editing videos, all because I had never finished a first draft! 106k words and almost four years later, I can finally say I made it!!!
oh my gosh!! congratulations that is amazing!!!!
My problem is I only have 10 chapters and writing for about 1 month. I just don’t know how I will even get to 20,000 words. Believe me I’ve said a lot about my sister’s suicide. And you have 106k words! I don’t know whether to be impressed or depressed 😂
@@gingersnap5245you can do it!! i ended up having to do rewrites of a lot of my plot points, so the 106k is steadily decreasing lol. but you’re capable of more than you think, dont give up! i certainly am not!
This came at the perfect time!!! I just finished my first draft, and I'm so overwhelmed now because I've never actually edited an entire story before.💛
@@KidsNetworkCrafts Thank you!
hi im trying to write a murder mystery novel and was woundering what size of page should i write in
@Dance Girl Congratulations!
@Mare Black 😀
Same here! My first finished book after years of procrastination. Congrats 👏🏻
Your process is soo similar to mine. One thing I do differently is instead of hiring one proofreader, I hold a contest for who can find the most mistakes in my manuscript and whoever finds the most wins a fun prize. Saves on my budget and lots of people are very motivated to find all of the mistakes! :)
Smart! I’m definitely doing this
Woah. Thank you for this idea.
Thank you for such a simple tip as printing out the manuscript to edit the old-fashioned way on paper. That's all it took to unleash my editing energy. I didn't realize I was feeling trapped by my own laptop.
PERFECT timing!!! I literally just finished my first draft and have no idea where to begin edits (because it SORELY needs it lol)
Now that I've got two novels and two novellas under my belt (written, not published), I can really see how much outlining helps me in the long run. It helps a lot to have things sorted out beforehand, because no matter what I do, I will ALWAYS end up adding a brand-new very important plot element out of the blue towards the end of the book, one that changes the whole course of the series (if it's a series). These random additions really complete the story, every single time---so I've come to expect that by the time I'm done writing, a lot of things will be different from when I started (entire characters and systems appear and disappear halfway through XD, it's a mess until it's edited).
Also, for me, I can't actually figure out the theme of my book until I'm done with it. Because at the end, I can exactly see the whole picture, and I can see the correlation between the theme my characters are leaning towards and the truth that I realize is the one I want to "shout from the rooftops." Then, I sort of edit the theme into my characters and the events that happen in the story.
So true!
Same, I can't find the theme until the end or near the end of writing it. And I also just throw in random things here and there that aren't outlined. It makes it much more fun to write in my opinion.
This comment taught me more and gave me more comfort than anything ever has omg (writing vise)
aww thanks! Update, I turned that first draft into my book The Time Warden, which came out in March!! Proof that all of this work we're putting in really does pay off
I just finish writing my first ever first draft and your videos help me a lot while I was writing it! this is amazing! thank you so much!
Congratulations!!! 🥳🥳
@@moderndayphilosopher4356 Thank you!! :))
Same!! I have no idea what I’m doing 😅
I am now in the process of rewriting what 20-something years old me saw as a novel, but was essentially just a slightly polished first draft. I found the 15 years inbetween to have been extremely helpful in detaching myself from the original version and spot many weaknesses in plot and characters that I was unable to see back then.
I finished my first draft over the weekend, 75,000 words later! This video is every well timed, thank you
Thank you for being honest but kind. I don't believe there's any reason to totally trash people when trying to help them write their novel as the last person did in her video. This was extremely helpful.
Thanks for this! I've finished my first draft of my first novel, and am ready to start revising, so this helps a lot! Also, I use the "don't decorate while you're still building" metaphor with my writing students. Love it!
Abbie Emmons my QUEEN... your videos have been so enlightening and are pretty much the only thing that is getting me through my final year script project at uni. I'll probably be watching you and supporting you forever.
This was literally gold. I wrote my first draft two years ago and I thought that it's was really something I am confident about so, now I have started revising it after I saw your video.
Your way of explaining things is awesome :-)
I came here to tell you thank you! I have just (ten minutes ago) finished my first draft of my first book and needed an Abbie video to celebrate 🎉 I am ecstatic with joy, cuz its been a few years coming. Thanks for all the great content that have helped so many of us (so many in the comments) come to this point!!! 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 Congrats everyone!!!
FYI. I can basically quote your entire intro now. I’m sure I can’t be the only one. Thanks for another great video on a very needed topic!
I'm actually on the 4th draft at the moment, but it still feels like a first draft because it's meant to be the first in a mystery series and the overall story has changed so much and so many times that each draft is basically a new book 😂
Hi! Before this first draft, I had written a story before, back when I was 14. It was a 48k first draft. After I finished, I spent one month away from it, tried to hop back in, and... bam. I could barely edit. First of all, I had no clue what I was doing. I didn't reread any of it. I kept mixing line editing with plot and structure. And I realized, my plot and structure wasn't very strong. I've kind of scrapped that story for the time being.
This story is new. I started writing it on March 31st and finished on April 8th, with 57.3k. words. Yes, I was grinding all spring break with some days being 6-7 hours of writing... straight. But now I have my first draft! It's been around a month and a week since then and I'm ready to hop back into editing.
This time, I actually have a plan. An editing process.
E rmmvo
I finished my first draft. Ever thought I would get this far. 90000 words. Thank u abbie. Your videos help so much
Abbie, I just read your book 100 Days of Sunlight, and can I just say how much I love this book. I love it so much. I love the characters and Tessa and omg I love Weston. I think my favorite side character is Rudy. You really know how to make such lovable characters. Agghhh I loved it so much. I don’t usually read outside of school but on the rare occasion that I do, it’s got to be a great book, and this is what happened with 100 Days of Sunlight (came home with less than half of it done, finished it by the end of the night). I know you probably don’t want to read this whole thing about me ranting about your book, but thank you so much for creating this! You really are an amazing author!! 🥰❤️❤️
Finally rewatching this after completing my first draft at 130k words. It took 1.5 years writing it alongside another novel. This is bound to help so much, thank you Abbie. ❤
Love the tips! Thank you! For me, however, I prefer to put my 1st draft away for only a few days. I've found if I leave it for a few months then I'm in the thick of another project and it's hard to pick it back up/give it the attention it needs and deserves.
Ahh so perfect! I literally just finished some developmental editing on the my first draft of my book. Abbie I’m convinced you can read our minds😌
Thank you for the helpful videos. I’ve been writing since i was 15 and it’s funny I unknowingly knew some of it.
Outlining has helped me cement ideas and create news ones. It’s hard for me to write more then a few hundred words a day due to the fact I work full time in a hospital. But something is better then nothing.
Really like the focus on decompression time to get into the editing mindset. It makes it so much easier when you consciously split the writing part from the editing part. Thanks!
This parallels my basic process. This is practical and realistic. Getting people to read it is what really makes it work. Once you have that feedback they will help keep things on the ground. From there you can add and improve the work.
Came here because I finally finished the rough draft of my novel after 6 months (from creating characters to plotting to actually writing the draft) of writing. Thank you so much Abby. Your write with me Livestreams helped me so much. Even if I wasn't watching them live, they still gave me the motivation to write.
Thank goodness! I've been trying to find a video like this for ages! Thank you Abbie!
you have no idea how how much this is going to help me. Thank you Abbie♥️
Funny how I'm used to your vids form like.. Three years ago or at least 10 months ago-
You're so amazing Abbie, thank you very much.
Last year I ask for and got a Remarkable2 for my bday. Revisions now are like this: compile pdf from scrivener; upload to my Remarkable; use the digital ink pen to make notes, highlight, write new scenes and so on. I love that I can take it everywhere, even for hike in the woods. And it is more eco friendly while giving me the benefits of a different medium and reduced eye strain
Thanks for the post. Working on an intense second draft. I'm published by small press and some paid markets. Self-publishing free eBooks by choice to be nice and for a personal project. Outlining: For me it's the opposite. I always outline, but I don't always use the same method. Each story is different, and I don't mind huge revisions if they are fun. When I over outline, I sometimes outline myself into corners that I need to fix with semi-discovery writing or with daily outlining notes to fix or write the next days work.
The best thing I did to get me in a different headspace was have my non-reader, blue collar husband read my first draft and he was one of the best editors I ever had. He was the complete opposite of my target audience so he looked at it in an objective way I never could.
This has absolutely changed my life!!!
Thank you for this!! 😄 I’m currently doing a huge rewrite/overhaul of my book (it sorely needed it 😂), and it’s honestly so much fun to see it become the things I’ve always wanted it to be 🤩 Thank you for your amazing videos, they’re helping me so much!!!
Regardless what method we use, we all encounter the headaches at some point. In saying that, as a plantser I see the vision for where It goes. In chapters, I dot point imperative aspects, leaving room for placeholders. Main threads I highlight the dot in one colour, the other, as a sub plot in another (if it's there) the rest is generic to the continuity. Finding this method better because, if I plan the entire novel, I won't surprise myself to discover aspects, there is risk to overlook and rewrite.
To some writers it's a cringe moment, to me, that's the most fascinating element. The entire first draft is opportunistic, you're a chef standing in the isle, (pick your ingredients.) From what was once an unfinished short story of 23k at 14, it wasn't the full exposition, after two years now I turned that from one coherent plot, to an 8-9 book series.
My project has been in the works for 3 years. Its good to finally be here and not "working on 1st draft"
thanks i am just finished my first draft i am not a novelist but a comic book artist and found this fantastic... once again thank
you
I did some intense research on revising at the start of 2021; I've been using the triage method for revising (before I do any line editing) where I read over my story in full, then take time to think over it and decide from the outside looking in what big pieces need to change. I mainly look at the macro elements of the story - character (which obviously involves my theme and the character's arc of change), plot, stakes - and some micro elements - suspense and tension, momentum and pacing. From there, I can kind of create an outline of what happens in my story, then on paper decide how to fix any issues with those elements. THEN I can actually go into the novel... sort of. I have a list of scenes, and go through my book out of order and insert new scenes, fix up old scenes, sprinkle in new elements, pull out some old ones... basically, I fix everything I need to fix to make those macro and micro elements more solid. After that, I leave the novel to sit for a while, then come back and do it all over again. The idea is to keep as much objectivity as possible and keep doing passes to fix those foundational pieces of the story till they're at the level you want them to be. It's called the triage method, because you are taking care of the most serious cases first.
In the future, I will go on to do line editing and work my way through every scene, paragraph, and line to make them the best they can be. While I'm excited to start, I have yet to reach that point. I've written 3 drafts of my story, and have given it to a writing buddy to take a look at, and in the future, I want to take her feedback (which was really good, but also somewhat brutal - but good!!) and use it. I think that will be my last hack at the story before I go intensely close with my edits, and THEN I can finally send it to a professional developmental editor. 😂 It's long, it's hard, it hurts my brain a lot sometimes, but I really want to make my story into the best version it can be. 😊
I do a similar method with my own writing!
I always love the intro: "Why does your story matter." And what keeps me going is my answer. I answer it every time you ask it.
"My story matters because representation matters." I write M/M bear romance. Almost every romance I've read with a husky protagonist wants to change themselves and only when a thin or fit guy comes along and says he's fine the way he does he decide he is fine. What about the husky guy who doesn't feel he has to lose weight to fit into the standards of the gay community? What if he wants love from someone who is also husky. This is why my story matters. It tells the story of the subculture in the gay community that is shunned and misunderstood. I'm a bear, I've been one since my mid-20s and I'm happy. We can be overweight and feel deserving of love the way we are without having to change. :) Thank you for everything you do, Abbie. :)
I just finished my first draft two weeks weeks ago, and was struggling with editing so thank you!
I just started editing the first draft of my first novel so this came at the perfect time 💕
I have written my first book and has been with an editor, so now I am on my re-right. I have learnt a lot from this video, thank you x
Perfect tips.
I am going to finish my first drafting of my book. These tips are really helpful.
I'm so glad I found your channel! I actually started watching your plot-outline-character creating videos because I have a new story idea but I realized that I have to learn how to write, but then I remembered that I have a finished book that I wanna edit and so I searched how to edit a book and fortunately, your channel came up once again :D (I finished the book 4 years ago so the first task on the list is done xD)
Thank you for this video! I just recently looked back on a draft I had written for NaNoWriMo back in 2015, and I was surprised how much I liked from it. I'm still debating if this NaNoWriMo I want to start with a new book or do a second draft of this one (it needs a lot of work, and the second half has to be re-written). Unfortunately, it seems like this will be the case of writing a second first draft, and then revising that one, but I'm glad you gave me some direction! Also that tip to not look at the minor things until you have the big things out of the way. It helps me think as I go into writing the next draft that I don't need to worry about the minute details of how the scenes play out, but should make sure the story is consistent and interesting.
I'm almost finished with my rough draft so this was perfect timing!
I've got to let it sit.... Okay maybe not perfect timing 😂
PLEASE make a recommendation video of books that will make us fall back in love with writing, something with lyrical literature or anything that makes a writer realize that yeah this is written so beautiful and writing is just magical. :)
Thank you
Lol awesome timing. I feel like I've already done the 'decompression time' for a couple of months now ready for the revision phase! My 1st draft was just sitting in my drive since the new year
😆
Just finished a draft two weeks ago, very apt timing for this video, thank you!
Thank you abbie. I am furiously writing my first novel to make it past 2 chapters into a journal. Hoping to not lose hope or steam on this project
I outlined my first draft and followed that while writing it. I did some tweaking along the way ( replacing basic words with more colorful ones, fixing grammatical issues, chopping unnecessary sentences) and then set it aside 3 months. I’m just now coming back to it and really all that needs to be changed are just a few inconsistencies in the plot and the over-usage of words.
You are amazing! I finished my first draft a couple months ago and I was trying to edit it but I didn't know what to change. I liked this video a lot.
Thanks to you i really started writing my stories. I wrote 2 stories and their first chapters. Just published it today on wattpad. I used to think about ideas and almost think about writing but would just end up not writing. Then i came across your video and it really helped me. It made me clear with my ideas and stories. Really really thanks a lot. Its all because of you that i finally have published two of my stories (just one chapters of each). Pls read my stories.
Its named
Dont blood it
Past in the future
Really thanks a lot. Really really thank you so much. You are really a great person
Omg Abbie!!!!! I thought I was the only one who printed out my manuscripts for revising stuff. Omggg this is great
I have a question about writing and Abbie has a video about it. Awesome.
Ugh, I am in the middle of revision purgatory rewriting stuff I wrote over ten years ago. So, I've had lots of decompression time! Starting to feel like I just should have started something new. Maybe I'll try printing it out. There is something magical about seeing it all in print.
Abbie knows EXACTLY what I'm going through
ONE author who gives no nonsense advice abt the dreaded first edit!
I actually already revised my first draft. It resulted in cutting like 1/3 of the content, that as it turned out, didn't match with a theme of my book and made the goal of my hero look absurd, because there was an "elephant in the room" way easier solution he could go for, but I didn't notice that before. But don't worry I filled it back in with actually good content using proper 3 act story structure.
I'm still on the process of outlining a story which I have been planning for a week now. The process is a whole lot painful but I know it'll be worth everything. I hope I could start writing this week. Thanks for another great helpful video! 🖤
Step 1 Watch Abbie's videos. Step 2 pause it in middle and start writing cause you had an amazing idea. Step-3 resume the video because you really wanna get tht knowledge she is sharing.
One of the benefits of decompression was I realized one of my minor characters needed a name change. Just a small three letter tweak with pronunciation pretty much the same, but now on paper it matches much better the culture I created.
I think I'm finally learning that my gut brain knows what's going on -- I just wish it gave me the words. Thank you for this list. Now I know why I was so overwhelmed (and dreading) editing the non-fiction book I thought I had edited many times before (before I found out I had more that I needed to learn and include before beginning the true editing process -- big grin).
Excellent tips. The revision process is so daunting for me. Thank you. Also blouse is lovely and has Cinderella vibes!
Really great video on editing, my least favourite part of writing, great ideas I will definitely try and use in my editing process. Thank you.
This video was exactly what i needed! thank u abbie!
Ohmygosh you look like a freaking princess!!! Great video as always, thank you for your tireless work for us writing babies ☺️
Your videos are absolutely incredible, tips ON POINT and youve helped me develop so many chacters and plots! While im slowly pulling away from fanfiction in order to do my own thing, this helps greatly!
I love the binder idea! I'm going to try it for sure! Thanks!
After writing my first novel, I realized I was having “White Room Syndrome” in some of my scenes. I’ve not let anyone read that book yet, but I still love it in general. I’ve expanded the book from near 90k words to a 110k manuscript. I still haven’t let anyone read it yet, as I know its a large ask. So, every few months I look it over again. In the meantime, I’ve written six other novels/novellas and began a trilogy with multiple POV characters.
Nothing like Wheel Of Time, but more akin to something like The Warded Man (Peter V. Brett) or Age of Myths(Michael J. Sullivan). For any who don’t know those authors, Peter V Brett’s Demon Cycle Series has multiple POVs, but has a steady main three to five POV characters. Michael J. Sullivan’s Riyria Chronicles has between two and five main POV characters, while Age Of Myths and its following series of books has a rotating cast of around twelve POV characters.
Yet, after my first novel was “complete”, I looked for many of the mistakes I saw in my writing after I went back to the authors I love to read/listen to and took notes on things I liked and disliked. I recognized that writing multiple POVs is a serious challenge, and so baby stepped my way into it. Yet, first drafting is more about getting the big parts out, as Abbie mentions. Take your time and figure out if your story has gone as far as you wanted within the first draft before you start major edits.
I tend toward reading through for flow, grammar, and consistency of story in my first editing pass. This also becomes more of a challenge with multiple POV characters, so limit yourself to no more than three POs in the first try. I also tend to start with a scene by scene outline that trends toward writing itself to fill in holes I never conceived prior to actually writing. This makes me a bit of a hybrid plotter with a minor in pantsing. Yet, when I go off script, so to speak, I pay much more attention to how it all flows.
My second pass of editing usually is line edits and how to write my sentences more economically when possible. I write fantasy, so word count starts to matter when you go beyond 80k. I’m not Brandon Sanderson, so I take his advice and try to cut down my words when they’re superfluous. By my third novel “completed” I have less of that to cut.
Yet, I’ve yet to get a pro editor so my mileage varies.
Perfect timing, 'cause I'm almost done with mine.💜⚡
Same XD
meanwhile Im stuck on the first chapter 🥲
After 1 and half year of writing just yesterday completed my first draft. ☺☺
OH MY GOSH ABBIE!! I FOUND SOMEONE WHO SOELLS IT THE SAME WAY! But names aside- your videos help me and my process so so mucch
As someone who's still sticking with fanfictions for the moment, I'm actually gonna need advice on this for some longer stories. (Still trying to motivate myself to rewrite and edit the 10k project I did back around October...)
Also, quick question. What highlighters do you use? The ones I use keep making the ink smear... meaning I just went to using pencils to mark up the paper.
@@KidsNetworkCrafts Thanks!
My dad said it'd probably smear no matter what I use, given it was printer ink, but I also wondered if the ones I was using were cheap...
And if their pastel, that'll mean their prettier... so even if they don't work as I'd like...
Your outfit and hair are giving me Cinderella vibes! I love it!!!
I finish my first draft and that’s typically it. I’ll usually change some scenes here and there after I initially wrote them, but that’ll more often than not happen in the process of writing the first draft.
I know I don’t have to check for spelling. My publisher provides me with a line editor, and they’ll typically fix grammar mistakes for me.
For my latest book, Murder in Lima, I also hired a line editor (IIRC) on my own.
Thanks to my publisher, with my next book I’ll actually have the money to hire a decent developmental editor, which is going to be amazing!
The main problem with being a largely unknown author is that you have to try to balance the books (pun intended) while trying to make your book the best it can be. That’s not an easy task!
Very timely as I am currently in the middle of editing.
Ah yes, quite the good snark for my writing talents that I do. I think you've gained both my school process and, my chances of getting t higher ground a huge huge oomph of the floor.
OMG Amazing! JUST THE TOPIC THATS UP FOR ME!!! Thank you Abbie!!
I have written 2 manuscripts (series) and I have queried within a 2yr span and I have gotten rejections of course. I'm in the "leave it for 3mths" stage and will be revisiting over the Christmas holidays.
dude this was SO helpful. Not gonna lie tho I'm in chapter 10 of my first book in a duology (and ever) and I realized half way through that I'm going to have to write five more chapters to the beginning to give my character move background and well roundedness instead of just offing her parents in the first chapter lol so my revision process gonna need to be First draft, part of second, edit, second, etc
I am doing editing and drafting at the same because due to "writer's block"🙄😅 I edit my previous chapters and when I get the drive and motivation of creating my next chapter with details on top of the drafted chapter ideas. That's just my technique. It helps me to finish my writing faster too and this video is just what I need it!😁❤⭐️
Hi Abby, You've long been my go-to writing video source. I'm working through a university course on creative writing and I'm at 88% of the course completion stage. I've been asked to produce a 1000-word story of which I have written out the first draft. Unfortunately, I am unable to put it away in the ring binder as the deadline is a day away. Is there a video on knocking out a 1000-word story really fast?
Personally, I have to line edit while I revise to an extent because I get creative bursts on how to improve a sentence or dialogue, and I've found that quelling that creativity only stunts my writing. To keep myself from over-editing, I print off the manuscript like you do--thanks to your advice!--and let myself go wild with highlighters and a pen. That way I'm not hacking away at line edits on Scrivener and I can reel myself in when I go into it to make necessary changes.
That is true, I think most people can't help doing a little bit of line editing while going through it. Since some degree of it is unavoidable, it just best to try to avoid getting carried away.
I gotta say, having written my very first draft a little over a month ago, this does give me several ideas on how to start on my revisions.
Even so, I still wonder how it will work out. After all, I’m writing a light novel, and this is just the very first entry of what is a longer series.
Been releasing my debut in serial form on Kindle Vella and Laterpress, with an episode every week. Some stuff like this will come into play on a pass for the eventual book / ebook release. On a weekly release cadence, for me it's more rough draft, edit / revise the chapter, proofread, publish. I have two people as extra sets of eyes for typo checks, but they're not good for feedback on the actual quality of the writing. I think it's been working pretty well so far.
Ready to get inspired!
Perfect timing for me too! Thanks for this!
What I did was notes of changes that needed to be made when I finished. I complete removed a character and replaced them with someone else (who hopefully will be the lead in the next book) because it fit better. So, I went through and did any changes I felt I needed first. That way, even though I'm close to it, I'm not doing full revision or trying to see the mistakes, errors, etc. I'm just making the changes to the story that fits. That's me though. This is my first manuscript and I just started editing today. :)
You look like Cinderella and I absolutely love it! Thanks for the help, it's absolutely amazing to know your channel
Perfect timing, you rock!:)
Thank you so much for your advice. I'm a newbie writer and I can't seem to gain much process from my writing... turns out it's because I revise too soon. I mean, I revise every time I finish a chapter. That's crazy. I know. I'm getting there. LOL
hello abbie please can you do a video on your outlining process from when you get your first idea to when you finnish the book thank you i really want to be able to write a really a really good standard .
My process is similar but I do break it up into more drafts(or revisions) so I outline freaking everything, do 2-3 drafts, line edit, proof read, feedback, revise one last time and then I'd send it to a professional editor and proof reader. I'm a perfectionist though lol
I write short stories, usually averaging about 7-9k words when finished. My first draft takes me about an hour and a half if I just sit down and do it because I'm a pantser, and it's about 1.5k ish.
My decompression time is about month. I feel like it's a lot of time especially for something so short, but it keeps me from burning out. I then edit the very horrible first draft, add a ton, take away of ton and I have a second draft. Then the wait between draft 2 and 3 is probably like a week or two and the third draft takes about two hours to edit because it's mostly done and all I have to do is basic grammar, spelling and punctuation.
Then boom, I have an 8k short story that will never see the light of day.
My problem for years was that I would write the first chapter and then edit it to the point of stupid. I would get to the point where I wouldn't write anymore of that story because I'd edited myself into a corner. It has taken years, but I've finally learned to just let it go & to come back to it later. I'll still jot down a note to remind myself why I want and what I want to fix, but I won't fix it. 9 times oit of 10, the fix I wanted to do initially will be totally unnecessary when I go back to it later.
One thing I've done with this six book series I'm working on is to color code everything. It has made figuring everything out so much easier. I can find things easier too.
This is solid advice thank you.
After the first draft I review each chapter one at a time to make sure everything works scene wise. Then I use my computers voice to listen to each page and make additional changes. Then I use prowritingaid. Peer edits. Paid editor. Then my mom beta reader lol.
Still in the process of writing my first draft. I’m already seeing several holes in the plot, where 1+1=2.5. It’s not quite right. The overall impact this has on the story is minimal, but will alter character arcs over the course of the novel, similar to a snowball and avalanche. Would you recommend forgetting about it and moving the story forward, or freeze where I’m at and start making the necessary changes?