So It Begins

I have begun the lengthy editing process. I'm starting by going through the first draft of Cold Blooded, and just making a list of all the scenes. Some, I think, are actually more than one scene, but since I wrote it without chapter breaks and just a "* * *" most of the times the setting changed or time skipped forward, it's hard to tell what is supposed to be a scene. So at any rate, I'm making a list of the events, as they happen.

Once I'm done with that, I'll start picking at which scenes are actually important and which ones don't move the plot forward. Any information in the cut scenes that is still needed will be recycled into new, better scenes. I've already started a second document of all the chunks of backstory, so that I can have them as a handy reference guide for when I want to sprinkle that information back in. Right now it’s just in a couple of big blocks, and that's no good. My research tells me that you’re not supposed to do that.

I can already see which scenes were just written in a quest for words and trying to get to the next important point. Nothing happens in them, and any information they impart can be reworked into scenes that actually do something. What I have is just people talking about the things that need talked about for the plot to move forward, and not in a particularly interesting way.

It is so hard not to be all judgmental on some of these scenes. I want to makes not particularly helpful notes like, "This is dumb" and "Why did you write this?" But those will come later. Right now, I'm just making an overview of what happens. Just the facts, ma'am.

I'm in the midst of a debate over whether I should print out the first draft for editing purposes. Sure, it would let me stick colorful sticky notes all over it, color-coded depending on whether they relate to character, or plot, or whatever. But so far the only argument I have found in favor of printing is that the change in medium can make typos and grammatical errors stick out more to your brain. But at this point, I'm not really worried about typos. Why would I fix the spelling in a scene I'll likely cut later? That's a lot of wasted effort. So maybe after the second draft, when I have an actual coherent plot, I'll print it out.

I can tell you right now, this is going to take a while. But it's fine. One piece, one step at a time. I mean, I wrote the damn thing in a month. Surely I can fix it in a year.

Meanwhile, I have to build up a platform, I guess? Like, I need to craft some kind of online presence from which I can market this thing? That's what the internet tells me. It gives dubious advice at times, but that doesn't mean it's wrong. I read somewhere that you should pick two social media sites (be it facebook, twitter, whatever), and post something on them every day. Every day! Where would I even get that many things to say? Every day would just be like, "Well, I'm still editing. How many murders is too many, you think?" Nobody wants that. Anyway, I'll figure it out, I guess.

I'll see you next week.