Fallton Havenstonne

Normally, it takes me about 5 edits to finish a story. It could take more, of course, but that is the average for me. I’ll describe the process below.

The first edit consists of rewrites and changes to the story. I might change the characters names, the location, and even the turning points. It’s about looking at the overall picture, to make sure that the story is cohesive and that it has a clear beginning, middle, end. The first edit is a structural analysis of the story.

The second edit consists of working on the details and adjusting the scenery, fixing the pacing, etc. It’s not as intensive as the first round of editing, but a lot of edits are still made. I might delete entire paragraphs and change the sentences around. The second edit is about making sure the story is communicated properly.

The third edit focuses on flow and word usage. I pay more attention to homonyms such as “they’re,” “their,” “there,” and I tighten up the dialogue and the paragraphs. It’s basically a refinement edit.

The fourth edit is more like a proofread where I’m checking for spelling, punctuation, and grammar. I can’t begin to tell you how many times I drop words even though I will have read a passage 3 or 4 times already.

The fifth edit is a comparison edit, where I compare the 3rd and 4th drafts using the “Compare Documents” feature in Microsoft Word. I look for the edits I made in draft 4 and decide if I should keep them or revert back to the original (the 3rd edit). It’s a buffering and shining edit.

And before I publish (especially on Amazon), I usually send my story to a reader to have another pair of eyes on it, to see if the narrative makes sense, as well as to check for spelling/punctuation and grammar errors.

With each published story. I continue to improve my writing. I learn from my mistakes and carry the lessons I’ve learned onto the next story. It takes a lot of work and time to revise and edit a story, but it’s worth it to have a polished story in the end.

I used to find it difficult to think of an idea for a story. Later, I realized that the trick is to not try and think of the idea. Rather, it’s letting the idea come to me.

For example, I come up with many of my story ideas when I’m doing something mundane such as washing the dishes, folding clothes, or taking a walk. The idea usually takes on a life of its own once it strikes my mind. It see it play out like a movie, and imagine all the nuances and possibilities of the story.

Story ideas can also be inspired by something in our lives. It could be something we’re going through, or something we wish we could fix or that we had (i.e. magic or special abilities). It could be inspired by what we saw on the news or sparked by something that happened to us.

The idea for a story is something that can come to us from anywhere, but we just have to be ready for them when they arrive. And once they do, we must be ready to cultivate them into stories.

When I complete a story, it feels like a weight has lifted off my shoulders. The completion gives me an inner sense of peace and happiness. All of the hours of work that went into the story has finally come to fruition, and now it’s time to take a break.

To varying degrees, it’s probably the same for people that have completed an arduous project or a work of art. They’re proud of the work they created, but they also feel relieved that it’s finished. The work is an embodiment of their skill and creativity–all the hours they’ve put into it. The same is true with completing a story. It’s something to be proud–an embodiment of an author’s craft, style, and ideas.

But for me, the irony with finishing a story is that the feeling of relief doesn’t last very long. In the back of my mind, there is always the next story to write. The backlog of ideas that I’ve stowed away want to come out. They’ve been waiting in line, patiently, and now it’s their turn.

Sometimes when I complete a story, I say to myself: “No more. This is the last one.” Especially if it was a story that involved extensive edits, depleting my energy and will. At that point, I’m ready to throw in the towel. But in a few days, I’ll pick up writing again.

There is an hour in which a writer writes at their most productive and creative level. Of course, they might write for several hours during the day, but I believe there is a specific hour in which they write at their best. Even if they’ve been writing for hours, it might the second hour of their session or at the end of it. Maybe it’s a specific time during the day, such as 8 a.m. or 9 p.m.

I used to write the most in the evening, but more recently, I’ve started writing in the morning. This is based on when I’m able to concentrate and write the most. It used to be in the evening, since I had put pressure on myself to create/write as much as possible before going to sleep.

But now I prefer the mornings because it sets the tone for the day. It’s a great feeling when I complete a chapter before, say, lunchtime or the afternoon. Even if I don’t write for the rest of the day, at least I had accomplished something earlier.

We’re all constrained by a schedule or work routine. This bears a great influence, since good writing can only be done when it’s uninterrupted. Perhaps a deadline puts pressure on a writer to write feverishly. A deadline can also have the opposite effect on a writer.

Another important thing is a good work environment. Having an environment that’s conducive to writing (i.e. a clean and organized desk), regardless of what time it is, let’s the imagination roam free. But if there is an hour where one writes at their best, they should stick by it.