Now that you have written your novel draft, the next step in the novel writing process is to evaluate what you have written. What did you do well, and what needs improvement? It’s important to note that while writing quickly can be beneficial during the first draft, the subsequent revision and editing stages are equally crucial for refining and polishing your novel. Once you have allowed your first draft a few days (sometimes even weeks or months) to cool, it’s time to come back to it and evaluate what you’ve written.
I recommend that you begin by reading straight through the draft, taking notes as you go. There’s no need to fix anything right now. Just make a quick note and then keep reading. Don’t even worry about spelling, grammar, or punctuation yet. There’s no point proofreading when there is still writing to do. When it comes to evaluating your first draft, here are some things to look for on the first read-through:
Continue reading “The third step in the novel writing process: Evaluation”
Write on the World 