What comes after v1?
I've written several posts on how to design characters, outline your story, and build your world. After v1 is complete, I tend to ignore the outline altogether, and I only refer to the character pages and world building elements again if I forget an important point or want to include a trait/concept that I had decided to leave out the first time round.
So, how do I create v2? What do I do after v2 is complete?
In this post, I will attempt to answer these questions.
Version 2
After I've patted myself on the back for finally finishing v1 from beginning to end, I buttress my feelings, remind myself that yes, I AM a writer, and I reopen my manuscript at page 1.
V2 involves going through the entire thing, from beginning to end, and rewriting the bits that didn't work. Sometimes I leave a note saying 'something happens here' when I am stuck, so v2 is my chance to fill in these blanks. I try not to cry at my clumsy sentence structure and poor characterization. The first draft is a skeleton--now I am starting to add some of the cartilage and muscle that actually holds it together.
While I work through v2, I have a new document open called "Edits for V3". I already know, from much experience, that there will be a v3, and so I plan accordingly. In this document, I messily note everything that needs more attention. These notes come from two places:
- My own instincts. Sometimes I can't fix an problem I find without stepping back and doing a bit more planning first, so I make a note, and move on.
- Feedback from other authors. If I am lucky enough to find an author willing to do a chapter swap, I will exchange my book for theirs, chapter by chapter. This is a great way to get early feedback and a fresh set of eyes on your work, and I add a LOT to my "Edits for V3" document in the process. Some authors I've worked with address chapter swap suggestions right away--I prefer to wait until I have suggestions for the entire book before implementing anything.
After all this, I am left with a stronger manuscript and a messy Word document full of hastily typed notes.
Version 3 (or 4? or 5?)
Once I have done that first editing pass and gathered my notes on what to change with the help of my own brain and, hopefully, an early beta reader, my next task is to clean "Edits for V3" up as much as possible. I create a brand new document, with an equally un-unique name, and begin categorizing ideas by chapter. Some of my chapters are going to be cut, some new chapters are going to appear, and at this point in the process I find that a table with the chapter title in one column and the changes needed in the other is the most useful way to keep track of what I want to do.
After the table, I list everything that needs more thought. A new idea I threw in while I was writing v1 or v2 might need some fleshing out, or perhaps I forgot an important question when building my world initially that I know have to answer.
This new plan for v3 is usually at least 50 pages long. It takes a while to create, but once I have it, v3 can be written very, very quickly.
v3 is what I usually send to beta readers. Instead of a chapter-by-chapter swap, fellow writers (and at least one paid reviewer) will read my story as a whole and provide their feedback. If the changes I want to make are so large that I decide to do them over several versions, then it might be v4 or even v5 that beta readers receive.
Version X
I use the feedback I receive from beta readers (on whatever version I end up sending them) to create a final, chapter-by-chapter planning document. I spend as much time as it takes to tweak and refine my book, taking as many extra passes (and creating as many extra versions) as needed until I am happy.
When I have a complete, well-structured, solid book, I start looking for an agent. I'll write a bit about that process at some point--it is not the most exciting way to spend your time, but if you want to be traditionally published, then it is an essential step. I set a deadline--if, by a certain time, I have not secured an agent, I self-publish. I haven't been at this very long, in the grand scheme of things. I have done two agent hunts so far. The first was for The Reality Warper, and, when I didn't find an agent, I self-published. The second was for Awake! and, although my deadline has passed, I received so much good feedback that I have decided to rewrite the book and try again.
It Takes a While
It takes a while to write a book. Over time I hope that you will, like me, begin to enjoy the act of revising your work and making it stronger. Every change you make gets you closer to telling the story that you've always wanted to tell and it is most definitely worth it.