Step Three: Line Editing

This is the type of editing I'm better at: editing the actual lines and sentences.

I much prefer changing or editing what I've written rather than how it's been written or where the different scenes should go.

Here, I'm looking for congruency, conflict and cadence.

Are the scenes in the write order? Does it makes sense? I think that's really difficult as the writer to work that one out. I wrote it, of course it makes sense to me! I'd rather have something like this on a list for a Beta Reader but I do think it's important that I have a first look at it.

I have picked out some things for example, the antagonist at the end of the story wears a mask to represent another character. Well, that's not happened before and the importance of the other character isn't really emphasised earlier in the book so I think I need to introduce both of these things much sooner as they don't make sense.

My novel is also lacking conflict. My two main characters go into this lovely little alien world where no humans have ever been before, and it's all lovely and fine. I need some conflict. They have the over all threat of somehow being thrown out the alien world, which would devastate both of my main characters for different reasons. There are characters who would like to see them leave and go out their way to make that happen. But when those characters aren't in a scene, that conflict isn't there and everything is nice and lovely.

I can create conflict between my two characters. My female character is impulsive, a maverick, she likes to rush in and see what happens. My male character is cautious, fearful and likes to stand back. He's happy to see other people get in trouble as long as no one tells him off.

Also, my characters' flaws will create conflict, such as her maverick behaviour getting her into trouble, or his fearfulness and anxiety are holding him back from what he wants.

Creating consequences for all the actions they have will cause conflict. And they will make mistakes which will also add to the tension of a scene. If your main character has two goals which are conflicting, that will create tension. My female lead has two wants that, while they don't seem to be initially opposing, do come up against each other so that she ultimately gets nothing she wants.

If your character is alone a lot, they have less to argue with, or long for. And if things go wrong, even if they're unlikely, that will help to create tension.

I'm not good at conflict. I am far too nice to my characters but as I've mentioned before about my midpoint, I have managed to be nasty to my main character in particular.

Hopefully the line edit will work out the kinks.