Preparing Fiction for Publication
Correctly Drafting a Short Story to Ensure Writing Success
Sep 27, 2008
Getting started on a short story for publication can be a problem for any writer and this problem is magnified for the beginner writer. What to write, which voice to use, how long should it be, where should it bent sent to? These are all questions crowding around in the head stunting the creative process and making “getting started” even harder. The blank page is formidable but it can be filled with words, one after the other until all the sentences are written and the story is completed. The beginner writer might imagine this as the end of the process, but in fact it is only the beginning of a long journey to publishing success.
Initial Submission Preparation
When a writer sits down to write a certain amount of groundwork should already have been completed. The intended outlet should by now have been thoroughly investigated for style, format, word count, names and any other relevant details. This groundwork is invaluable and established writers will never overlook it.
First Writing Draft
Very rarely is the first draft of a short story fit for publication. The first draft is just that – a first draft. It is not polished for publication. It is not proofread. First drafts are often viewed by writers with blind love, a personal creation with no faults, but most first drafts are flawed in some way. First drafts should be set aside for a period of time before considering a second draft.
Starting a Second Draft
When a day or two has elapsed it is time to start the second draft. The story should be read first from a writer’s stance. It should be savored and the author should feel good about it. Then it should be read from an editor’s viewpoint, with a red pen to hand. This is the time to start making corrections and changes. The writer should look for the obvious, like switching between past and present, spelling mistakes, for grammar and syntax mistakes. At this point the author should make all the necessary changes, type it up and print it. The text should be read out loud to listen to the voice of the story and how it flows. The dialogue should be examined. Is it authentic or stiff and awkward? Can the scenes be pictured with genuine feeling? Like the first draft, the second draft should also be set aside for some time.
A Critical Reading
If possible the author should get someone else to read the story but should be wary of family and loved ones who might not want to be too judgmental and critical. The writer should also be wary of someone being overcritical as this criticism may be misplaced due to the fact the reader will not have all the relevant publications details to mind. Nowadays there are professional reading services available and are indeed valuable but not completely necessary.
Final Writing Draft
The importance of the final draft cannot be over-emphasized. This is what the editor will see and the editor is the reader that has to be won over. Check the manuscript and look for errors. By now there shouldn’t be any. Nevertheless the writer should check every word, every unnecessary semi-colon, and every detail down to the last full-stop. The manuscript can then be sent to the desired publication.
By using correct submission procedures the author ensures that the story meets the editor’s requirements and mastering the craft of writing allows the potential editor to read the finished product for its content and style rather than correcting grammatical errors.
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