In this article we'll consider:
Sticking to a writing schedule
Intentional editing
Killing your darlings without remorse
Accepting & assessing feedback
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There are three kinds of novelists. Those who plan meticulously, not just their stories but also how they'll write, when they'll write, and what they'll write; those who prefer to let the process of crafting their novel unfold as and when it will; and the rest who fall somewhere in between.
No one camp is right or wrong. But there is something to be said for at least having a clear end goal in mind for your novel-writing project, for reasons you may find surprising.
Beginning with the least unexpected first, let's take a look at the benefits to writing with intention.
Sticking to a writing schedule
Your end goal might be something like: to write a suspenseful police procedural in the style of Michael Connelly, which you'll pitch to literary agents and publishers; or, to write the first in a romantasy series, which you'll self-publish and market to fans of Sarah J Maas.
In either case, you may not know yet the details of your story or how successful your attempts at writing it might be, but by setting a definitive goal, you are more likely to take the necessary steps to reach it, including creating and sticking to a regular writing schedule.
Consistency: Maintaining a regular writing schedule often poses a significant challenge for writers, particularly those whose writing time revolves around other commitments, such as child rearing and/or career. However, a clear end goal can serve as a mental roadmap, guiding you to stay focused and make consistent, incremental progress regardless of how small.
Setting realistic deadlines: Your end goal is your finish line. By keeping it firmly in your sights, you can work backwards, breaking the novel-writing process down into manageable steps and milestones along the way. By doing so, you prevent moments of overwhelm that may threaten to derail the project, and instead allow yourself to move forward steadily and without pressure.
Tracking progress: There are many ways to track your progress - adding daily word counts into a digital app, gold stickers on a star chart above your desk, or digressions in a journal. However you prefer to do it, make it a priority after every writing session, while you're still in the throes of post-writing euphoria. There's nothing quite like the motivational boost that comes from seeing tangible progress towards that end goal.
Intentional editing
If writing a first draft is like scaling Everest, then editing that first draft is like tobogganing back down to base camp with no brakes and no idea where the crevasses and steep drops might be. But your clear goal will once again be your guide (or Sherpa, if you like).
Objective evaluation & focused revision: Your goal provides you with a benchmark for evaluating your draft. Using our earlier examples, how closely does your final draft align with a Sarah J Maas book? Is the plot and its tropes sturdy enough and intriguing enough to potentially please her fans, and if not, what might you have to do next to get it there?
Will you be able to pitch agents and publishers on the premise your manuscript compares to a Michael Connelly detective novel; if not, what is it missing?
Bearing your end goal in mind at each stage of the editing process allows you to assess if your intended vision is still on track, and thus enables you to identify and prioritize areas in need of improvement.
Killing your darlings without remorse
When you are clear about what you want to achieve with your book, you are more likely to remove yourself and your personal feelings from the equation in order to do what's necessary to get to that end goal.
Clarity on core story elements & making tough decisions: Your goal (the publisher who says yes, or hordes of excited readers) will ensure you are ruthless when distinguishing essential scenes from filler content, and remain committed to redrafting, rewording, or removing anything that gets in the way of the story's pace or progression.
Author Zadie Smith said, "The secret to editing your work is simple: you need to become its reader instead of its writer." Meaning be as objective as possible; see your story through a reader's eyes in order to spot what's working and what's not.
Your first reader, whether they be an agent, a publisher, or the person who buys your self-published book, will be the one you keep in mind when you're making the difficult decisions about what serves your story and what needs to be cut.
Accepting & assessing feedback
After nurturing your manuscript into existence entirely alone, seeking feedback from another individual on your work, whether from an editing professional or a friend, can feel like asking for an honest, no-holds-barred opinion on your parenting or life skills. But once again, just as with editing, your goal will remind you that ultimately... well, it's not about you.
Open-mindedness and flexibility: You may have read each Sarah J Maas book twice, or be able to recite every single one of Detective Harry Bosch's cases, but there comes a point where you need fresh eyes on your work to check if it's on the right trajectory. Your end goal will remind you that being open to feedback and well-constructed critiques that align with your vision, can assist you in elevating your book to the next level.
Assessing which feedback to action: Feedback, no matter from what source or how well-intentioned, is subjective. You'll use your end goal to determine which pieces of advice are beneficial to your story.
For example, if you're told that your police procedural is short on action such as car chases and ticking time bombs, but you know Michael Connelly's books are more steadily paced suspense than action thriller, you'll be less likely to make a panicked decision to add more thrilling scenes. You may, however, consider that perhaps the suspense is not engaging enough and needs to be strengthened.
Feedback is always useful, but your final vision for the book will guide your decisions about which feedback to action and which to politely leave alone.
Finally...
Getting clear on your ultimate goal for your book is not just a way to keep you motivated to write it, or to stay on schedule, hit your daily word counts and meet your deadlines. It's also a reminder when you get to the editing stages that some day the book will be out of your hands and its success will then depend on others.
If you've worked diligently with your end goal in mind, evaluating your work objectively, revising and rewriting as needed, being ruthless with scenes that are not working, and remaining open to feedback - in other words, serving the book and its goal rather than your own personal feelings - then you will have given your work the best possible chance of meeting your initial vision for it.
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Tina Williams of Fiction Yogi is a copyeditor and proofreader who works with writers at all stages, giving them the tools to improve their manuscript and level up their writing so they can meet their publishing goals.
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