The Edit, Part Five: The First Re-Write is Done!!
On track
My goal for this year has been to get the novel I'm writing to be good enough to submit to agents at the end of the year. My plan has been:
January - August: Edit
September: Partner reads and critiques
October - November: Apply new edits based on critiques
December: Submit to agents
And I'm very happy to announce that the first rewrite is done! I've cut about 50k words and written about 45k -- so the novel is slightly shorter than it was at the beginning of the year, 116k words (the same length as Twilight, I'm told). Fortunately, it is also much better than it was at the beginning of the year, when it was little more than a skeleton. Now there's much more of a body to it. Maybe even signs of life! I gave the first version a 2/10 upon reread. I'd give this version a 7/10!
I'm very excited, because what remains is relatively straightforward. The lingering issues with it are clear to me, as are the solutions, though it'll still be lots of work in the fall — though even more work if my partner's critiques don’t line up with mine. Regardless, I'm also excited to have September to think about other things (music!).
Big thank-yous to everybody who's encouraged me this year, or pommed with me, or critiqued sections. Also thank-yous to everybody who's offered to be test-readers, you'll be getting the first chapter soon!
