A truth many writers would rather not acknowledge is that the editing process is a big part of the writing process. And – what’s often even scarier – the rewriting process is a huge part of the editing process. That being said, looking at an entire story – even if it’s still a rough draft – and contemplating redoing the whole thing needn’t be daunting; think of it as exciting instead!
Of course, judging your own writing isn’t always the easiest proposition, which is why it’s a great idea to have a writing coach or writing community to provide valuable feedback (although be wary of who gets to see your first draft!).
And we would definitely recommend building a few weeks’ break into your writing process after you finish off that first draft. It’ll be much easier to assess your own words when you’ve had a bit of space from your written work, and let your story breathe. When you come back to it, try reading your work aloud, and imagine someone else is listening. That can help you see whether the story makes sense, and whether your word choice flows well.
One writer who knows all about rewriting is Ajay Chowdhury, the award-winning author of crime thrillers The Waiter and The Cook. As well as being a novelist, Ajay is a theatre director and tech entrepreneur who founded Shazam and Seatwave.
Here, Ajay tells us how he writes and rewrites his novels… With these tips, you’ll soon feel like a better writer, whether you’re reworking entire sections, one chapter, a single sentence or even short stories.