Finish Your Book!

From the First Draft to the Final Edit

What you'll learn
How to approach the early stages of rewriting
The difference between rewriting and revisions
How to revise with focus and clarity
How to complete the final edits and copyedits
Requirements
A writing project you'd like to explore
Description
Are you ready to start writing your book?This class is for anyone with a book project ahead of them, whether it’s fiction, nonfiction, memoir, an essay collection, a how-to guide.What You'll LearnHow to create a plan for actually finishing your book on deadline–and sticking to itTechniques for "tricking yourself" into greater productivityHow to know when to undertake a big, structural rewriteHow to "revise with purpose" and edit with specific improvements in mindTricks and pro tips for the final polishHow to handle feedback and edits from agents, editors, and early readersAs the author of over a dozen books, I’m going to show you what I do to write a well-structured, well-thought out, and well-written first draft—and all of these techniques work just as well for rewrites. So even if you already have a first draft, or even just a half-start at a new book, this class is for you.Then we’ll get into the revision and editing process. This is where all the really important, meaningful work happens.It’s where you have the most control, and the ability to really carry out your intentions and make this into the kind of book you set out to write in the first place.So I'm also going to give you a toolbox for approaching every edit, and every revision, of your book, including:What you can do in the early stages of editingWhat’s better to leave for the final stagesHow to handle the edits you get back from your editorWhat happens in the copyediting and proofreading stagesWriting a book is a long process, and it’s easy to get sidetracked. I created this class to help you stay on course, all the way to publication.

Overview

Section 1: Introduction

Lecture 1 Introduction

Section 2: Write Your First Draft

Lecture 2 Make a Plan

Lecture 3 Study Your Comps

Lecture 4 Write Your Pages

Lecture 5 Finding the Words

Lecture 6 The Next Day

Lecture 7 Stay on Course

Lecture 8 Stumbling Blocks

Lecture 9 Finished!

Section 3: Rewrite, Revise, Edit

Lecture 10 A Deeper Dive Into Structural Rewrites

Lecture 11 Revise with Purpose

Lecture 12 Line Edits

Lecture 13 Final Polish

Lecture 14 Working with an Editor

Lecture 15 Copyediting

Lecture 16 Proofreading

Section 4: Wrapping Up

Lecture 17 Wrapping Up

Beginning and intermediate writers