tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6734108232999147338.post2120222845875342373..comments2023-09-05T08:36:25.033-07:00Comments on Author Lisa Gail Green: How Many Drafts Does It Take To Get To The Query Stage?Lisa Gail Greenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03648323153868702165noreply@blogger.comBlogger30125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6734108232999147338.post-34665763643651184992011-11-14T23:30:39.690-08:002011-11-14T23:30:39.690-08:00Ack. This revising process seems to take forever. ...Ack. This revising process seems to take forever. I have no idea how long it'll take before I see my first rejection letter, let alone get published. My non-writer friends ask me if I've starting sending my story to publishers yet. First, I need to find a beta-reader to send it to.<br />Then I think of certain popular authors who publish a book every year or two which seems to be evidence that eventually after enough practice and learning and experience, stories won't take quite so many drafts and read-throughs anymore. But that first step(or staircase) is a doozy.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6734108232999147338.post-83488775196798630272011-11-12T01:46:24.050-08:002011-11-12T01:46:24.050-08:00I LOVE this post and all posts like this. And I l...I LOVE this post and all posts like this. And I love Sarah Skilton. And every one else's advice too.Sophia Changhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10946233873722107937noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6734108232999147338.post-13854827123770819062011-11-10T06:04:14.689-08:002011-11-10T06:04:14.689-08:00Each of the answers has some kernel of truth that ...Each of the answers has some kernel of truth that speaks to me. <br /><br />If you'd asked the old me, the answer would have been, "One--it's perfect just as it is, baby!"<br /><br />I've gained a little wisdom since. I'd say I did a dozen drafts of TMD, with the first couple much heavier than the latter ones. <br /><br />Since I've still barely started editing the current book, I can't venture a guess as to how many it will take. My hope is my experiences the first time around will cut a few revisions off, but we'll see!Debhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06036505968642985025noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6734108232999147338.post-1235422590740167612011-11-10T03:46:49.861-08:002011-11-10T03:46:49.861-08:00I think the number of drafts you need depends on t...I think the number of drafts you need depends on the shape your first draft shows up in -- some of mine need more work than others. Usually I've got a first draft, then two to three passes after that -- I think there's a real danger in overworking a story, though it can be hard to tell where to stop!Amie Kaufmanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15116472165351759477noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6734108232999147338.post-12257618381830717772011-11-09T19:42:38.639-08:002011-11-09T19:42:38.639-08:00Exactly! We all do multiple revisions, maybe in di...Exactly! We all do multiple revisions, maybe in different order or something, but in the end the first drafts always suck! <br />That's why I love this saying:<br />The wastebasket is the writer's best friend!! <br /><3Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00482654021641010175noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6734108232999147338.post-90466691459097755712011-11-09T15:36:24.843-08:002011-11-09T15:36:24.843-08:00Oh yes--multiple drafts and lots of revisions.
Th...Oh yes--multiple drafts and lots of revisions. <br />This is a wonderful post! Each writer had something interesting and valuable to contribute. For me, writing is all about revising, so I enjoy reading how others work at it.Cynthia Chapman Willishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12408985785062180536noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6734108232999147338.post-79987911847363505942011-11-09T13:53:09.060-08:002011-11-09T13:53:09.060-08:00Wonderful advice. I find as I get better at my wri...Wonderful advice. I find as I get better at my writing the better my first draft is. I still like to do several revisions before I query. Also, I like my manuscripts to be near perfect before I have other reads. I'd rather them concentrate on the story and point out what I missed because my eyes went cross. <3Brenda Drakehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01263237745979525170noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6734108232999147338.post-44718180400944699192011-11-08T18:17:07.072-08:002011-11-08T18:17:07.072-08:00Thank you for getting some real feedback from writ...Thank you for getting some real feedback from writers! I'm on round 6 of my current wip with at least 2 more to go. <br /><br />Becca @ The Bookshelf MuseBecca Puglisihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08945707666707799601noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6734108232999147338.post-57249141612563727102011-11-08T17:35:46.534-08:002011-11-08T17:35:46.534-08:00Different strokes for different folks. The better ...Different strokes for different folks. The better I get at writing, the fewer drafts I need.J.L. Campbellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05666634455836834179noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6734108232999147338.post-43102969960831571772011-11-08T17:02:54.433-08:002011-11-08T17:02:54.433-08:00Ha ha loved this! For me, every manuscript is diff...Ha ha loved this! For me, every manuscript is different and it depends on the revisions (which is a circular kind of logic, but oh well).Vicki Tremperhttp://www.vbtremper.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6734108232999147338.post-60410170058755514432011-11-08T13:55:15.108-08:002011-11-08T13:55:15.108-08:00I loved reading these responses. Thanks for includ...I loved reading these responses. Thanks for including me! <br /><br />This cracked me up: "Knowing whether your draft is ready involves knowing which sick, demented writerly camp you fall into." So true.<br /><br />Also, I found Leslie and Julie's thoughts to be particularly astute :)Sarah Skiltonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18242496273739569661noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6734108232999147338.post-33260784549198878812011-11-08T09:56:58.773-08:002011-11-08T09:56:58.773-08:00I love hearing different writer's perspectives...I love hearing different writer's perspectives on this. I think it takes as long as it takes-- I've done anywhere from 4 to 10 drafts for the things I've written. Whenever I think I'm done, I send it to someone to read. Then I usually find more stuff to change. When it starts coming back with more tweaks and fewer "big" changes, I know I'm close to ready.Shalleehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09907680428735740943noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6734108232999147338.post-34220862431952536702011-11-08T06:50:27.865-08:002011-11-08T06:50:27.865-08:00Waving back, Martina. Love seeing everyone's p...Waving back, Martina. Love seeing everyone's process. Thanks, Lisa. We have a saying in my classroom for math problems - "Don't panic, be systematic." Looks like that phrase snuck into my writer's hat as well.Leslie S. Rosehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17122865337924270039noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6734108232999147338.post-6809852716041501502011-11-08T06:03:44.668-08:002011-11-08T06:03:44.668-08:00Love this post, and I love Leslie's process. (...Love this post, and I love Leslie's process. (Hi Leslie--waving madly) Wish I was that systematic, but I don't catch everything in a logical series of drafts. I suspect it varies from book to book, too, depending on concept and the nature of the story.<br /><br />Here's my one bit of epiphany to add to this though. Instead of asking myself "what do I need to fix" on this draft, I've discovered I need to ask "what can I deepen or twist in this draft to make the story/characters/prose really pop." Unfortunately, that's a recent discovery. What can I say? I too am a work in progress.<br /><br />MartinaMartina Boonehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03358736828122139189noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6734108232999147338.post-66443044645409219072011-11-08T00:51:59.282-08:002011-11-08T00:51:59.282-08:00I lose count of how many drafts I come up with. I...I lose count of how many drafts I come up with. I agree with those who say as many as it takes. Even when I get giddy at the possibility of being done, I always go through my manuscripts one more time (and another, and another) finding mistakes until a voice tells me that it's ready for others to read.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6734108232999147338.post-31573023909160672052011-11-07T17:22:52.743-08:002011-11-07T17:22:52.743-08:00The answer for me is also 'as many as it takes...The answer for me is also 'as many as it takes'.<br /><br />If there are multiple answers, then "the one that involves the most amount of work" is the right answer.Ebony McKenna.https://www.blogger.com/profile/02724727996270658767noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6734108232999147338.post-50720015543064083902011-11-07T12:46:12.488-08:002011-11-07T12:46:12.488-08:00It's really all over the place, isn't it? ...It's really all over the place, isn't it? I like the Vomit Draft myself. That one's easy to call. DO NOT EVEN THINK ABOUT QUERYING ME, PUSSY CAT.cleemckenziehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15456109243453726483noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6734108232999147338.post-86962922888358825452011-11-07T10:47:12.543-08:002011-11-07T10:47:12.543-08:00According to your photo up top, 3. (I believe that...According to your photo up top, 3. (I believe that was the answer from the commercial. Where you even born when that came out?)<br /><br />But more to the point, simply "enough". It is your writing journey. You'll know when you arrive at the destination called "Query". Maybe you'll get off the writing train, pause for lunch and a submission, realize you got off too early, and get back on board. <br /><br />Me, I'm riding the "City of New Orleans" for a while longer.Dean K Millerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01846624912452227191noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6734108232999147338.post-12128323112028691682011-11-07T09:36:48.435-08:002011-11-07T09:36:48.435-08:00Huh. This is really interesting! I feel like the d...Huh. This is really interesting! I feel like the definition of draft varies from person to person. Right now I'm revising using a checklist from James Scott Bell's Revision & Self Editing. When I've finished his checklist, I'll consider that my second draft. Then I'm sending it to beta readers and will start draft 3. Leslie considers some of the checklist tasks (character development) to be its own draft. So maybe technically I'm not on draft 2 anymore? Who knows! All I know is that I won't query until I hear from my beta readers and critique partners that it's ready. :)Ghenet Myrthilhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12621168379560585094noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6734108232999147338.post-87454664955874399532011-11-07T08:49:48.493-08:002011-11-07T08:49:48.493-08:00So true, especially Leslie's -- that seems to ...So true, especially Leslie's -- that seems to dovetail with my process. Also, my definition of draft might be a little different. I divide my printed copy into scenes and work on them after my second draft and so some of them can go through tons of passes, and others not as much, before I then cobble them all back together for the next _fully printed_ draft.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6734108232999147338.post-46012685236276766262011-11-07T08:40:11.414-08:002011-11-07T08:40:11.414-08:00Lisa, I cracked up when I saw the photo!! Ah, mem...Lisa, I cracked up when I saw the photo!! Ah, memories of Charms suckers.<br /><br />I love all these answers, and your summary is spot on. I'm impressed by each writer and their process. And Leslie's process? Dang! She's good.Julie Musilhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02150454913885915017noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6734108232999147338.post-68037395528570470402011-11-07T07:46:48.783-08:002011-11-07T07:46:48.783-08:00I've lost count of how many drafts I've go...I've lost count of how many drafts I've gone through. Susan Sipal's post really hit home for me. I was of the naive camp, rushed to get my manuscript out there, even got so far as a partial request, but was rejected. When I went back through it, I knew I should have let it sit, so I did. Now I'm going through a whole re-working.<br />Thanks for this post! It's really good to know there's more than one right way to get things done.Adriennehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07258263307771178398noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6734108232999147338.post-8187794294807852302011-11-07T06:57:38.049-08:002011-11-07T06:57:38.049-08:00What Stina said: "I'll do anything to del...What Stina said: "I'll do anything to delay the joy of rejections." That about sums it up for me! This was a really valuable and timely post. Thank you!MG Higginshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03584010470283038023noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6734108232999147338.post-80561885577338840392011-11-07T06:22:50.958-08:002011-11-07T06:22:50.958-08:00Wonderful round-up, Lisa! And thanks for including...Wonderful round-up, Lisa! And thanks for including me. It was so funny that you caught me with this question when I was knee-deep in frustrations.<br /><br />But editing and revising are so extremely critical, as everyone says. It's a tough market, and the only way an agent or editor is going to see the brilliance of your work is if you truly take the time to make it shine.<br /><br />Thanks!S.P. Sipalhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17943968424012034217noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6734108232999147338.post-22653152123244594962011-11-07T06:03:32.894-08:002011-11-07T06:03:32.894-08:00Def different for everyone (but thanks for includi...Def different for everyone (but thanks for including me! :)). I think Laura made an important point too - it depends what you call a "draft" - for me, that's where you go through every line of the MS for something (story, voice, craft), but I'll also do multiple quick passes for something in particular (a story arc). There's just plain a lot of work in it. ;)Susan Kaye Quinnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07348197999397141067noreply@blogger.com