More than a year ago an author friend launched her novel — The Beggar’s Dance. With a copy of a book in her hand, it all looked so easy. Only fellow writers understood the years of toil that went into writing that, and any novel.
A non-writer colleague said this week, “You’re on the last chapter. You’re nearly finished.” Well, no actually. A first draft is only the beginning step in a long process of making sure the plot flows, the language is tight, each word of every chapter has something important to contribute to the overall plot and development of the protagonist and finally, you’ve got the punctuation to consider. Only then, is it time to think about an editor who can perfect your manuscript.
With the little amount that most writers earn these days, it’s a wonder that so many of us persist at the craft. We must be a crazy, dedicated, and be a bunch of creative junkies.
Read and Write 