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You Wrote Your Book—Now What?

Adina Edelman

“I finished my book!!” The author slams her precious 500-page manuscript onto the editor’s desk.

The editor sips her coffee. “Congrats.”

“Well? Are you going to start editing it?”

The editor:




Woman spitting out drink
This is live footage, y'all.

Many writers think that the next step after finishing their first draft is to hire an editor.

They’re wrong.

The next step is to put the draft away for at least a couple months, come back to it, realize all the plot holes and spelling mistakes that are there, and write Draft 2.


You repeat this until you’re A) 75% sure it’s ready for an editor or B) so completely sick of it that you just have to send it to the editor. Because let me tell you, quality editing, the kind that will make your book the best it can be, isn’t cheap. And you don’t want to pay someone else to find the very mistakes you can fix yourself.


So what do you do during that month or two or three when you’re not looking at your book?


You read. Specifically, you read the following books so that when you do come back to your book, you’re ready to tackle revisions like an absolute pro.



Any one of these books will change how you view writing. And they will change how you write.


Save the Cat! Writes a Novel: This is a practical, easy-to-read guide for anyone who has trouble with plotting. It has helped me write two novels and given me clarity for my author's plotting troubles as well. It is hands-down one of the best books you can buy for novel writing.


Self-Editing for Self-Publishers: This is a clear guide on the crucial storytelling elements to address when revising your book, from prologues to point of view. It also addresses common mistakes and grammar issues. If you apply this book's advice before sending your manuscript to an editor, I guarantee your editing quote will be lower.


Show, Don't Tell: So short but so good. Sandra Gerth is the master at condensing abstract concepts into highly practical and actionable guides. This book will really help you show and not tell.


Point of View: This book seriously changed how I view POV (pun unintended). It gets straight to the heart of POV, explaining each type, advantages and disadvantages, and common POV errors (which I see ALL the time as an editor).


The Emotional Craft of Fiction: This book explains how to harness the power of emotion to create a compelling story that will really make your readers care (and will make you itch to get back to writing!).


Inside Story: If you've written a character-driven novel, or struggle with character development and theme, this one's for you. Dara Marks brings numerous examples and graphics (helpful for us visual folks). Even though it's directed at scriptwriters, it's just as applicable to fiction writers. Highly recommend.


There's really something special about writing craft books. They inspire you to get back into the ring, to face that writer's block and imposter syndrome and just write.


Have you read any of these books? Share your thoughts in the comments.


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t7mitch
18 ene
Obtuvo 4 de 5 estrellas.

Great advice. I will definitely try out some of these books.

I

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