I got back the manuscript for the first book I actually finished writing from a friend who was reading it for me. She's a trooper. She read it three times and gave me great feedback.
Now, it's my turn to read through it. I'm picking up lots of little mistakes and finding things that I want to cut. It's amazing the different perspective I have after a four month break from the story. I thought about it from time to time during that period, but I didn't look at it or try to fix anything.
I gave it to a friend who's not a writer, but reads a lot of books and who I thought would have good insights into plot and characters, and pick up on inconsistencies in the storytelling. She did a great job of finding things that didn't make sense and making suggestions on events and people that I might cut (it is harder to kill your own characters, after all).
I'm glad to have had a break from the book so that I can go back with a fresh pair of eyes. It is longer than I think I want it to be, so my friend's suggestions for cuts were just what I needed. Thirteen pages in, I've already cut four or five paragraphs in two different sections. I was going to try to read through it the first time without editing, but I can't help myself. I'm so excited!
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