Novel Notes: Update #1

For a long time I've been in the dark of what actually writing a whole novel looks like. I believed it was straightforward: writing chapter one, then chapter two, all the way to "the end". But in reality, at least for me, the process doesn't really look like that. I'm sharing my process–the good, the bad, the epically messy–to document the novel-writing reality that's true to me. Hopefully, if you're writing a novel and struggling with questions of "Am I doing it right?", sharing my process will give you the confidence and calm that no matter how messy and crazy your draft is, you can get through it. So, here's what this novel has been through so far and what's yet to come! This is Novel Notes Update #1!

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Why You Need to Self-Edit AND Hire an Editor (8 Steps to Your Revised Story) – Guest Post by Jacquelyn Eubanks!

GUEST POST BY JACQUELYN EUBANKS | When you finish drafting your story, you may ask: “Should I get an editor to look over my story? Or should I just edit it myself?” The answer is both. Jacquelyn takes you through 8 necessary steps of self-edits and hiring an external editor to get you to the revised story you desire.

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How to Write + Revise Your Story in 5 Draft Phases

The way I go from BIG IDEA to finished story is kind of weird. I always thought it would be this linear, very defined approach, but I don't function like that. My draft phases follow building the anatomy of a story through specific, key craft elements. My phases aren't defined by "The End" or "Draft 4", but by mindset and attention to certain story pieces. If you're curious what a "skeleton draft" is (or what a "freckle draft" is), click through to read how I write, revise, and edit my stories to completion in five distinct phases. 

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