Morning peeps! Today we’ve got the super fab Sara Brookes back, giving her take on her writing and editing process.

LP: As a multi-published author, have you found any difference with the amount of work involved when self-editing a story when you’re a plotter vs. being a panster?

SB: I’ve never been one to plot at all, at least until I’m wrapping up the first draft. Then I’ll sit down with the manuscript and write an outline of sorts to make sure I have all my pacing and events correct. This is mostly because, not only am  I a pantser, I also write out of order. So this is my way of ensuring that I’ve fit all the pieces of the puzzle together in the correct order.

LP: Do you write a first draft? If so, do you set yourself a deadline?

SB: Yes, I write a first, second, etc – however many drafts it takes to get it right. Now, I’ve noticed as I’ve gained knowledge from working with various editors, I have far fewer drafts than I first started with. One of my early books took something like 8 or 9 drafts to get it right before I even thought about submitting it. Now, two years later, it usually only takes me two or three drafts. Two definitely because of my process, but my first drafts are always, always horrible. And that’s good. I can improve horrible. I can’t improve nothing.

LP: How long do you set aside the story before editing?

SB: A minimum of a week. A month is even better and what I’ve found is the best for me. The longer I’m away from a project between drafts, the better I can pick up and see things to make corrections before submitting. You can become too familiar with a manuscript and overlook the simplest of things. My goal is to submit the cleanest draft I possibly can to either one of my current editors or a perspective one.

LP: Self-editing is a feat that takes more than a few years to nail down. That is, unless you’re a natural. What would you say is the biggest mistake that is overlooked during the editing process?

SB: Repetitive action is easy to flub. To clarify: “He lifted his arm up.” or  “She sat down in the chair.” Both are repetitive. If he’s lifting, it’s assumed it’s up. You can’t lift your arm down. And if she’s sitting, it’s assumed down. So the sentences would be “He lifted his arm.” And “She sat in the chair.”

LP: Do you edit in stages, or do you tackle everything at once?

SB: It depends. If I’m going full tilt on a story, like my fingers are bleeding trying to keep up with my brain, I don’t even stop to correct spelling mistakes. I just go and then come back to the second draft and start editing then. If I’m figuring out pieces trying to put a scene together and not writing anything new for the story, I will go back to Chapter 1 and start editing. Seeing some of the early parts of the story sometimes unsticks me on a plot point I’m trying to solve. It also keeps the story as a whole fresh in my head and allows me to keep perspective on it.

LP: If you had to pick one common mistake, the kind that makes your eye twitch, what would it be? In addition, what is the best way to identify and resolve the issue?

SB: Oh I am a “that” girl. No question about it. I never worry about it during my early drafts but then I usually have to do a find in my document. Without fail, however, it is inevitable to find some unnecessary ones that my editor gets to point out to me. It’s something I know I have to be diligent about. LOL

LP: Do you have any recommendations of books to read on the craft, or online resources that are beneficial to new comers in writing?

SB: If you want to learn about plotting, characterization, etc, the best thing you can do for yourself is to read your favorite author’s books. Seriously. They’re putting into practice what you’re trying to do so what better example? They are your professors. Study them. Read them to enjoy them, but notice how the give their character’s nuances. How they give their stories depth and life and color. How they weave multiple plots together. How they don’t just make it a book, really pay attention to how they make it a story.

LP: Any final thoughts on editing, or prepping a manuscript before sending it off to a crit group/partner or out on submission?

SB: Having a critique partner or beta reader (better yet, have both!) is a must. Must. Must. Must. I can’t stress this enough. You are not perfect. You will miss something. It’s inevitable. Even then, you, your crit parter and your beta reader are still going to miss something. It happens and it’s all right. (Remind me to someday tell a story about when I first started submitting and some boneheaded mistakes I made…*g*) That’s where time comes in—it’s your friend. Put the manuscript aside for a predetermined amount of time, stick to it and don’t think about the story while it’s put away. I guarantee you will find something all of you missed that you will swear you never saw before. And remember—it’s all right.

Thanks for sharing Sara!

For more information about Sara and her works you can find her at:

www.sarabrookes.net

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