Begin with the End in Mind

It's time again to learn how to apply the 7 Habits of Highly Effective People to our writing! If you missed the first post in this series, you can find it here.

Habit #2 is called Begin with the End in Mind. Now, before all you pantsers out there start jumping down my throat, relax. I'm talking about editing.

I've been asked before how to go about editing once you've finished a first draft, and I think this principle sums up the most effective way to begin your editing. Once you've typed "The End," it's important to be sure that what you've written in the beginning of your novel appropriately leads up to the final action. This means leaving clues for the big reveal, making sure your main character's emotional arc is aligned for a big payoff, and filling in plot holes that may have occurred along the way.

When you begin your editing, do so with the ending in mind. Now go forth and polish!