It used to take me FOREVER 😩


KAT VANCIL

THE STORYTELLER'S SAGA

QUEST 33

It used to take me FOREVER, Reader. Weeks. Months even. And I used to dread it just as much as everyone else.

Sometimes I’d put it off for weeks and start something new just so I wouldn't have to do it. Procrastination by means of doing more work. 😩

I’m of course talking about editing. More specifically editing a story.

It used to take me months to do. Endless weeks of grueling tedious work. Now that I have an organized well-thought-out system, I can edit a third of a book in a week. No joke.

So if the thought of editing makes you want to scroll the latest social media instead? Well, then you’re in luck because I’m about to show you how to do pain-free edits in 3 passes.

First Draft

In your First Draft pass of edits you want to do the following:

Go through chapter by chapter and catalog important details about the main cast of characters and locations.

  • Creating and maintaining a continuity log like I mentioned back in Quest 23 is super helpful for this.

Highlight any place where info needs to be researched: measurements, place names, uniform details—anything—just highlight it and use a placeholder or symbol like an asterisk.

You can set up hotkeys to make highlights like this a snap in Scrivener

Make sure there are no remaining plot holes. You don’t want any unused Chekhov's guns or unintentional red herrings.

Lastly, make sure each scene flows into the next or that you properly utilize scene or chapter breaks.

Second Draft

In your Second Draft pass of edits you want to do the following:

Start at the beginning and fill in the info you highlighted in the previous draft. You know all those details you shelved to look up or research until later? Now's the time to do it.

Check your characters and location descriptions against your continuity log to ensure they remain consistent throughout the story.

This is why programs like Scrivener that offer a side-by-side view to display your log on one side and your story’s scene or chapter on the other are super helpful.


Third Draft

In your Third Draft and final pass of edits you want to do the following:

Read your story aloud chapter by chapter as you edit to ensure flow, pacing, and voice are consistent. This will also help you spot errors and typos.

Using an app like Grammarly will help you speed up the technical side of editing by catching all those remaining grammar or spelling errors.

And that’s it, Reader, the pain-free process I use each week for all my story edits.


Well, I’ve got to get back to my Camp NaNoWriMo project, Reader. I hope you have a wonderfully creative week!

Your cohort in storytelling,

Kat Vancil

🐱

PS 👉 Are you on Threads? I am too! You can find me at @thesagaofkat and ask me all your storytelling-related questions, share what you’re working on, or even just send me cute pics of your pet. Seriously, who doesn’t need more cute cat pics in their day?

Did your friend, co-worker, or some rando you met at a con forward this email to you?

First off, they have good taste.

Secondly, you can join the Storyteller's Saga too and get edutaining emails delivered to your inbox every Wednesday by clicking the golden button below.


Not interested in learning to be a storyteller and just want to read some heart-pounding Boys Love fiction instead? Abandon this quest

Do you need/want to change your name or email? You can update it here

Don't want to hear from me like ever again? Just Unsubscribe

The Saga Quest

1179 West A Street, Suite 137, Hayward, CA 94541

I’m Kat! Professional Storyteller & Neurodivergent Creative

Here to help you vanquish those story construction obstacles, slay that imposter syndrome clawing at the back of your brain & stomp boredom flat with heart-pounding Boys Love fiction. Join the Saga and choose your inbox obsession, whether it’s helpful advice to get your writing unstuck or an episode of my weekly Boys Love Fantasy series to devour during your coffee break.

Read more from I’m Kat! Professional Storyteller & Neurodivergent Creative
‘NaNoWriMo isn’t the ONLY pen in the case. There are plenty of fun and welcoming writing communities out there.’ — Kat Vancil, “NaNo has gone the way of the dodo”, The Storytellers Saga

KAT VANCIL THE STORYTELLER'S SAGA QUEST 98 Well hello there, Reader! Yes, it’s me, your friendly neighborhood storytelling Kat. Back in your inbox 📥 with more helpful advice 😸 Amidst all the chaos of mass protests and the dumbest president in history tariffing penguins 🐧 maybe you heard the other, other news this past month. You know, about National Novel Writing Month (and all of its companion challenges) being dead. Like super dead. 😵☠️🪦 If you read my post last fall, literally no one is...

‘Sometimes your story idea is too advanced for the skills you currently have. And that’s okay. It doesn’t mean you’re a bad writer. Or that you should give up.’ — Kat Vancil, “The most embarrassing thing ever!”, The Storytellers Saga

KAT VANCIL THE STORYTELLER'S SAGA QUEST 97 If you’ve ever been to the SF Bay Area, Reader, you know we have this thing called False Summer in March and April. The temp jumps up to the mid-80s, and we all have to break out the tank tops and fans for a few days. All of mine are generally from the Men's section of Target (or were). Mainly because they’re long and go up to my collar bone. And now that I think about it, they sorta remind me of the very first “big girl” swimsuit I ever had when I...

‘All of these situations parallel very human ones—feathers aside. Which is probably why these celestial maiden stories are so prevalent that nearly every culture on earth has one in its fairytales and lore.’ — Kat Vancil, “What do shapeshifting waterfowl

KAT VANCIL THE STORYTELLER'S SAGA QUEST 96 Beautiful and graceful-limbed dancers balancing on the point of a toe as they spin in feathered, moon-pale costumes. Timeless and tragically evocative music you’ve definitely heard in a commercial or two. A maiden transformed into a bird by a dastardly sorcerer. An enchantment that can only be broken by an oath sworn by one who has never loved before. I’m of course talking about Swan Lake, 🦢 my second favorite ballet. My first, of course, being The...