Posts
 |
| photo credit |
If you're brain is brimming with ideas withheld while writing, and you just can't wait to get in there and fix it, I say go for it! You're going to do more than one pass anyway, why not get it as ship shape as possible before the drawer?
It may feel a bit overwhelming at this point. You've been reading blogs and attending workshops and learning, learning, learning about all the mistakes you've probably made and will have to fix. Where do you even start? Don't panic. Take a breath and think it through.
Everyone has a different process, but here's mine. Maybe it will help. And please note that it can vary from book to book as well.
- Read it through for major glaring inconsistencies and fix whatever I catch. I take notes in a separate file at this point or a notebook for things I see that aren't easy fixes, but I know have to happen. This can include extra scenes, character issues, and timeline.
- Keep a checklist and fix one thing on my list at a time.
- Do another read through, see if I have it whittled down to the usual suspects (e.g., extra adverbs and useless words).
- Make a pass for each major thing. One for extraneous words, one for sentence structure, one for world building, etc. Whatever it is I know from past experience (or research) I need to work on.
*One HUGE tip I can offer is this. If you think something might be an issue even for a second... it probably is. Change it now instead of waiting for it to come up later.
When I've exhausted myself and can no longer see straight, or when I keep changing tiny words here and there, I know this phase is over. My "rough" draft is now in decent shape. At least decent enough for next week's step... Oh I'm so mean!
So true about the gut feeling. If I read something and for even a moment think it's an issue, it usually is. My biggest issue is always deciding where the story truly starts for the reader. It's always a different place than for me, the writer.
ReplyDeleteSeriously that is the best advice. Learn to cut scene your doubting early b/c the doubt only gets worse! Same goes with what crit partners say - they're usually right!
ReplyDeleteGreat advice Lisa. I try to take on one aspect during each pass too - but I sometimes get distracted by other issues. I'm still working on it! :)
ReplyDeleteI used to jump into the edits right after finishing the first draft. With my new wip, things have been a little different. My current first draft is on vacation (a long vacation) while I work on my revision request. Once that's finished, that ms will go on vacation while I go through my first draft and check out the big picture items and inconsistencies. I'm now seeing the perks of having to separate projects to work on.
ReplyDeleteThe hardest thing for me is to not tinker with words when the story still needs shaping up. So. Hard. But it does make it easier when I have to rewrite an entire chapter! :) And I think doing "specific" revisions really helps to bring out things you don't notice when revising the story in a linear fashion. For example, I did a whole pass through the manuscript, just looking for body language and revising for that. It's amazing how much you catch when you're not reading dialogue and description and just looking where the bodies go! :)
ReplyDeleteI completed a messy first draft in December, laid it low until February, then did a read through...
ReplyDeleteEver since I've been trying to wrestle with it, and knock it into shape. I now realise there is far more rewriting than I first thought.
I shall take on board your advice, and see what I can make work. Thanks for posting.
This is great advice.If I find myself wanting to skim over parts of a chapter I'm revising, I know it's weak in some way and may need pruning or a complete cut. Somewhere in our brains, the editor is at work!
ReplyDeleteSo good to hear your process! I found that in revision I could only concentrate (well) on one thing at a time, so multiple passes are a MUST for me. And time between is even more of a must.
ReplyDeleteI have this gnat of an editor that hovers neat my fingertips. I can almost hear it buzz every time I type something that doesn't ring true or that's just plain lazy. All right all ready! I'll delete it! . . . Later . . . Maybe.
ReplyDeleteThe gnat buzzes louder and always wins. My beautiful prose goes into the trash . . . where it belongs.
Good suggestions about the revision process, Lisa!
You are SOOOOOO right about the "issue" issue. Every time I go against my instinct and leave something in that I'm not 100% sold on, it becomes juicy bone for critique. I must learn to launch those pieces out to sea earlier in my process.
ReplyDeleteI find revisions are my favorite part of writing because I can right all the wrongs, add or cut material, and generally whip it into shape.
ReplyDeleteRevisions are work. I just lost half a novel of revisions and I'm still reeling.
ReplyDeleteWhat a great process! Right now I'm going through the list of slash and burn words, and oy, I'm slashing and burning a lot.
ReplyDeleteI love your tips. You make them so easy to understand. Great post! <3
ReplyDeleteThis is so true. If you think something is an issue, it probably is. That niggling question at the back of the brain, the ephemeral feeling of not-quite-rightness? Yep. But what I wish was that the times when I read stuff through and it just flowed and "worked" meant there was no big fat fin swimming behind me signalling something deep and toothy underneath.
ReplyDeleteLove the post as always, brilliant woman!
Hugs,
Martina
I've really started to enjoy revisions. I get to fix things and polish my words. I need to get better at just working on one issue at a time though, because I end up all over the place. Thanks for the reminder, Lisa!
ReplyDelete"If you think something might be an issue even for a second... it probably is."
ReplyDeleteYes, yes, and yes! Sometimes I try to ignore an issue, hoping it'll go away, but alas...that NEVER works. :-)
Great post, Lisa. I love the tip about dealing with an issue if you have a sense that it is an issue. Whenever I've come across something sketchy, it's needed to be fixed, despite all my rationalizing and denial. Gut instincts are wonderful writing tools.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Cynthia above, gut instincts are wonderful writing tools. They may take you off on tangents, but I never feel as if a tangent is truly wasted, even if I don't use it in the end
ReplyDeleteThis post hit home... When I finished my first draft, I was filled with anxiety over everything "wrong." I kept a running list of the big ticket items, and I wish I would have used your method of chunking it down. I was a bit overwhelmed at first. But I learned. They say experience is a great teacher. ;)
ReplyDelete(I've wanted to stop over and check out your latest blogs for a couple of weeks now. Always appreciate your insight!)