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write_awayHey all! It's been a while.
I am revising a novel for the first time (and it only took me 7 years and 15 first drafts to get here!) and I'm actually feeling pretty good about it so far, but I've been getting curious about how other people go about the revision process.
I am revising a novel for the first time (and it only took me 7 years and 15 first drafts to get here!) and I'm actually feeling pretty good about it so far, but I've been getting curious about how other people go about the revision process.
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Date: 2015-02-02 03:54 am (UTC)If I'm just catching mistakes, I work backwards, end to beginning, so I don't just breeze through. It helps to curb that thing where I know that it's supposed to say, so I miss what it actually says.
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Date: 2015-02-02 08:29 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2015-02-02 04:15 pm (UTC)Aside from that, I went through and stopped at any place that bothered me, often places that felt boring, and figured out a way to fix them. I struggled in the first draft because I had certain necessary time jumps within the story that led to my MC sitting around passively while we both waited, which was so far out of character. Actually, as I was starting the third draft I realized I somehow still didn't have a complete handle on her, so I started a character map on a huge sheet of paper and finally landed on the specific aspects of her worldview and self-image that let me get into her head better, and everything about the story improved with that, as you'd expect.
I wonder to myself how much my editing process will shift with each story, whether they'll end up needing very different changes or if my issues will fall into a pattern. All I know is I've felt myself learning an incredible amount from going through it this first time, most of which I couldn't effectively put into words. I'm glad it's going well for you so far! I hope that continues. Process is something I find very interesting as well.
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Date: 2015-02-02 06:18 pm (UTC)I've made a lot of big changes so after I'm done with the worldbuilding, the next step I've decided on is making up a new scene list out of the old one and the notes I made about what to add and remove. Then I'm going to copy the whole thing into a new file and cut mercilessly and add the new writing where necessary before going through and making sure it all flows the way it should. If that goes well then I can finally work on polishing the language.
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Date: 2015-02-02 07:13 pm (UTC)One thing I've liked about editing is the increased focus on story structure. Determining when to raise the stakes further, developing this thing to build a bigger impact for that thing, mentioning this other thing intentionally enough but subtly enough to create that Surprise! Oh... Things that first drafts can't fully take into account.
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Date: 2015-02-02 07:34 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2015-02-02 07:58 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2015-02-10 05:08 pm (UTC)Then I go through my checklist one point at a time and make the alterations in turn. This is because there are usually quite a few changes to make and I can get confused if I try to work through the whole story changing everything as I go. Far better to work on one issue at a time and tick it off.
When revising, I tend to accidentally forget which characters are supposed to know what plot point when, and get it all mixed up, if I don't go back through it strictly in order. It's not a problem for me when I write the first draft but that tends to happen with me a lot afterwards in edit.
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Date: 2015-02-04 09:21 am (UTC)#2 Then I make the corrections, and do a second read-through, this time reading aloud if time (and vocal chords!) permit. Change anything that sounds awkward.
#3 I go through and single out whole sections that could be cut without the fic suffering and I cut them out (but remember to save a copy!). Then I bullet-point the scenes if I haven't already done so and see if there's a transition missing, or if something needs to be explained in further detail, or if characters' actions make sense based on their personalities, and if not, how can I change the actions. Make changes.
Then repeat #1 & #2.
But seriously, I never edit enough D= Editing is difficult!
I recently re-read Stein on Writing by Sol Stein and it was full of really good advice for this sort of thing. If you haven't read that book, consider picking up a copy!