This month, I’m working on editing (read rewriting) one of my urban fantasy novels. I wrote the first draft late last year.

Now, when I write, my first draft is always short. My characters are faceless beings, walking around a foggy space — naked. They have few feelings, but man, do they get stuff done 🙂

So I’m used to editing and rewriting in the second round to flesh out the story.

Well, I decided to take EditPalooza with SavvyAuthors.com (great site, BTW).

I get to work with an editor and another writer.

So, the first assignment was to read my draft from start to finish, without picking up the red pen.

OMG.

Horrible.

I almost cried.

My first draft is completely below my quality standards of a first draft.

So, nose to the grindstone. My goal is to drag it screaming if I have to, into a more acceptable thing.

So far, I’ve been doing pretty good. Slower than I hoped, but I’m pretty much on track.

Q4U:

What do your first drafts look like?