Several years ago, Amy Miles, and I had this crazy idea to write a trilogy together. We wanted to blend my romantic style of writing with her fantasy world building style. A Banshee and a Human forced together in the same world. How fun might that be? Thus began a labor of love that spanned several years and took many turns.
As we near the end of the edits of Book 2, Hollow Earth, I thought it might be fun to share my typical editing process. Each book is a bit different, but this is roughly how it goes.
Draft 1. The Magic Draft. EVERYTHING I write in draft one is gold. I don’t stop. I don’t re-read. I don’t edit. I push forward allowing the word vomit to fall where it may. I love draft 1.
Drafts 2-3. Oh boy. There sure is a mess to clean up here. The engineer hat goes on and I try to piece together all the thoughts I was trying to formulate in the draft 1 into a cohesive story. These drafts take the longest, and it feels like I’ve ALWAYS got a book in this phase. ha.
Draft 4-5. Self-edit hat on. Okay, this is starting to look like a book. Minor fixes, a few paragraphs added or deleted. Plot holes firmed up. Almost time for the editor.
Draft 6. Print off the manuscript. Dig out the red pen to catch what I miss on the screen.
Draft 7. Transposing the pile of notes I made with said red pen onto the computer.
Draft 8. Run scan for repetitive words, sentence structure, grammar, etc.
Draft 8.5. Send to Beta readers, if I use them.
Draft 9 (ish) off to the editor. Write a new draft 1 of a different manuscript. Happy day!
Draft 10. Reviewing editors comments. Fairly painless usually.
Draft 10.5. Send to ARC readers if I use them.
Draft 11. One last final read through. REALLY hating this book right about now. Please don’t make me read it ever again or I’ll toss it in the recycling bin.
Once Draft 11 is done, I am ready to let it go. Though, from this point on, I can’t re-read the book or I’ll want to make changes. Haha.
For Hollow Earth, we are at Draft 9. Soooooo close to that finish line! That means I can write new words soon!!! Huzzah!
Danielle Bannister, Author 