I’m spending the next month or so editing a novel I wrote during NaNoWriMo 2021. My goal is to edit 10,000 words per week. Some chapters will need just slight tweaks, others will need total rewrites. For each day I work I will (briefly) record what I accomplished and share tips.

WEEK 1 – WEEK 2 – Week 3 – Week 4

Monday

Last week I returned to earlier chapters, focusing on sections that required further editing before I felt comfortable moving forward. Even as I continue, I find that there are elements that need even more changes (which is expected), but the vast majority of these new changes are slight alterations, small details and bits of foreshadowing . I believe this is a sign of progress.

Tuesday

I didn’t meet my daily goal today. This is the first time this has happened in a long time. I’m disappointed but not taking it too hard. Normally, I work the late shift on Tuesdays, but that didn’t happen this week so my schedule was thrown off. These things happen.

Wednesday

I’m trying something new going forward. These past few weeks I’ve spent my first hour in the morning reading before writing. It’s a good time to read since my mind is fresh . However, it seldom gives me time to reach my daily goal before having to go to work. Then I finish my writing during breaks or after work. Going forward I will try to hit the ground running with writing in the morning and try to get all my reading done in the evening. It’s a more relaxed activity anyway, a better way to unwind than editing.

I got a lot of novel editing done this evening. I left work early to attend an Authors Guild introduction meeting.

Thursday

I more than made up for time lost earlier this week. I wrote two chapters today that were all completely new material. On top of that I added to a chapter I’d written earlier this week, providing more substance. I feel nothing but good about today. This is in part because I learned that one of my short stories that was published this past November will be included in an anthology.

Friday

Met my goal incredibly early this morning without breaking a sweat. All I was aiming to do was revise a chapter I already felt (mostly) pretty good about. One thing I’ve noticed is the parts I am revising the most tend to be the beginnings of chapters. Once I really get to the mid-point and climax of the chapter, everything more or less stays the same.

Takeaways

1. Sometimes you just won’t meet your daily goal. This happens. Life and schedules get disrupted. As long as you are meeting them 80% of the time you are doing a pretty good job. If you meet them over 80% of the time you’re doing an excellent job.
2. Be flexible with your schedule, if something isn’t working (like you spend much of your time in the morning reading so you don’t have time to write) consider revising your schedule.
3. Look into The Authors Guild. It appears to have some really strong resources.
4. When you are editing your novel check your chapter beginnings. What needs to be changed? Should different characters be present? These are the parts where you can often do the most editing to cut down on wordcount.