How to Write 3: Fine Tuning Your Finished Book/Article

Robert Cormier: “The beautiful part of writing is that you don't have to get it right the first time, unlike, say, a brain surgeon.”

 

A writer's first draft is never his/her best. Writers should go over their finished work at least two or three times before even thinking about sending it to publishers. Personally, when I finish a book I take a two week creative holiday. I don't go anywhere or do anything special. I just don't go anywhere near the finished book. In fact, I simply refuse to think about it. Those two weeks away are crucial because I get my creative juices refreshed and when I do go back to fine tune the book, I can see the parts that need reworking more clearly and turn them into 'masterpieces.'

 

Have you had time away from your finished work?

 

Commonly known as the 'hook.' It is a defining moment in a book/article that captures a reader's interest and compels him/her to read on. In an article, it's usually the first line or failing that, the first couple of lines. The difference between experienced and novice writers lies in their hooks. Experienced writers know that their articles have to grab their readers' attention within the first three lines otherwise they will lose interest and go elsewhere. Novice writers tend to save the 'good bit' for the end. They have the mistaken assumption that readers will stick around that long. Wrong! Your book/article didn't hook them in the beginning, why do you think your readers would waste their time by reading more?

 

The beginning also sets out your writing style. Ever read a lawyer's brief? They're clear, concise and to the point. They give the bare facts of a case and nothing more. That's because they know their audience-law firms, researchers and law enforcement agencies-aren't interested in anything else. The same thing goes for your book/article. Because you know your audience, you know (or should know) how to hook their interest.

 

Think about the beginning of your book/article. Does it hook? Remember, the beginning sets out the scenario. It hooks the reader and compels them to read on, hungry for more. In your haste to hook your readers and set out the scenario, have you overloaded your readers with too much too soon? Some writers like to draw their readers in slowly into the story while others like to launch them right in the thick of the action. Decide which works best for your story and stick to it. And remember; no writer ever got the hook right at the first try.

 

This is the thick of the action. This is the bit that leaves readers at the mercy of the writer's imagination. This is the bit when writers fling everything that s/he has at the readers and leave them gasping for breath. It is also the bit that leaves writers deflated. Very often, writers get to the middle of a writing project and they can't wait to be rid of it. What captured their imagination just weeks or months before now bears a distinct resemblance to the devil himself. This is one of the hardest parts of the writing process. The beauty of fine tuning is the joy of going over the middle and redoing those places that seemed like arid deserts when you were first writing them.  

 

Think about your book/article. Can you spot clear signs of writer's fatigue in your work? This could be reflected in bad spellings, facts and figures that don't add up and flimsy plot/article development.

Work on your middle. If you're writing fiction, revitalise the sagging plot and character development with your newly refreshed creative juices. If you're writing an article, don't turn what started out as a light read into a thesis on War and Peace. Be consistent.

 

This is where you tie up the loose ends and congratulate yourself on your finished work. When you get to The End of your writing project, ask yourself three questions;

If you can answer all three questions with an unequivocal, 'Yes!' then you're on your way.