Writing the Dreaded Second Draft

There she was. A new story. A bare bones first draft of 47,000 words staring at me. I had a great time writing her. I flew through the story in thirty days last year and added a few more lines over the past week.

But now it was time to face the music.

The dreaded second draft.

I still haven't mastered revising a first draft. The Two Worlds was a nightmare because it was written over a long period of time and I learned so much while writing it. I used different techniques of writing, wrote different parts at various points in my life (and that always influences my writing) and wasn't organized at all. No outline, no clear vision, nada. Just a girl and her notepad.

This time around, I wrote with a clear focus. NaNoWriMo allowed me a clear deadline and I had an outline to work off of. Being organized allowed me to have fun with writing instead of stopping every few chapters to figure out my next move. I'm definitely NOT a pantser!

But I still have so much to learn about the writing process. And I find myself hesitant on how to approach this latest WIP.  I'm going to wait a few days and try to find a good book that touches on the subject (suggestions welcome!). Have you ever struggled with revising a raw draft?

Procrastination

The Two Worlds is almost live! It'll hit an Amazon shelf near you on Nov. 23!

Now that I'm 99.9% done with this book, I find myself thinking about writing another one. But, I'm having a hard time getting motivated. I already have two chapters written for a paranormal romance book that I'm interested in finishing.  It's such hard work!

I think I'll start working on a book after we move to our new apartment December 1st. So, I'll start getting down and dirty December 3rd.

(Gulps)

Part of my hesitation is being unsure whether the road for the next book will be as rough as The Two Worlds. I had to learn as I went, and it sucked. Sorry other newbie writers, no sugar coating here! I tore my hair out trying to get that story out and had to grow up along the way a bit.

Now that I know how to outline, edit, and submit for beta reading, I feel slightly more confident. But the act of writing still terrifies me a little bit.

I think my best bet will be to just not think about it too much and just do it. Que sera, sera, right?

My First Beta Reader Experience

This morning I awoke to an email in my inbox that I had been waiting for. It was my first beta reader giving feedback on The Two Worlds. Excited, I opened the email and read quickly through what she had to say.

It wasn't all good.

She liked the way the story flowed, but she felt that it read almost like a screenplay (stupid film-making degree!). She also felt like I was putting all of my cards on the table and not leaving enough mystery for the reader.

Crud.

I had a flicker of disappointment, but then a thought dawned on me.

She read my story!
Wooo-hoooo!

I jumped out of bed with a grin on my face. Someone had actually taken time out of their busy day to read my book!

It felt great.

Of course, I have to wait for my other beta reader to finish reading before I can start editing. But Beta 1's feedback was just what I needed to hear. I'm off to research the advice she gave me and of course, I'll get back to you on what I've learned.

Have you had a beta reader experience yet? What was your reaction?