Update: editing hasn't kill me. Yet.
Neither has packing, although there was that time with the boxes of books that almost ended poorly.
Honestly, these update posts make me self conscious because I know I'm editing at the speed of a glacier. Most of my writer friends have started and finished their edits. Writers all over the blogosphere announce how happy they are to be done editing.
And still, I am revising. I'm not even done with the macro stuff yet.
I worry there's something wrong with me. That maybe I just suck, and can't edit my way out of a paper bag, and that's just it for me. But then I kick some sense into myself, and realize it's not really me, it's the book at this point. Because sweet magnolia cupcakes, this book has a lot of things wrong with it. My rough drafts are messy to begin with, but this baby was written in ten months, starting when my son was five months old and I was carving out fifteen minutes during nap time to write a few sentences. I suppose it's no wonder there's some serious issues such as structure, tone, and voice, all the way down to the minor stuff like how I fell in love with the word "just".
Or how I need to replot the entire thing. And kill some characters. And fix the plot holes. You know, the basics.
It's been very discouraging, because I feel like I'm taking too long. That I should be done now. It doesn't matter I only have about two hours a day, less lately since the son has decided to wake up between the hour and hour and a half mark from his nap. I've taken to staying up late a few nights to get some more time in. That lasts for a few days, and then I crash.
Lately, the moving thing, the whole let's go through our entire house worth of stuff and get rid of 50% of it so we can afford to move to Puerto Rico has cut into the writing time as well. My husband reports to work the first week of September, and now that our original plans of him staying in a friend's place for a month have changed, he has to get a place to stay a week after getting there (and staying in a hotel in the meantime). We're shipping our stuff over there a month earlier than expected.
So yeah, there's other stuff going on. But I still need to make time for writing, I still need to keep progressing even when that evil voice tells me I should just start all the way over. Again.
Because, here's the thing folks. Revision doesn't just teach you how to fix THIS book. I mean, yes, that's what you're doing when you revise. You're making the words not suck. But ideally, while you're revising, you're getting better at writing, so when the time comes to start a new rough draft, you're not making the same mistakes over and over again.
To do that, and to revise properly, you have to figure out what you did wrong the first time, and how to fix that.
As easy as it sounds, it can be very hard. Very mentally taxing. I find drafting emotionally draining (or rejuvenating, depending on the scene in question), but revision is mentally taxing. You're picturing the book in it's entirety and thinking about what happens if you shift this scene forward. Or you're just focusing on one scene, and reading through each line for the moment where the pacing slacks off. Either way, it makes my already tired brain tired.
So that's where I'm at, folks. I'm still editing, still toiling away. I'm making a lot of progress, don't get me wrong. I can see how each day of editing is moving me forward, and as soon as I figure out the new plot order, I can start the scene by scene stuff. But it still feels like it's taking forever and I should be done by now and I'm doomed and omg I'm just going to eat some chocolate and hide from the world.
Then I remind myself it's taken other authors years to finish their edits, if we're going to play the compare yourself to others game, and then I don't feel so bad.
So, sound off people. Where are you at in your writing? What do you do when it feels like it's taking too long?
Showing posts with label revision. Show all posts
Showing posts with label revision. Show all posts
Wednesday, July 17, 2013
Monday, January 14, 2013
Reasons to Rewrite
Today we're going to talk about rewriting. I'm in the middle of a rewrite, and was talking to two of my friends about rewriting, so it seems like a good subject to bring up.
Today specifically we're going to talk about why you would want to rewrite a book.
To be clear, when I talk about rewriting in this context, I mean rewriting the entire book from scratch. When you're revising a book and you rewrite three chapters, that's of course still rewriting, but there's a big difference between a few chapters and an entire book. The sense of self loathing, for example, is much higher.
The most common reasons (that I am aware of) to rewrite a novel is because a) you're redoing a book you've already written, but it's been a long time since you wrote said book and your skills have, hopefully, improved, or b) you're redoing a premise, and substantial parts are going to change. Parts such as a point of view character, genre of the novel, and/or voice.
There might be other reasons, but at the moment I can't think of any. Feel free to suggest reasons in the comment section.
The important thing is to make sure you actually need to start over, and you're not just procrastinating editing your completed book. Rewriting is hard; really hard. You feel like a failure for getting it wrong the first time, no matter how many times you tell yourself this is not true. You despair, knowing you have write a book all over again. The newness is gone. All you have is the stubborn sense that you know how to make this book better, and you're going to do it, even if it means starting from square one.
Here's the secret. You're not actually starting over. Even if you've completely changed the premise, characters, and setting, you still have the experience of a full draft dedicated to explore these ideas under your belt. It makes a difference that's hard to describe. There's slightly less flailing about.
But this is a last ditch effort. Your first job is to make all the changes needing to be made and make sure it can't be accomplished with a serious edit. This is a judgment call, of course, but most of the time no matter how broke the book feels, it's nothing a good edit won't fix.
After a Google search, I found exactly one helpful post on rewriting by Justine Larbalestier.
What do you think? Have you ever rewritten a book before? Why or why not?
Today specifically we're going to talk about why you would want to rewrite a book.
To be clear, when I talk about rewriting in this context, I mean rewriting the entire book from scratch. When you're revising a book and you rewrite three chapters, that's of course still rewriting, but there's a big difference between a few chapters and an entire book. The sense of self loathing, for example, is much higher.
The most common reasons (that I am aware of) to rewrite a novel is because a) you're redoing a book you've already written, but it's been a long time since you wrote said book and your skills have, hopefully, improved, or b) you're redoing a premise, and substantial parts are going to change. Parts such as a point of view character, genre of the novel, and/or voice.
There might be other reasons, but at the moment I can't think of any. Feel free to suggest reasons in the comment section.
The important thing is to make sure you actually need to start over, and you're not just procrastinating editing your completed book. Rewriting is hard; really hard. You feel like a failure for getting it wrong the first time, no matter how many times you tell yourself this is not true. You despair, knowing you have write a book all over again. The newness is gone. All you have is the stubborn sense that you know how to make this book better, and you're going to do it, even if it means starting from square one.
Here's the secret. You're not actually starting over. Even if you've completely changed the premise, characters, and setting, you still have the experience of a full draft dedicated to explore these ideas under your belt. It makes a difference that's hard to describe. There's slightly less flailing about.
But this is a last ditch effort. Your first job is to make all the changes needing to be made and make sure it can't be accomplished with a serious edit. This is a judgment call, of course, but most of the time no matter how broke the book feels, it's nothing a good edit won't fix.
After a Google search, I found exactly one helpful post on rewriting by Justine Larbalestier.
What do you think? Have you ever rewritten a book before? Why or why not?
Monday, June 25, 2012
The Ever-Popular Rewrite Playlist
So it's that time again folks.
Yes, the time where I go into a second or third draft and completely rewrite the entire thing. Why? Because I am a masochist, that's why. No really, I must hate myself.
Really it's because I've finished revision and it's actually better to rewrite it than to try and add in and take out all the stuff. This is probably the third complete rewrite I am about to embark on, and I am noticing a disturbing pattern. Hold me.
Last night, while my brain was doing it's normal "NOOOOOO" panic attack, I thought about Libba Bray's Ever-Popular I Suck Playlist and figured rewriting would make a good addendum to that post. So here it is. If the stages your brain goes through when you're about to embark on a major revision/rewrite was a playlist, this is what it would look like:
Playlist Titled: Why I Am I Putting Myself Through This Again?
1. It's Time to Rewrite the Book, Hide the Gun
2. Maybe This Time It Will Be Better
3. It's Not Better; It's Worse
4. Why, God, Why? (stuck on repeat one)
5. Maybe I Should Write Something Else
6. OMG I Have the Best Idea for the Rewrite!
7. Happy Dance
8. It's Not Better; It's Worse (DJ Sally Remix)
9. Shiny New Idea Syndrome Breakdown
10. Maybe I Should Write Something Else, Part Two
11. No, Really, I Should Leave This Book Out In the Cold to Die (of Exposure)
12. Major Breakthrough Anthum
13. It's Not Better; It's Worse (Special Duet with Crit Partner Who is ALSO Rewriting)
14. The Internet Has the Answer
15. The Internet Does Not Have the Answer--Oh Look, Twitter
14. The Internet Has the Answer
15. The Internet Does Not Have the Answer--Oh Look, Twitter
16. Where's the Chocolate?
Hidden Track: If I Hide Under My Desk Maybe the Book Can't Find Me
So that's going to be on my iTunes the next couple of months.
How about you? Any new tracks to add to the Revision/Rewrite Playlist?
Wednesday, August 10, 2011
DONE!
Ladies and gentleman, I am done with my rewrite.
Yes. You read that correctly. I am done. Finished.
This is how I currently feel:
My brain is mush. I also feel really proud of myself. Because there were times I didn't think I would finish. I know you read that a lot, usually in a celebratory post like this one, where the writer says, "I thought I might never finish!" or "I almost gave up, like, a million times!"
And then the writer sips champagne (and pronounces it that really pretentious way, "shamp-PAN-ya") because she's just sold the book for a million dollars.
Except I still have to do a major edit on this book, so I won't be querying anytime soon. And also, I really did consider giving up lots of time. Sometimes just because I was frustated, and other times because it was just so HARD. It's difficult to decribe to people who have never written a book before how it can be hard. It seems like the easiest thing in the world, to just jot a bunch of words down on the page.
But I bled for this book, and it's not over yet. But for now, I am letting it rest, and I have you guys in part to thank. Having this blog is a great way to stay accountable. I knew if I quit that my friends would give me a hard time. Ditto for the blog. And even though you guys would be understanding, there would still be the guilt. The guilt that I quit.
So I kept going.
And now I am finished.
Thank you, everyone, for your support.
Now if you'll excuse me, I am going to figure out how to occupy my time now that the rewrite's over.
Yes. You read that correctly. I am done. Finished.
This is how I currently feel:
My brain is mush. I also feel really proud of myself. Because there were times I didn't think I would finish. I know you read that a lot, usually in a celebratory post like this one, where the writer says, "I thought I might never finish!" or "I almost gave up, like, a million times!"
And then the writer sips champagne (and pronounces it that really pretentious way, "shamp-PAN-ya") because she's just sold the book for a million dollars.
Except I still have to do a major edit on this book, so I won't be querying anytime soon. And also, I really did consider giving up lots of time. Sometimes just because I was frustated, and other times because it was just so HARD. It's difficult to decribe to people who have never written a book before how it can be hard. It seems like the easiest thing in the world, to just jot a bunch of words down on the page.
But I bled for this book, and it's not over yet. But for now, I am letting it rest, and I have you guys in part to thank. Having this blog is a great way to stay accountable. I knew if I quit that my friends would give me a hard time. Ditto for the blog. And even though you guys would be understanding, there would still be the guilt. The guilt that I quit.
So I kept going.
And now I am finished.
Thank you, everyone, for your support.
Now if you'll excuse me, I am going to figure out how to occupy my time now that the rewrite's over.
Wednesday, July 27, 2011
Ideas Like Weeds
Are you struggling with coming up with ideas to write about?
Good, me either.
But, if you are, I have just the thing for you. All you have to do is work on another book. It's true! It seems like some sort of sick paradox, but the longer you work on one book project, the more ideas you will get for other books.
My muse has the attention span of a five year old hopped up on sugar and a day of non-stop TV. I seriously have been getting a new idea for a character, a scenario, or vague plot just about every single day. I am closing in on the end of the rewrite, and I think my muse is getting desperate. The rewrite is coming along nicely, but I keep getting ideas for other stuff.
Of course, I am staying the course. I will finish this rewrite if it kills me (it just might, too. You never know). I just think it's funny how when you're working diligently on another project, you get all sorts of ideas for something else.
Maybe it's just me though. Do you guys get ideas for other books while working on something else? One or two, or have you had stretches where you've had several new ones, one right after the other?
Maybe it's just me. I would blame caffeine, but I haven't had more than a few sips of tea since I got pregnant. Sugar, I could blame the sugar. Yes, it has to be the sugar.
Monday, June 13, 2011
Write the Book that is Awesome!
"There is no charge for awesomeness."
Po, Kung Fu Panda
Last week I talked about writing a book, even if it sucks. Today we're going to start the week off by talking about writing a book that is awesome.
Not just a decent novel. Not just a good novel. No, my friends, we're going to be writing awesome novels over here.
Today, we're going to talk about how (this is where my inner sarcasm wants to just type 'write an awesome book' :D).
What makes something awesome will vary from person to person. I happen to think zombie elves with pet dragons are awesome, but you might not. You also might think elements specific to the book you're writing right now are awesome, like the country you've made up, or the new form of magic you're using.
This is why it's important to keep a running tally of awesomeness. Some people might what to keep a list, and others might want an entire folder on their computer, dedicated to the awesomeness of their book. You can add anything to this running list or folder. It can be quotes that remind you of the book, pictures that move you, a blog post from someone that helped work out some plot kinks, anything.
I also like to add what I hope the book will be. Not just a vague "really great book" but something specific. "A heart-wrenching, gut-moving, brain-twisting thriller about zombie space elves with dragons."
Finally, I like to keep notes on what I need to work on with this book. Each book you write will give you different problems. Maybe the POV rotates and you're not used to that. Maybe the plot is super layered and complex. Maybe the MC is a zombie elf, and you're not sure how to show an zombified elf's emotions properly. What ever the issue is, I like to add that to the "Make it Awesome" list/folder. It reminds me what possible problems I'll need to look out for.
A lot of these suggestions sound pretty simple, and they are. That's the beauty of making a book awesome. It's easier to work towards a place you've defined. Simply by sitting down and thinking about what will make this book awesome, you're a step of the way there.
So any suggestions? What do you do to make your book awesome?
Po, Kung Fu Panda
Last week I talked about writing a book, even if it sucks. Today we're going to start the week off by talking about writing a book that is awesome.
Not just a decent novel. Not just a good novel. No, my friends, we're going to be writing awesome novels over here.
Today, we're going to talk about how (this is where my inner sarcasm wants to just type 'write an awesome book' :D).
What makes something awesome will vary from person to person. I happen to think zombie elves with pet dragons are awesome, but you might not. You also might think elements specific to the book you're writing right now are awesome, like the country you've made up, or the new form of magic you're using.
This is why it's important to keep a running tally of awesomeness. Some people might what to keep a list, and others might want an entire folder on their computer, dedicated to the awesomeness of their book. You can add anything to this running list or folder. It can be quotes that remind you of the book, pictures that move you, a blog post from someone that helped work out some plot kinks, anything.
I also like to add what I hope the book will be. Not just a vague "really great book" but something specific. "A heart-wrenching, gut-moving, brain-twisting thriller about zombie space elves with dragons."
Finally, I like to keep notes on what I need to work on with this book. Each book you write will give you different problems. Maybe the POV rotates and you're not used to that. Maybe the plot is super layered and complex. Maybe the MC is a zombie elf, and you're not sure how to show an zombified elf's emotions properly. What ever the issue is, I like to add that to the "Make it Awesome" list/folder. It reminds me what possible problems I'll need to look out for.
A lot of these suggestions sound pretty simple, and they are. That's the beauty of making a book awesome. It's easier to work towards a place you've defined. Simply by sitting down and thinking about what will make this book awesome, you're a step of the way there.
So any suggestions? What do you do to make your book awesome?
Monday, June 6, 2011
Write the Book that Sucks
"But I’d finally reached a point where the prospect of not writing a book was more awful than the one of writing a book that sucked."
Sugar, from the Dear Sugar column.
Revision is hard.
But you already knew that. I've revised three books before this one, and for some reason I keep thinking it's going to get easier. "Oh yeah, I'll just tighten up some scenes and do a copy edit and BOOM! Masterpiece."
Rewriting is somehow worse. Maybe it's just the perfectionist in me. I really like for things to be perfect. Like, almost to the point where it's a psychological disorder. If I really allowed myself to wait until "everything is perfect" I would never start anything.
Some people plan novels as a way of preparation, only it takes so long it becomes procrastination. For me, it's more like I want to "fix" the stuff I did "wrong" with the last novel so I don't make the same mistake again.
That's not the right way of looking at writing, I know. There is no right and wrong, there is no mistakes. It's all just a process of learning what works for you and for the book you're writing right now. The status quo changes with each book you write. Letting each book require it's own demands and needs will produce a better book overall, than trying to force some sort of uniform system on every single book you write.
You can image then, what the perfectionist part of my brain keeps telling me while I go through the rewrite. "You messed up so badly last time you're writing the book over. Don't mess up this time OR ELSE". Or, "Even your best isn't going to be good enough. You need to re-plot this book from scratch with an intricate diagram showing each plot and character arc. Get to work!" *cracks the whip*
Obviously this isn't a great place to work from. I've had to do mental exercises to keep thoughts like that from entering my head. I didn't mess up. It's just part of the process. My book is not doomed. I am making it better, and I can SEE the difference.
And my perfectionism has it's place. It makes sure I don't send things out that aren't my best. (with the possible exception of my blog. I proofread each post a few times, but this blog is in part a way to help me put words out there and Get Stuff Done without taking weeks to proof read every single post. Even though when I find typos, it kills me inside.)
Earlier last week though, my mental defenses crumbled and I felt horrible. My book was awful. I am going to rewrite the pants off this book, and then send it out to beta readers, and then revise it again before I query agents. And even though I feel like this is the best book I've ever written, that the characters and plot will just knock your socks off, I've felt that way before. Each book that I've finished felt like the best book ever. And it was for me at the time.
Looking back now, not so much. My first novel sucked, as most first novels do. The second one wasn't much better. I could see myself improving with each try, but that knowledge didn't help me now, looking at my current book. There was stuff wrong with it, stuff I just couldn't see yet because I haven't reached that level of writing yet.
Cheery thoughts to have in your head while rewriting, let me tell you.
But after combination of helpful friends giving me words of encouragement, and reading the online advice column "Dear Sugar" and I am feeling ready to tackle the world again. One of "Dear Sugar"'s articles really resonated with me. There's a lot of good stuff in there, but the line that stuck with me the most was the one I quoted above.
I realized that I had to write this book. I love it too much. It's too awesome and interesting. I have definitely come to the place where NOT writing this book is worse than writing a book that sucked.
This also reminds me of a great video by Maureen Johnson about allowing yourself to suck. Go forth now, and allow yourself to write. Dare to write no matter what, even if it sucks.
But you already knew that. I've revised three books before this one, and for some reason I keep thinking it's going to get easier. "Oh yeah, I'll just tighten up some scenes and do a copy edit and BOOM! Masterpiece."
Rewriting is somehow worse. Maybe it's just the perfectionist in me. I really like for things to be perfect. Like, almost to the point where it's a psychological disorder. If I really allowed myself to wait until "everything is perfect" I would never start anything.
Some people plan novels as a way of preparation, only it takes so long it becomes procrastination. For me, it's more like I want to "fix" the stuff I did "wrong" with the last novel so I don't make the same mistake again.
That's not the right way of looking at writing, I know. There is no right and wrong, there is no mistakes. It's all just a process of learning what works for you and for the book you're writing right now. The status quo changes with each book you write. Letting each book require it's own demands and needs will produce a better book overall, than trying to force some sort of uniform system on every single book you write.
You can image then, what the perfectionist part of my brain keeps telling me while I go through the rewrite. "You messed up so badly last time you're writing the book over. Don't mess up this time OR ELSE". Or, "Even your best isn't going to be good enough. You need to re-plot this book from scratch with an intricate diagram showing each plot and character arc. Get to work!" *cracks the whip*
Obviously this isn't a great place to work from. I've had to do mental exercises to keep thoughts like that from entering my head. I didn't mess up. It's just part of the process. My book is not doomed. I am making it better, and I can SEE the difference.
And my perfectionism has it's place. It makes sure I don't send things out that aren't my best. (with the possible exception of my blog. I proofread each post a few times, but this blog is in part a way to help me put words out there and Get Stuff Done without taking weeks to proof read every single post. Even though when I find typos, it kills me inside.)
Earlier last week though, my mental defenses crumbled and I felt horrible. My book was awful. I am going to rewrite the pants off this book, and then send it out to beta readers, and then revise it again before I query agents. And even though I feel like this is the best book I've ever written, that the characters and plot will just knock your socks off, I've felt that way before. Each book that I've finished felt like the best book ever. And it was for me at the time.
Looking back now, not so much. My first novel sucked, as most first novels do. The second one wasn't much better. I could see myself improving with each try, but that knowledge didn't help me now, looking at my current book. There was stuff wrong with it, stuff I just couldn't see yet because I haven't reached that level of writing yet.
Cheery thoughts to have in your head while rewriting, let me tell you.
But after combination of helpful friends giving me words of encouragement, and reading the online advice column "Dear Sugar" and I am feeling ready to tackle the world again. One of "Dear Sugar"'s articles really resonated with me. There's a lot of good stuff in there, but the line that stuck with me the most was the one I quoted above.
I realized that I had to write this book. I love it too much. It's too awesome and interesting. I have definitely come to the place where NOT writing this book is worse than writing a book that sucked.
This also reminds me of a great video by Maureen Johnson about allowing yourself to suck. Go forth now, and allow yourself to write. Dare to write no matter what, even if it sucks.
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
How (Not) to Prepare for a Rewrite
There's a bunch of writers I know right now (including myself) that are facing rewrites. It's a veritable epidemic, one that I am not sure we've prepared for properly (it figures I have my zombie gear all ready to go, but no Hazmat suits for The Rewritocalypse).
1. Decide that the reason why you need to rewrite this book in the first place is because malicious gnomes are hiding in your office and tear it apart looking for them.
2. Blame your family/friends/pets/random animals outside for the state of your manuscript and throw things at them.
3. Decide you suck as a writer and just give up.
4. Decide to let your hamstar rewrite the book for you, using a complex code of hamster wheel rotations, amount of licks at the water bottle, and hamster pellets dropped per day. You're not Dan Brown, after all.
5. Bury your book and all traces of it in the backyard at night next to those bodies that totally aren't there. Hope that the fertilizer makes your words suck less.
6. Watch hours and hours of TV, to "exercise your mind".
7. Surf the Internet constantly, in search of better locations for your plot.
8. Decide now is the time to turn your historical romance into a space western with pirates. And a sidekick monkey. And a cute monkey tambourine.
9. Spiral into a manic depression and eat nothing but cheetos dipped in nutella, convinced you're never going to finish this stupid book.
10. Take up Extreme Wrestling in order to wrestle out your plot demons.
11. Dig up the book you buried in the backyard under the cover of night to check and see if the pages have rewritten themselves. Nope. Bury the book again.
12. Decide that rewrite means "re-right" as in, you're right again, and this book is perfect the way it is. Agents and editors simply LOVE half finished novels with missing characters and a plot that goes nowhere. It's the new vampire.
13. Decide you need to move to a foreign country in order to really connect with your inner writer, but the funds required means you have to sell your soul and all the books you're ever going to write to an evil wish genie.
14. Regret trusting the evil wish genie, even though "evil" was in his name and you probably should have known better, since now you're on a teeny tropical island with only coconut juice and sand to write with.
15. Experiment with brain surgery and electroshock as a way of getting the creative juices to flow.
16. Barter away malicious plot gnomes to the evil wish genie for your soul and book ideas, and return home.
17. Dig up novel in your backyard, still under the cover of night, to check the fermentation process. No best-selling Pulitzer prize winning masterpiece yet. Best let it compost a little more.
18. There is no number 18, just like there's no rewrite. It's all in your head.
19. Same goes for 19, only twice.
20. Decide to just sit at your desk and just rewrite the darned thing, one word at a time. Give yourself the time you need to make this book the special snowflake you know it can be.
Okay, so maybe there's something to number 20. But then again, some people are still holding out for number 17.
By all means, toss your suggestions into the comments section. If I get enough suggestions from you peeps, I'll do a post dedicated to your helpful hints of how (not) to prepare for a rewrite.
Monday, May 30, 2011
Happy Memorial Day!
Happy Memorial Day everyone!
I hope you're all having a great day, whether you're sitting at home or celebrating with family.
I have to work today, but a shorter shift than normal, so I am excited.
Rachelle Gardner had a great post about your moment of truth. It really hit home for me, because I am facing a near total rewrite. It's daunting and scary and sometimes I just want to hide under the covers. But I keep going, because I love this story. And I am a writer and this is what we do.
Also, some good news. Remember how I talked about series breaking and Criminal Minds? Friday night my friend Liz texted me that CBS is giving the un-qualified character the axe, and bringing back the other actress. I like to think the network read my post about series breaking and decided to heed my sagely advice.
Consequently, I am available for writing scripts for the next season, CBS. I shall await your phone call.
I hope you're all having a great day, whether you're sitting at home or celebrating with family.
I have to work today, but a shorter shift than normal, so I am excited.
Rachelle Gardner had a great post about your moment of truth. It really hit home for me, because I am facing a near total rewrite. It's daunting and scary and sometimes I just want to hide under the covers. But I keep going, because I love this story. And I am a writer and this is what we do.
Also, some good news. Remember how I talked about series breaking and Criminal Minds? Friday night my friend Liz texted me that CBS is giving the un-qualified character the axe, and bringing back the other actress. I like to think the network read my post about series breaking and decided to heed my sagely advice.
Consequently, I am available for writing scripts for the next season, CBS. I shall await your phone call.
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
The Edits are Coming!
Editing is something I have talked about before, and I suspect I will be posting about it again.
Mostly because it's such an integral part of the writing process. I by no means think that everyone should edit the same way as me (I don't even use the same process over and over, but rather try new things with each book) but in case this gives people some ideas, I am going to give you a quick run down of some of the things I am doing to whip this book into shape:
*(Cribbed this idea from Sol Stein in "Stein on Writing") Before re-reading the book, sit down and write down what the most memorable scene is. Chances are you haven't read this book in a few weeks or more. Figure out which one sticks out most in your mind and why. Is it an epic battle? A quiet moment of tenderness?
*Now figure out the least memorable scene. I usually have to flip through the book in order to figure out which scene I totally forgot about. It's usually a filler scene where the characters are just talking at each other. Now compare the boring scenes with the exciting one and figure out how you can improve the boring scene. If you can't, chances are you need to cut this scene.
*After that, I go through the entire book with a fine tooth comb. I have some paper next to me, and make notes on every single place that needs attention. Each place the character does something out of character, the worldbuilding falls apart, where the pacing slacks off or the story logic falls apart.
*Note cards. They are your friend. I take a pack of note cards and do a scene for each note card. This really helps me look at the entire book as a whole. It's your book in miniature form. If the scene is boring or I need to add to it I make notes on the note card. I can also play around with the story arc and see if I have any glaring plot holes.
*Save the Cat Beat Sheet. Liz posted her rendition of Blake Synder's Save the Cat Beat Sheet in Excel, and boy has it saved my bacon with this book (alliteration!). I have two major subplots and a minor one in addition to the regular plot of the book. That's a lot of threads to keep track of. And sometimes I think it's enough threads to hang myself with! So this Beat Sheet is a real lifesaver. Basically it's a way to track your major plot events and shore up the book's internal structure.
*Lots of caffeine and chocolate. Enough said.
*Lots of thinking time. In an effort not to work myself into oblivion like last time, I am making sure I taking things slow and try not to push too hard. I am still working my butt off, but instead of revising every single spare second of the day, I make sure I spend some time with my friends and family.
This isn't a complete list (I haven't even begun to line edit) but this is as far as I have gotten. Since a good 50% of this book is going to be rewritten, I figure I'll blog as I progress through the process.
Wish me lots of luck. And share! How do you approach a massive rewrite? How do you stay sane?
Mostly because it's such an integral part of the writing process. I by no means think that everyone should edit the same way as me (I don't even use the same process over and over, but rather try new things with each book) but in case this gives people some ideas, I am going to give you a quick run down of some of the things I am doing to whip this book into shape:
*(Cribbed this idea from Sol Stein in "Stein on Writing") Before re-reading the book, sit down and write down what the most memorable scene is. Chances are you haven't read this book in a few weeks or more. Figure out which one sticks out most in your mind and why. Is it an epic battle? A quiet moment of tenderness?
*Now figure out the least memorable scene. I usually have to flip through the book in order to figure out which scene I totally forgot about. It's usually a filler scene where the characters are just talking at each other. Now compare the boring scenes with the exciting one and figure out how you can improve the boring scene. If you can't, chances are you need to cut this scene.
*After that, I go through the entire book with a fine tooth comb. I have some paper next to me, and make notes on every single place that needs attention. Each place the character does something out of character, the worldbuilding falls apart, where the pacing slacks off or the story logic falls apart.
*Note cards. They are your friend. I take a pack of note cards and do a scene for each note card. This really helps me look at the entire book as a whole. It's your book in miniature form. If the scene is boring or I need to add to it I make notes on the note card. I can also play around with the story arc and see if I have any glaring plot holes.
*Save the Cat Beat Sheet. Liz posted her rendition of Blake Synder's Save the Cat Beat Sheet in Excel, and boy has it saved my bacon with this book (alliteration!). I have two major subplots and a minor one in addition to the regular plot of the book. That's a lot of threads to keep track of. And sometimes I think it's enough threads to hang myself with! So this Beat Sheet is a real lifesaver. Basically it's a way to track your major plot events and shore up the book's internal structure.
*Lots of caffeine and chocolate. Enough said.
*Lots of thinking time. In an effort not to work myself into oblivion like last time, I am making sure I taking things slow and try not to push too hard. I am still working my butt off, but instead of revising every single spare second of the day, I make sure I spend some time with my friends and family.
This isn't a complete list (I haven't even begun to line edit) but this is as far as I have gotten. Since a good 50% of this book is going to be rewritten, I figure I'll blog as I progress through the process.
Wish me lots of luck. And share! How do you approach a massive rewrite? How do you stay sane?
Monday, May 16, 2011
Identity
As I work through revision and come to the slow realization that large parts of this book are going to need to be rewritten (or scrapped altogether), I have thought about my identity as a writer.
It sounds like a weird thing to consider while I am revision, but it feels natural. Revision is the place a lot of books go to die. Finishing a book feels easy when you compare it to actually taking that same book and spiffing it up into something worthy of publication.
Revision feels like you're playing for keeps. You're not just writing a book, throwing it in a drawer, and writing another. Revision is a way of declaring on no uncertain terms you want other people to read this book. And if you want to have a writing career, you have to learn how to both write well and revise efficiently.
As I patiently work though the story and make my notes of where I failed the story, where the plot falls apart (where the plot stops existing altogether) I have thought about where I see myself in a a few years. For some reason, picturing myself revising another book make revising this book easier.
Because it's become part of my life and my identity. I don't think that writing is all you should ever do with your life, because sometimes you change and it might go away. I think people should read broadly, and live wildly, and take time to do things with their friends and family. You can't write about life if you aren't living.
But being a writer is partially how I identify myself, how I see myself. I see myself a more a writer than a massage therapist (my day job). I like helping people get out of pain, but someday I am going to quit that job in favor of writing full time.
Thinking about myself as a writer, and taking that part of myself seriously makes it easier for me to slog through this revision. It's frustrating and depressing thinking that large parts of this book will need to be rewritten, but you know what?
That's what writers do. And I am a writer.
It sounds like a weird thing to consider while I am revision, but it feels natural. Revision is the place a lot of books go to die. Finishing a book feels easy when you compare it to actually taking that same book and spiffing it up into something worthy of publication.
Revision feels like you're playing for keeps. You're not just writing a book, throwing it in a drawer, and writing another. Revision is a way of declaring on no uncertain terms you want other people to read this book. And if you want to have a writing career, you have to learn how to both write well and revise efficiently.
As I patiently work though the story and make my notes of where I failed the story, where the plot falls apart (where the plot stops existing altogether) I have thought about where I see myself in a a few years. For some reason, picturing myself revising another book make revising this book easier.
Because it's become part of my life and my identity. I don't think that writing is all you should ever do with your life, because sometimes you change and it might go away. I think people should read broadly, and live wildly, and take time to do things with their friends and family. You can't write about life if you aren't living.
But being a writer is partially how I identify myself, how I see myself. I see myself a more a writer than a massage therapist (my day job). I like helping people get out of pain, but someday I am going to quit that job in favor of writing full time.
Thinking about myself as a writer, and taking that part of myself seriously makes it easier for me to slog through this revision. It's frustrating and depressing thinking that large parts of this book will need to be rewritten, but you know what?
That's what writers do. And I am a writer.
Thursday, May 12, 2011
Spread the Love
There's some great charity auctions going on right now. It's a win-win situation for you, because you donate money, receive some truly awesome things in the process, and you get to help out those in need.
So, here's a link to Joe Selby's post pulling most of the current charities together. Go look. You can win a critique and phone call from Kristen Nelson, among many other awesome things.
Also, here is another link for Crits for Water. It's still running, you guys, and there's some awesome crits left, like from Sara Megibow.
And finally, Rachelle Gardner had a guest blogger that really spoke to me today. Marcus Brotherton talks about how you define your success. It's really easy during revision to loose sight of your goal, or forget what that goal is all together. For me, I don't want my goal to be "finish revision so I can get this puppy published". That's sort of putting the cart before the horse to me, and also, not why I am writing.
I write because I love it. Plain and simple. I love telling stories. I want to be published because I want more people to read my stories. Sure, I would like the validation of having an agent fall in love with my book, and readers sending me nice emails about the characters, but I've been writing for years without those things.
Instead of feeling pressured and rushed to finished revision, like I have been, I should be remembering my real goal: revise the book so it matches with what I want it to be. Everything else will come with time. I just have to be patient and focus on what matters the most right now. Revising the book.
Soon enough it will be time for queries and agents, but that's not this day. This day I focus wholly on the book and making it as good as I can.
So, here's a link to Joe Selby's post pulling most of the current charities together. Go look. You can win a critique and phone call from Kristen Nelson, among many other awesome things.
Also, here is another link for Crits for Water. It's still running, you guys, and there's some awesome crits left, like from Sara Megibow.
And finally, Rachelle Gardner had a guest blogger that really spoke to me today. Marcus Brotherton talks about how you define your success. It's really easy during revision to loose sight of your goal, or forget what that goal is all together. For me, I don't want my goal to be "finish revision so I can get this puppy published". That's sort of putting the cart before the horse to me, and also, not why I am writing.
I write because I love it. Plain and simple. I love telling stories. I want to be published because I want more people to read my stories. Sure, I would like the validation of having an agent fall in love with my book, and readers sending me nice emails about the characters, but I've been writing for years without those things.
Instead of feeling pressured and rushed to finished revision, like I have been, I should be remembering my real goal: revise the book so it matches with what I want it to be. Everything else will come with time. I just have to be patient and focus on what matters the most right now. Revising the book.
Soon enough it will be time for queries and agents, but that's not this day. This day I focus wholly on the book and making it as good as I can.
Wednesday, May 11, 2011
Revision Ferrets
Sometimes editing can be like having a nest of ferrets living inside your brain. Each ferret is designed to pay attention to one certain shiny thing.
So you'll have an exchange that looks like this while you're trying to be a good writer and Edit Your Book:
Plot-Hole Ferret: That would never work! How the heck does she get from here to there?
Me: True, I don't know why I wrote that. Maybe the Writing Badly Gremlins snuck in and added to the book while I wasn't paying attention--
Typo Ferret: Look! LOOK! You typed "woman" when you meant "women" again! LOOK!
Me: Right, I'll just mark that out with my red sharpie--
Food Ferret: I'm hungry, I wonder what's in the fridge?
Me: Damnit, nothing's changed in the refridgerator since the last five minutes when I stared at it's contents hoping food would magically appear. Now lets--
Distraction Ferret: We need to surf the Internet for...ummm...research.
And then all the ferrets start talking to you at once. At the very least, this looks like I have I have multiple personality disorder. At the worst...well, let's not go there. With drafting, you have one job. One.
Write the book.
Keep writing until you're finished.
There. Easy as a pie. But with revision? You have a ton of stuff to look at. Most writers stay sane by streamlining the process, which is what I have done, but it's still hard not to drive yourself insane thinking about all the details. The typos, and how you've brutalized grammar, and the characters are flat, and the plot doesn't hold up worth a darn, and so on. It's daunting and scary and sometimes you feel like you should just give up and write another book.
But writing is rewriting. You've heard that a billion times, but it's true. If you can't revise your work, you won't be able to tell a coherent story. Revision is every bit as important as drafting is. The cool thing about revision is you get a constant do over.
So just break it down into tiny chunks and ignore all the stupid ferrets chittering away in your brain, least we find you on the street muttering, "Can't sleep, typos will eat me."
So you'll have an exchange that looks like this while you're trying to be a good writer and Edit Your Book:
Plot-Hole Ferret: That would never work! How the heck does she get from here to there?
Me: True, I don't know why I wrote that. Maybe the Writing Badly Gremlins snuck in and added to the book while I wasn't paying attention--
Typo Ferret: Look! LOOK! You typed "woman" when you meant "women" again! LOOK!
Me: Right, I'll just mark that out with my red sharpie--
Food Ferret: I'm hungry, I wonder what's in the fridge?
Me: Damnit, nothing's changed in the refridgerator since the last five minutes when I stared at it's contents hoping food would magically appear. Now lets--
Distraction Ferret: We need to surf the Internet for...ummm...research.
And then all the ferrets start talking to you at once. At the very least, this looks like I have I have multiple personality disorder. At the worst...well, let's not go there. With drafting, you have one job. One.
Write the book.
Keep writing until you're finished.
There. Easy as a pie. But with revision? You have a ton of stuff to look at. Most writers stay sane by streamlining the process, which is what I have done, but it's still hard not to drive yourself insane thinking about all the details. The typos, and how you've brutalized grammar, and the characters are flat, and the plot doesn't hold up worth a darn, and so on. It's daunting and scary and sometimes you feel like you should just give up and write another book.
But writing is rewriting. You've heard that a billion times, but it's true. If you can't revise your work, you won't be able to tell a coherent story. Revision is every bit as important as drafting is. The cool thing about revision is you get a constant do over.
So just break it down into tiny chunks and ignore all the stupid ferrets chittering away in your brain, least we find you on the street muttering, "Can't sleep, typos will eat me."
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
Never Write About Wimps
Song Playing: Soldiers of the Wasteland by Dragonforce
Deep confession guys. Bearing my soul over here.
Did you ever read a book or take a class, read a passage/hear a statement, and think blithely “Nope, that’s not me.”
You read a part about characters think, “I might have issues with pacing and length, but definitely no problems in the character department.”
I think we’ve all done that to one extent or another. Pass over some advice because you think it doesn’t apply to you.
BUZZ! Wrong!
Hubris was the fall of Dr. Frankenstein, and hubris will be the fall of a great many writers. Sometimes you read a book about writing, or talk to another writer, or a helpful blog post (like this one!) and they mention a problem. A problem you think you already have covered.
You could be right.
But you could be wrong. Very wrong. It could be a part of the problem with your manuscript that you were vainly searching for.
There I was, reading my book in the break room at work. It’s called “Thanks, but This Isn’t for Us” by Jessica Page Morrell. I almost skipped this chapter, honestly. It’s called “Never Write About Wimps.”
I have many failings as a writer. Many. There are plenty of areas that I struggle with. Characters is not one of them. I am confident in that. I can create vivid, realistic characters that have three dimensions (my blogfests may or may not reflect this depending on how much editing I have done). It might take several tries and some time to develop said characters, but this is one of the areas of writing I really love. It’s actually the reason why I write: to give my character somewhere to play.
So yes, I almost skipped that chapter, thinking I was A-Okay. My main character for my WIP Masquerade is a lot of things—arrogant, high maintenance, shallow—but weak isn’t one of them. She is not wimpy.
And yet, something was off. The scenes just weren’t working the way I wanted them to. And *gasp* my other secondary character was more interesting.
For the longest time I couldn’t figure out why.
Then I read that chapter, and this passage “Motivation, based on a character’s beliefs, family, and environment and cultural background, provides a trajectory for characters to act and grow on. Motivation compels action, create goals in scene, and drive characters to achieve goals. Thus, motivation provides characters with credible reason for their actions, and they should carry out those actions with plausible skills or acquire skills along the way.”
After I read that part, I did a quick check with my characters. I asked myself what the motivation of my main character is, and then I asked myself what the motivation of my secondary character was.
It hit me like a lightening bolt then, putting the motivations right next to each other, that the motivation of my secondary character is greater than my main character. My secondary character had more at stake, at least at first, than my main character.
How the heck did that happen?! (behind my back, while I wasn’t looking)
No wonder I have been having problems with my main character. My secondary character is more interesting than she is!
This is a good news/bad news situation for me. The good news is now I know what’s going on, I can fix it. The bad news is it’s going to take some rearranging to implement said fixes. And figure out what those fixes might be.
My point? Go over your manuscript with a fine tooth comb and question everything. And I mean everything. Even if you love the character, and the plot, still run it through the wringer.
Deep confession guys. Bearing my soul over here.
Did you ever read a book or take a class, read a passage/hear a statement, and think blithely “Nope, that’s not me.”
You read a part about characters think, “I might have issues with pacing and length, but definitely no problems in the character department.”
I think we’ve all done that to one extent or another. Pass over some advice because you think it doesn’t apply to you.
BUZZ! Wrong!
Hubris was the fall of Dr. Frankenstein, and hubris will be the fall of a great many writers. Sometimes you read a book about writing, or talk to another writer, or a helpful blog post (like this one!) and they mention a problem. A problem you think you already have covered.
You could be right.
But you could be wrong. Very wrong. It could be a part of the problem with your manuscript that you were vainly searching for.
There I was, reading my book in the break room at work. It’s called “Thanks, but This Isn’t for Us” by Jessica Page Morrell. I almost skipped this chapter, honestly. It’s called “Never Write About Wimps.”
I have many failings as a writer. Many. There are plenty of areas that I struggle with. Characters is not one of them. I am confident in that. I can create vivid, realistic characters that have three dimensions (my blogfests may or may not reflect this depending on how much editing I have done). It might take several tries and some time to develop said characters, but this is one of the areas of writing I really love. It’s actually the reason why I write: to give my character somewhere to play.
So yes, I almost skipped that chapter, thinking I was A-Okay. My main character for my WIP Masquerade is a lot of things—arrogant, high maintenance, shallow—but weak isn’t one of them. She is not wimpy.
And yet, something was off. The scenes just weren’t working the way I wanted them to. And *gasp* my other secondary character was more interesting.
For the longest time I couldn’t figure out why.
Then I read that chapter, and this passage “Motivation, based on a character’s beliefs, family, and environment and cultural background, provides a trajectory for characters to act and grow on. Motivation compels action, create goals in scene, and drive characters to achieve goals. Thus, motivation provides characters with credible reason for their actions, and they should carry out those actions with plausible skills or acquire skills along the way.”
After I read that part, I did a quick check with my characters. I asked myself what the motivation of my main character is, and then I asked myself what the motivation of my secondary character was.
It hit me like a lightening bolt then, putting the motivations right next to each other, that the motivation of my secondary character is greater than my main character. My secondary character had more at stake, at least at first, than my main character.
How the heck did that happen?! (behind my back, while I wasn’t looking)
No wonder I have been having problems with my main character. My secondary character is more interesting than she is!
This is a good news/bad news situation for me. The good news is now I know what’s going on, I can fix it. The bad news is it’s going to take some rearranging to implement said fixes. And figure out what those fixes might be.
My point? Go over your manuscript with a fine tooth comb and question everything. And I mean everything. Even if you love the character, and the plot, still run it through the wringer.
Friday, April 23, 2010
The Exploratory Draft
Quote: “Me, I have recently taken to calling that first flawed, juicy, wild draft the “exploratory draft.” It sounds so much more exciting than “first draft.” It sounds fearless, like you’re stepping into an unknown territory with a knife strapped to your thigh, or like you’re sailing around an uncharted island, looking for a place to drop anchor so you can dive in and swim ashore. And it IS kind of like that, because in your early days with your idea, no matter how well you think you know it from your daydreaming, brainstorming, and outlining, you can’t really know it until you’re IN it.
You have to find the story -- and that’s what exploratory drafts are for: exploring the unmapped lands of your idea and mapping them.”
~Laini Taylor
Song Playing: Welcome to the Jungle Guns and Roses
I am reporting deep in the editing trenches, machete in one hand and a pen in the other. I read a really great post about Plot by Laini Taylor, which in turn lead me to her post on Revision. Right now I am reading everything I can on revision, if only to give me more ideas on doing so. I find it’s an efficient way to motivate me, because whenever I read a technique on revision, it makes me want to try it. And what do you know, I have this fresh First Draft, just waiting to be revised.
The best idea I gleaned from Laini’s post on revision is she calls her first drafts “exploratory drafts”. This is an awesome idea. It really encapsulates how I am trying to view this draft. Not as this concrete thing made of stone, where I can only chisel a bit here, and smooth out a rough edge there, but a wild romp of an idea that I took for a test drive. Sure, I crashed into numerous mailboxes with this manuscript, but don’t we all?
It’s better to look at what you have and think: How can this be better? How can I make this character more interesting? Instead of just tinkering around with the sentence structure, all the while wondering why your writing feels flat.
Why settle for good enough? Why settle for “well, that’s the way I wrote it, so that’s the way it stays.” Trust me, I know. You’re thinking, “Nooo! I thought I was done with the writing part!” But what’s the rush? Especially for those of us not published, and not working with contracts and deadlines, you literally have all the time you need to make this the best story it can be. When you’re editing, you need to make sure to clean under the couch and underneath the sink too, not just dust for loose modifiers, and throw away purple prose.
The important thing is to reimage things for THIS story. You’re not making a monument to every idea that you’ve ever had, but you are making a monument to this idea. Sometimes you haven’t figured out what that idea is until AFTER you’ve written the first draft. That’s okay. That’s how a lot of writers work, if the blogs I read are any indication. It’s how this book turned out. As I revise and work my way through the scenes, I think of a better way to introduce the character, reimage ways to get the character from Plot Point A to Plot Point B, and come up with ways to tie subplots together.
I am not saying you should utterly change everything about your first draft (unless you need to), but I do think it’s in your better interest—and the book’s—if you allow yourself to be open to change. Even though the first draft feels very concrete, that’s a lie. It’s not concrete. You wrote everything exactly the way it is, and you can also change everything about chapter 12, or delete that chapter all together, if that’s what you need to do in order to make it the best book it can be.
Notice how I am saying “the best book it can be”. There’s always some amount of growth when you finish a book. I am a better writer now than I was six months ago, and I am definitely a better writer now than I was when I wrote the book. The idea isn’t to shelf this book, and write another, but to use what I have learned to make this book better.
Which brings me to my next point. Writers want to know when they should stop revising. Some people get stuck in this revision cycle for years, telling you proudly that they’ve been revising their masterpiece for 12 years.
Maybe you need 12 years to revise a certain book. I recently read an amazing book that took the author 7 years to write. I can bet you though she wasn’t working on that book nonstop for 7 years. She probably nurtured and prodded the book off and on over the year while doing other things.
Some people can revise a book in two weeks, and it comes out of the end of her gauntlet-like revision process as a publishable work. Personally, I would pay money to witness this bloody process in action, forget gladiator fights. Two week complete revision? Ouch!
However long it takes you, you should be improving the book. That’s the key. You should be able to see the progress between draft 2 and draft 3. Or 1 to 2, or whatever draft you are on. If the book isn’t moving forward, if you’re just dinking around with a word here and there, you’re procrastinating and it’s time to kick the book out the door to sink or swim.
What about you? How do you view your first draft? As one big experiment or something more solid? When do you know you’re done revising?
You have to find the story -- and that’s what exploratory drafts are for: exploring the unmapped lands of your idea and mapping them.”
~Laini Taylor
Song Playing: Welcome to the Jungle Guns and Roses
I am reporting deep in the editing trenches, machete in one hand and a pen in the other. I read a really great post about Plot by Laini Taylor, which in turn lead me to her post on Revision. Right now I am reading everything I can on revision, if only to give me more ideas on doing so. I find it’s an efficient way to motivate me, because whenever I read a technique on revision, it makes me want to try it. And what do you know, I have this fresh First Draft, just waiting to be revised.
The best idea I gleaned from Laini’s post on revision is she calls her first drafts “exploratory drafts”. This is an awesome idea. It really encapsulates how I am trying to view this draft. Not as this concrete thing made of stone, where I can only chisel a bit here, and smooth out a rough edge there, but a wild romp of an idea that I took for a test drive. Sure, I crashed into numerous mailboxes with this manuscript, but don’t we all?
It’s better to look at what you have and think: How can this be better? How can I make this character more interesting? Instead of just tinkering around with the sentence structure, all the while wondering why your writing feels flat.
Why settle for good enough? Why settle for “well, that’s the way I wrote it, so that’s the way it stays.” Trust me, I know. You’re thinking, “Nooo! I thought I was done with the writing part!” But what’s the rush? Especially for those of us not published, and not working with contracts and deadlines, you literally have all the time you need to make this the best story it can be. When you’re editing, you need to make sure to clean under the couch and underneath the sink too, not just dust for loose modifiers, and throw away purple prose.
The important thing is to reimage things for THIS story. You’re not making a monument to every idea that you’ve ever had, but you are making a monument to this idea. Sometimes you haven’t figured out what that idea is until AFTER you’ve written the first draft. That’s okay. That’s how a lot of writers work, if the blogs I read are any indication. It’s how this book turned out. As I revise and work my way through the scenes, I think of a better way to introduce the character, reimage ways to get the character from Plot Point A to Plot Point B, and come up with ways to tie subplots together.
I am not saying you should utterly change everything about your first draft (unless you need to), but I do think it’s in your better interest—and the book’s—if you allow yourself to be open to change. Even though the first draft feels very concrete, that’s a lie. It’s not concrete. You wrote everything exactly the way it is, and you can also change everything about chapter 12, or delete that chapter all together, if that’s what you need to do in order to make it the best book it can be.
Notice how I am saying “the best book it can be”. There’s always some amount of growth when you finish a book. I am a better writer now than I was six months ago, and I am definitely a better writer now than I was when I wrote the book. The idea isn’t to shelf this book, and write another, but to use what I have learned to make this book better.
Which brings me to my next point. Writers want to know when they should stop revising. Some people get stuck in this revision cycle for years, telling you proudly that they’ve been revising their masterpiece for 12 years.
Maybe you need 12 years to revise a certain book. I recently read an amazing book that took the author 7 years to write. I can bet you though she wasn’t working on that book nonstop for 7 years. She probably nurtured and prodded the book off and on over the year while doing other things.
Some people can revise a book in two weeks, and it comes out of the end of her gauntlet-like revision process as a publishable work. Personally, I would pay money to witness this bloody process in action, forget gladiator fights. Two week complete revision? Ouch!
However long it takes you, you should be improving the book. That’s the key. You should be able to see the progress between draft 2 and draft 3. Or 1 to 2, or whatever draft you are on. If the book isn’t moving forward, if you’re just dinking around with a word here and there, you’re procrastinating and it’s time to kick the book out the door to sink or swim.
What about you? How do you view your first draft? As one big experiment or something more solid? When do you know you’re done revising?
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