“Books aren't written -- they're rewritten. Including your own. It is one of the hardest things to accept, especially after the seventh rewrite hasn't quite done it."
- Michael Crichton
Last Monday I started revising two of my WIPs. I'd received a boatload of helpful feedback and thought I had a solid grasp on the solutions to most of my story problems. So I plunged in with full confidence, waking up way earlier than usual and tapping away at the keyboard with wild enthusiasm.
But by Friday things began to shift. New ideas were shooting out at me like balls from an automatic pitching machine. I couldn't keep up. What was I doing? Was I fixing things or making them worse? The ideas kept coming, faster and faster. I couldn't find the off button. What could I do?
Enter The Revision Notebook--the perfect place to organize my thoughts. Ink on paper. Scribbles. Lists. Wild ideas that may never make it beyond the spiral bound pages. A place to slow down and breathe. To formulate a plan. Ahhhhh. I'm feeling much better now.
I think I'm on my third or fourth rewrite for each of these novels. But I'm with Michael, books aren't written, they're rewritten. And if these revisions don't quite do the job, I will revise again. And again.
So Wipsters, how was your week? Any favorite revision tips you'd like to share?
Sometimes, you have to step away from the computer for clarity. That's where I am this morning - the pace of this revision is killing me - but then the pace of my life has been so frantic it's no wonder writing has slowed.
ReplyDeleteToday is my last day of work and then I can breathe until next fall.
Yes. I spent the whole weekend away from the computer. Not sure I'm ready to go back to it. Hoping this morning's hike helps.
DeleteI finished my revision and sent my WIP off to betas yesterday!!! I was at the point where I couldn't stand to read it anymore, so I welcome the break. I've got another revision to work on this summer, but I'm not even going to take a look at it until the calendar flips to June. My frazzled brain needs a mini-break!
ReplyDeleteHooray!!!! Enjoy your break, Jennifer. Soothe that frazzled brain with lots of good stuff. ^_^
DeleteAlso enjoying some down time while my betas read my WIP, but I have gotten so used to the frantic pace of writing that I'm fiending to work on something! Good thing I just got a shiny new book in the mail to read... ;)
ReplyDeleteRelax and enjoy. I believe some other surprise stuff was supposed to show up in the mail, besides the book. Did you get that?
DeleteThe one thing I've learned about revising, both from my own experience and other authors much more experienced, is that it doesn't get easier. The illusion that it will get easier gets stronger, though, so each manuscript can come along with a more painful revelation.
ReplyDeleteThis week I'm reading through a first draft of mine and feeling equal parts of awe and humiliation. I'm glad no one else has to read this draft.
Hope the awe outweighs the humiliation. ^_^
DeleteSorry, I had to laugh, because the blog post I wrote last night (then fell asleep before posting) was on exactly this subject. And my advice is this: when it comes to revisions, Nothing is Sacred.
ReplyDeleteThis past week I've been plugging away at revisions, and it has been going well. I've also embraced vital mentoring when it's appeared, even if it means making more changes. I'm tackling some more challenging areas, so it's slow going, but worth it. And to top it all off, I've been getting ready for my trip to ConCarolinas later this week! I am beside myself with excitement. :D
I look forward to reading your post! Have a great trip. ^_^
DeleteI was just thinking about what in revising is fun, because most of it isn't for me.
ReplyDeleteWhen I come up with that *what* it'll be my next blog post...
Good comments here^.
Nice to meet you, Mirka. I'll be looking for that blog post. ^_^
DeleteHey you! Good luck on your revisions! No wisdom from me...but I am looking forward to joining in revision madness in June---just need to decide which project. OR-start a new novel. Possibly. Maybe.
ReplyDeleteHave you always been this decisive, Deb? ^_^ Whatever you decide, I hope you'll have mad WIP fun in June.
DeleteThese last two weeks have been crazy with scoring Ca 4th grade writing essays. The last day was Saturday so now it's time to get back to my writing/editing/reviewing. Yay!
ReplyDeleteI'm catching up with my guest blogs. I need to get one together by this Friday on romance and YA. Any ideas?
Happy to hear you're back to your writing! I'll think about your YA/romance question. Looking forward to meeting over at your place next month, Kim.
DeleteI'm just comforted by the fact that Michael Crichton had to do more than seven rewrites. Because, yes, it's always so hard to believe that the book isn't done yet ... even after all that work!
ReplyDeleteI found that rather comforting, too.
DeleteI am revising away as well. I'm trying to completely envision this draft anew, so I paused rewritting scenes to go through the whole manuscript and write elaborate notes, deepen characters, plot, world, etc. As I go I'm using post its to come up with stubs for new scenes. It looks like I should be done doing all this in a month and then I can continue the exciting step of rewritting, for real!! I did great in May and am hoping June goes just as well
ReplyDeleteYour work ethic inspires. ^_^
DeleteRevising has been exhausting, wild, elating, depressing... the whole spectrum. Sometimes I feel like I've made no progress whatsoever, which is why I haven't been checking in all that regularly. This week was a good week. Hoping to get this draft done by the end of the week... then on to the next one!
ReplyDeleteYou can always check in no matter what. We're here for each other, in good times and in bad. ^_^Happy to hear you had a better week. Revising can be agony or ecstasy, eh?
DeleteI made muffins and sticky buns this afternoon instead of writing. But I claim the need to feed my company as an excuse. Of course, when I'm on a writing/revising high, baking would never drag me away for very long. I'm slogging through the lowlands, not making much progress this week, but continuing to put one foot after the other, or one word at a time. Registration for the Surrey Int'l Writers' Conference opens soon so I'm going to be keeping a bright sticky note on my monitor to remind me that there's a reason to keep working at this ms.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad to hear I'm not the only one who revises ad nauseam.
Interesting way to put it, ad nauseam. I like that. ^_^
DeleteAs I barrel to the end of this first draft, all I can say is THANK GOODNESS FOR REVISIONS!! Hopefully, I'll get two rounds in before I have to show this to another human.
ReplyDeleteThanks for hosting this past month, Angelina!
You are very welcome. Yay for revisions! Have fun hitting the finish line. ^_^
DeleteI'm out on my road trip and all messed up about what day it is, so here I am a day late. What a great quote. So true. I also like to scribble revision brainstorming ideas in my little notebook. That and initial outline brainstorming are the two things I still do on actual paper. It definitely helps me to think of bigger-picture things when I'm more removed from them.
ReplyDeleteSo great to hear everyone's progress here, both writing and revising! I ended up switching gears this week and instead of drafting more, I decided I was ready for a first outline, so that's what I did (in my trusty notebook, of course). Once I get back home from the trip, I'll be diving into drafting for sure! Hope to see you all next month at the next #wipmadness checkin. :-)
Thanks for checking in from the road, Kip. Hope you're having a fabulous time! See you in June. ^_^
DeletePreaching to the choir, sister! At least I finished a shiny new chapter 1 for my WIP last week. I keep book journals, where I think through the process. Like you, I sometimes have way too many ideas flying at me. So now I need to get my head clear and nail down that through-line. Off we go...
ReplyDeleteYay. We've both got a new chapter 1. Keep swimming. ^_^
DeleteLate, but I'm here. I think the Revision Notebook was a great plan. Frees up those creative juices :)
ReplyDeleteI sent out two more queries, edited a chapter of the WIP, and finished two books--Glass & Fallout (Crank series)... So I feel I'm still living the writing life, if less ambitiously than I could be.
This week, small goals since it's my birthday Sunday(!) and I'll have family in. Another edited chapt on the WIP. That's the goal. :) And cheering on my fellow WIPSTERS.
I think there's loads of writerly life happening in your world. Have a great week!
DeleteI used a revision notebook too, and often scribbled things like "what the HELL are you doing? Isn't this way way off target?" but still, I kept it all there. I used post it (the big neon colored ones) to write down questions "Does this line up with what happened before? Will the reader pick up on this? Too subtle?" I also used a parking lot. In word, I kept it at the bottom of the document, in scrivener I create a separate doc for parking lot. Anything I cut, anything I think isn't working, gets shifted to the parking lot. That way it's not 'lost' and if it's really necessary, I can always retrieve it. So far, I've NEVER reused something that got relegated to the parking lot, but it's nice to know it's there.
ReplyDeleteParking lot? That's a nice way of putting it. Before revising, I always make a copy of the manuscript, so I figure anything I cut is still around in the last draft.
DeleteYour attitude completely inspires me, Angi. Here's to rewrites!
ReplyDeleteHere! Here!
DeleteI agree with Kjersten: very inspiring attitude!
ReplyDeleteThank goodness we can work in drafts, huh? I keep notebooks, too. Also a "snippets" file for each manuscript. That's where I put some of the things I'm cutting when I'm not 100% ready to let go. Most of what goes there stays and never comes back. If something is being moved there temporarily, I highlight it.
Good luck with your WIP! :)
Thanks. Same to you, m'dear.
DeleteI'm such a delinquent wipmadnesser. *sigh* Mostly just delinquent with the actual checking in, though -- I AM revising! I'm working on hard copy, and I take my ms and red pen far, far away from my computer, because I am WAY too easily distracted by teh interwebz. I'm still not sure if this ms is salvagable, but I'll keep plugging away and see what I think when I'm done.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the inspiration this month, Angelina! :)
Awww...I miss the hard copy and red pen. I'm not at that stage yet. Enjoy!
DeleteNo, Shari, I think I'm the worst at checking in. :( So incredibly busy these days. I got a promotion and a raise at my part-time day job, so I'm putting in more hours, which leaves me exhausted.
ReplyDeleteI don't have a lot to offer as far as revisions on a longer piece of work. I'm still trying to get my YA novel rewritten, the first go around! When I think about it, I get flustered, so I ignore it and work on shorter pieces. It's overwhelming. I got the most work done during March Madness. Yipee for #wipmadness.
Now I just need to get back in the saddle.
Hop on!
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