Drafting

**Drafting & Editing** //Half my life is an act of revision.// - John Irving

So, you have the first draft written and it's ready to send off for editing....or is it? One of the most important (and frustrating ) elements of being a good writer is self-editing. There a a number of elements in the process you need to consider:

__Structural editing: __
 * You are always being encouraged to use non-linear narratives but you should make sure the sequence of your narrative is logical and the plot makes sense.
 * Are the pace and tone used effectively
 * Are your sentences being used to their greatest advantage. Think about short, sharper sentences to create tension, action or suspense or longer more flowing sentences to impart a feeling of serenity.
 * How about your paragraphs. Don't forget, a change of focus in the narrative should probably indicate a new paragraph. Also, you can use the one-line paragraph to instensify the impact of a statement or important event.
 * Have you used punctuation to the best effect

__Style and Content: __
 * Check for inconsistencies in your style.
 * Make sure you haven't repeated words or phrases
 * How strong are your verbs, adjectives?
 * have you used too many adjectives to describe one noun? Remember, less os usually more; by that I mean choose one really strong adjective and avoid over-writing.
 * Make sure your details are correct.
 * Make sure you have not included any material that may be considered inappropriate or culturally offensive.
 * Make sure your dialogue is strong and appropriate for your character and content.

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 120%;">__Copy Editing:__
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 120%;">Line-by-line editing for spelling, punctuation and grammar