An Update

As I stated in my introduction, before I begin, I will share The Update. The Yellow Draft of my secret project is finished and I am working on the Orange Draft. More on the colors below!

Anyone ever tackled a full developmental edit before? Like when you’ve completed the first draft and wonder what the heck to do next? A Developmental edit is looking at your story as a whole and making sure your plot, characters, and world are all consistent. Opinions may vary, but my brain wanted to organize this entire editing process and what better way than to use colors!

My first draft is actually called my Red Draft because it isn’t supposed to be nice. My goal is just to get it on the page and attempt to stay consistent. Throughout, I may add plotlines, change characters’ names, drop people, add people, etc.

So I don’t forget, I have a document next to me where I put those changes separated into three categories:  High priority is big things that will need to be changed throughout the entire book. Medium is a slight change, mostly foreshadowing, and Low is one scene fixes. 

Once the “Red Draft” is done, I take the guide and re-read, adding in the things I wrote down and anything else that comes up. This is my “Yellow Draft” stage. Think of it as a second first draft in which I juggle the ideas that came to me in the first go round. I can plot before all I want, but in the middle, I still overthink things and change my mind. (Who doesn’t LOL)

There is conflicting advice about letting your draft rest right after the VERY first draft, but I have the philosophy that if you already know some changes, why wait until months later? If you already know the problem, fix it!

Now you know what Red and Yellow mean in my progress bar! Feel free to utilize these methods at your disposal. Stay tuned for the rest of my colors. 

Share in the comments below what kinds of ways you stay organized with edits!

Be well, and continue to thrive in your endeavors. 

-Brett