Second-Draft Writing Advice

Rosemi Mederos: 00:01

If you have plot bunnies coming out of your plot holes, it’s time for a writing break.

In our last episode we discussed first-draft writing advice, and in this episode we’re discussing second-draft writing advice. I’m calling it second-draft writing advice, but really it should be advice for drafts two through six. Every time I’ve said that no one should be seeing your first few drafts, I’ve been met with true anger. So, you know, do what you want, but if you’re submitting your manuscript to a literary agent or publishing executive, try to make it at least your fifth draft.

There’s a bit of news to cover today before we get to the writing advice. The Writing Break cafe is open, so let’s grab a table and settle in.

Word on the street is that many people working in publishing and entertainment are migrating to Bluesky from X (formerly Twitter). Bluesky is a decentralized social media platform, and it recently reached 20 million users amid growing dissatisfaction with X. Instagram’s Threads has a much larger user base than Bluesky, and Stephen King left X for Threads just this month, so which one will reign supreme in the coming years? We’ll have to wait and see.

HarperCollins has approached its authors to request permission to include their nonfiction books in an AI licensing agreement with an unspecified AI company. This initiative is part of a broader effort to transition from unauthorized AI use of copyrighted materials to a licensed system. While this licensing move would not impact damages sought in ongoing lawsuits against AI companies for unlicensed usage, it represents a step toward establishing control and compensation for authors.

However, HarperCollins is receiving $5,000 per title from this unspecified AI company, and they are offering to split this fee 50-50 between the publisher and the author. The Authors Guild has criticized this split, arguing that authors deserve the majority of the revenue since the rights and value stem from their intellectual property.

HarperCollins is seeking explicit consent from authors through a separate agreement, respecting that AI usage falls outside standard publishing contracts. The deal includes measures to prevent misuse, such as limiting AI-generated outputs to 200 consecutive words or 5% of a book’s text; prohibiting the use of pirated materials for training; and action against potential copyright infringements by the AI system.

The Authors Guild says it appreciates HarperCollins’ approach, emphasizing the importance of licensing as a solution to unauthorized AI usage. They stress that ethical frameworks like this provide authors the ability to control how their work is used, ensuring fair treatment while addressing widespread copyright violations by AI companies. Still, there are some things that don’t make sense to me; for example, the contract being offered to authors will be for three years, but once the large-language model is trained, isn’t it trained for good? What does this expiration date do except provide a false sense of control?

UK-based independent publisher Faber has launched the Action! Prize to celebrate outstanding action-adventure writing for children.

If you're interested in applying, here’s what you need to know:

Your submission should be an action-adventure story for ages 7–9, 9–11, 12–14, or 14+.

You’ll need to submit the first 5,000 words and a 500-word max synopsis of the novel.

The prize is open to fiction and graphic novel submissions only, not nonfiction.

,: 2025

Entrants must be at least 18 years old and submitting the work of human endeavor, not AI, and entrants must be residents within the UK, Ireland or the US.

You do not need to have an agent to submit, and you do not need to have been previously published.

First-, second-, and third-prize winners will be offered a worldwide publishing contract with Faber. Third prize is a £6,000 advance; second prize is a £9,000 advance; and first prize is a £12,000 advance.

Check the show notes for a link to the full details and submission guidelines, and for links to all of today’s news stories.

Now, let’s head to the Overthinking Couch to discuss life after your first draft.

Even though I’m an advocate of five drafts or more, it does help to think in terms of "first draft" and "second draft" stages. The first draft might be written in a fevered rush, much like Kerouac’s legendary On the Road being written in 3 weeks thanks to Benzedrine. I suggest you steer clear of amphetamines and stick toI don’t know, caffeine, perhaps? Regardless, the first draft might be a rush job. The subsequent drafts, however, should not be. Do not rush the revision process, but also, don’t get analysis paralysis and never publish anything. When in doubt, get beta readers and hire an editor. To make things a little easier for you, here are eight steps to follow when you revise, regardless of genre.

1. Read through the entire draft first. The goal here is to get an overall sense of the structure and flow. Don’t edit immediately. Read the entire draft through and assess its strengths and weaknesses. Check if the narrative is clear and cohesive or if sections feel disjointed.

2. Focus on clarity and precision. The goal here is to begin refining your writing so it’s clearer and more direct. Tighten sentences and cut unnecessary words. Look for areas where your ideas or plot points might be confusing and clarify them.

3. Deepen characterization in order to strengthen character development. Are your characters’ motivations clear? Do their actions match their personalities? Give your characters depth, motivations, and believable backstories. Add layers to their arcs, ensuring they have distinct voices, goals, and conflicts.

4. Strengthen themes and subtext. This will ensure your themes resonate and your subtext is consistent. Are the core ideas of your book coming through? Look for places where you can weave in more subtext or subtlety to add depth.

5. Smooth out transitions and pacing. This will refine the flow of the story. Check for awkward transitions between scenes or sections. Ensure pacing is consistent and that the story doesn't drag in one place or rush through another. Make sure the pacing matches the emotional tone.

6. Revise for voice and style. This is where you refine your voice, tone, and writing style. Does the tone fit the genre, theme, or character? Focus on making your language richer and more compelling without over-complicating it.

7. Cut and tighten the manuscript. This means eliminating anything that doesn’t serve the story or overall argument. Be ruthless in cutting filler or redundant ideas. Each sentence should either advance the plot or develop the character or theme.

8. Check for consistency. Ensure there are no contradictions or plot holes. Does the logic of your plot hold up? Is each character’s behavior consistent with their earlier actions? Are your character descriptions consistent? For non-fiction, are your facts consistent, and for fiction, are your world-building elements consistent?

A bonus step that I recommend at the end of each revision is the same that you’re doing at the beginning: read your manuscript aloud. This will help you catch awkward phrasing, pacing issues, and dialogue that doesn't sound natural. What I think helps even more is having the computer read it to you. This can be done in Microsoft Word and Google Docs. You can even select the voice and reading pace.

In the first draft, you're focused on getting the bones of the story down without worrying too much about how it sounds or flows. Your first draft is going to consist of basic, straightforward language. In many parts, it will lack emotional depth and imagery. The focus for your first draft should be on getting the scenes down without much elaboration.

The second draft is about shaping and refining that raw material, ensuring your characters, themes, and structure are clear, tight, and compelling. The revisions in the second draft move beyond mere mechanics to include deeper concerns like voice, pacing, and emotional resonance.

Your next few drafts should have consistently more refined language, adding emotional and sensory details, making the characters actions and internal conflicts clearer, tightening the pacing, and adding subtle tension.

In the next episode, I’m going to get down into the nitty gritty with advice from bestselling authors. Until then, thank you so much for listening, and remember, you deserved this break.

If you would like us to visit your favorite independent bookstore, feature your favorite independent author (even if it’s you), or discuss something you’re overthinking about, please email me at podcast@writingbreak.com.

Thank you for making space in your mind for The Muse today.

Writing Break is hosted by America’s Editor and produced by Allon Media with technical direction by Gus Aviles. Visit us at writingbreak.com or contact us at podcast@writingbreak.com.