Back in the Editing Trenches

I’ve just finished reading the latest draft of Unlocked Lies — and it’s been somewhat of a reality check.

There’s a solid story in there, which is always a relief. A lot of work will be required to dig it out, though. Some scenes need to be added to strengthen the tension. Others will be axed. I’ll tighten the writing throughout, and a few characters aren’t pulling their full weight on the page. That will change! They need to earn their place in the story.

There’s also an important plot issue I haven’t cracked yet. At the moment, I’m leaving it alone and trusting that the solution will reveal itself as I work through everything else. That’s often how it goes — clarity tends to come from momentum rather than staring at the problem head-on.

None of this is unusual. In fact, it’s very much part of the process. First drafts (and even second or third drafts) are often about getting the raw material down. The real work comes in shaping it into something sharper, leaner, and more compelling.

My plan is to tackle the straightforward fixes first — the obvious cuts, the line edits, the smaller improvements. Once those are out of the way, I’ll move on to the more structural changes, which always take more time and thought. I’m hoping to resolve most of these issues over the rest of April. We’ll see how cooperative the story and its characters decide to be!