Better Writing Saves Time when Editing
If you can commit basic rules to memory (a necessity for anyone who has pretensions to write professionally), your first draft will be easier to edit for the important things, because you’ll spend less time fixing the little mistakes.
There are larger structures in fiction, especially in the novel. Structures for scenes, chapters and the overall story itself.
As a rule, the longer the story, the simpler the structure.
Stories can be written with a linear timeline or out of time sequence. The latter require a lot more skill as they should be written in the order they are going to be read.
There are many, many more.
Also with their own structures are:
- dialogue,
- exposition,
- description,
- narration,
- revery,
- and many more levels of writing with in the story.
The only way to know most of these is to read them in good stories.
Once you have absorbed these structures, you’ll not only make your editing easier, you’ll create richer stories, too. This, in turn, will also reduce time editing.
What to Avoid
One last thing. Avoid reading bad fiction.
If you’re fifty pages into a book and you’re waiting for it to get good, chances are, it won’t.
Put it down and start another.
As a rule, we write what we read and if you just finished a horribly written novel, the quality of the one you’re writing (or editing) will suffer.
Fill your reading time with well written novels by talented writers. Your writing and editing will benefit.
