You've completed your first draft. You type "The End" and let out a content sigh. The hard part is over, right?
For some of you, yes. For me? No.
Unless you revise and polish your work as you're writing your first draft, you are now faced with the next portion of the writing process. Revising.
I know we talk about "plotters" and "pantsters" but does the same concept apply to revising? Do pantsters wing revisions? Do plotters have detailed methods for revisions? Do you wonder about this too?
My revising method has evolved and continues to with each book I write. Unlike my pre-writing preparations, which work beautifully for me, my revising preparations leave doubt. Will they be effective? Will I miss something important? Will the book be the best it can be when I'm finished?
I don't have the answer to that yet. I am a plotter by nature, and I rely on checklists for revising.
Jill's Preparations for Revising
1. Set the first draft aside for at least two weeks, preferably longer. Do not think about the book. Work on something new.
2. When it is time to revise, make a new copy, saving the file as a second draft. (I will have three or four drafts total when the book is complete.)
3. Print a copy of my revisions checklist. It's basically a how-to guide I've compiled so I don't miss anything.
4. Remind myself that revising takes time. By systematically attacking each item on my list, I will eventually finish.
If you're new to revising, I recommend keeping a copy of each draft you revise. If you delete a scene in your second draft and then realize it was terrific and needs to be in the book, you can easily copy and paste it back in. In this day and age of practically unlimited computer file storage, it simply doesn't make sense to delete files until the project is as done as done can be.
Do you write the first draft then revise when it's complete? Or do you revise as you go? And for all of you plotters and pantsters out there, do you wing it or do you have a plan of action?
Join me on Friday when we'll discuss preparations for rewriting a book.
I have found it works best for me to just get that first draft out before I choke on revisions. The is only my second book. But with my first book, I spit it out and it was terrible. So, I spit it out again, still seat of your pants stuff and it was more the way I wanted it (without any revisions). But then when I started to revise it I realized that I wasn't doing anything right, according to all of the stuff I had been learning in the meantime and so I am writing the entire thing over, from scratch. I am getting bogged down doing it with such great care and not sure what is my working method yet.
ReplyDeleteI am enjoying NaNoWriMo because this is the part I am good at, just telling the story! Maybe that is all I really want to do, just tell stories, not write them. We will see. In the meantime I am having fun (I think...)
My first draft is pretty polished because I do revise as I go. So by the end I'm looking at bigger picture kind of things.
ReplyDeletePS. I have something for you on my blog. :)
I'm basically a pantser, although I do like to go back and massage my first draft as I write. For example, before writing anew, I'll review the last chapter I wrote to insure seamless continuity and also to edit any obvious mistakes.
ReplyDeleteI like your idea of setting the 1st draft aside and letting it simmer, so to speak. I'm antsy, though, and afraid I'll start writing something else that I won't want to break away from in order to go back and edit.
I've just completed a first draft of a YA novel, and I went back through the whole thing once (an agent is taking a look), so I have completed one full revision. That was mainly for the little things, though. I'm looking forward to getting my hands dirty and really digging in to transform it into what I know it can be.
Thanks for the great post! I needed it right now. ;-)
I never save a copy of the original-- I just revise and cut. Hmm--maybe I shouldn't?
ReplyDeleteI revise some as I go. But I usually plan to spend more time revising than it took to write.
ReplyDelete~ Wendy
Oh, I love the idea of a revision check list! I'm going to mention this to Laura! I think this will be SO helpful!
ReplyDeleteJill, Great post! I do some revising as I go, just because I can't stand letting my story stand in that first draft soup. But I always spend more time later in revisions.
ReplyDeleteThere seems to always be something that needs changing. UGH I love the checklist. Mind if we borrow it? :)
I think I do a little of everything. I revise as I go. When I'm done I make a revision outline and go through it. After that I read through the manuscript several times and change things that feel off. I wish the whole process could be more organized but it works for me.
ReplyDeleteWith this manuscript I am not revising as I go. There will be a huge revision project waiting for me at the close.
ReplyDeleteThanks for this helpful series. I like the idea of saving all the drafts, you never know when something will fit better in a different spot. Especially since I find it painful to delete anything.
I'd say that I revise as I go. I start each writing session by going back over the previous day's work and doing any obvious revisions.
ReplyDeletebut, what I am learning through the submission process is that there are always more revisions to come *sigh*
I'm still learning about what works best for me when it comes to this stuff. But I could certainly take some notes from you!
ReplyDeleteI usually just start with line edits. From there I will see issues and places that need re-writing.
ReplyDeleteI never thought about being a plotter or a panster with revising. What a great idea!
Yes, save all deleted scenes! I wish I had done that. I need some of them back, but can't get them.
ReplyDelete:(
I have to admit, I think editing is becoming my favorite part. It's akin to filling in black holes and removing warts from WIP! :)
ReplyDeleteI revise quite a bit as I go but, like Terri, I never save a copy of the original, I just edit and cut. I think at that point I really feel those changes will ultimately make the book better.
ReplyDeleteI am learning what works for me, though, and that's editing in stages. Content first. Then another go through with description and flow. Then maybe another and another for grammar or things I missed the first time. Anyway, it's a learning process. One of these days hopefully I learn what works the best for me.
I'd love to see your revision checklist.
ReplyDeleteI write first, edit later, and I'm amazed at how setting the ms aside for even a week gives me a new perspective when it comes to editing.
I look forward to your post on Friday about rewriting. Rewriting my last book took 5 months and a lot of headache, and now I'm revising it. I don't even know what draft I should consider thing.
ReplyDeleteI don't plan much as I write a first draft - at least I haven't for my last two books. I do most of my planning in the revising mode. That's when I have something tangible to work with.
I, too, would love to see your revisions checklist. I learn so much from other writers and am sure I'd find things to add to my list by seeing yours.
ReplyDeleteWant to share your revisions checklist?
ReplyDeleteI do the same as you, first draft is first, revising is for later. Otherwise, it's easy to get caught up on little things in the first draft and never finish it.
I find myself revising as I go. Sometimes I feel as though I should turn off the revisions and just write though.
ReplyDeleteGood Afternoon! It's a gorgeous, sunny fall day here!
ReplyDeleteOkay, Okay, I hear you on the revisions checklist! I'll pop it in next week. I warn you now, though, it's long!
I loved reading through all the comments and learning your process.
Thanks so much for stopping by!
I do a little revising as I go. And as far as a revision goes I have things I'm looking for, things I know I'll be doing but I'm also doing a bit of winging it. Sometimes my first read through I'll see things that I hadn't anticipated and I'll make notes or just work on them. In later revisions I'll get more specific. My revision process has been different for each book.
ReplyDeleteWow, you are way more detailed than me. Maybe I should try your way. LOL
ReplyDeleteMy revising method is three or four read-throughs. One of them I print out because I catch things better that way. I do like to leave the rough draft for a few weeks though. I think that's a great way to get some distance.
I LOVE to revise. Absolutely love it. That is when the story truly comes together for me and I can make it sing.
ReplyDeleteI usually write my first draft all the way through, revising only major parts that I need to keep the continuity of the story intact. Then I will read through it, making notes as I go, then it's on to the computer where I tackle every single page.
I agree, though, that setting it aside for awhile is crucial to get some distance from it.
Wow. You're amazing!
ReplyDelete*blush*
My first drafts come out pretty clean, so there are usually no huge revisions required. It wasn't always like this, but I think it's more of a self-preservation thing than anything else. ;) I'm a panster when I write, and when I revise. I try to read through a couple of times, checking for typos/grammar/clunkiness/vagueness/etc. and listen to my gut. I tend to try to revise the book as a whole rather than in sections, because that's how it will be read. Still a lot of work, but very much worth it for when it's polished and pretty. :D
I'm thick into revisions right now based on feedback from a freelance editor I hired to help me elevate my story. It is SO challenging because, of course, I already went through and revised the book a few times to even get it to this point. I don't revise as I write, but I don't just "hurl" words onto the page in the 1st draft, either. I do try and write well from the get-go, so I can avoid too much revising. But there is no getting around revisions...best to embrace them. Patrice
ReplyDeleteI do revise somewhat in first draft, but the second and third drafts seem to really bring the story together, tightening all the plot points, characterizations, weaving it all together smoothly.
ReplyDeleteHow come I haven't heard anyone claim they don't revise? :) Ha! Ha!
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad I'm not alone on this one!
Thanks so much for stopping by!
Okay, just so I can be the first one to claim I don't revise- I don't revise. YEAH RIGHT! Man I wish I had the talent to write an incredible story straight off. Sadly I do not!
ReplyDeleteSome parts of editing I love other parts make me pace and cry. Really. I pace. And cry.
Excellent advice about saving different files for each draft. Sounds like such a logical thing to do, yet why haven't I thought of it? I know I've cut scenes before and later found myself wishing I'd kept them around. Thanks for the idea!
ReplyDeleteI'm a plotter all the way, but as of yet I don't have any sort o system for revising. Other than I go over several (lots) of revisions and never feel quite done.
I'm a little bit of everything. I'm still learning what works best for me. I think I'll do a much better job of plotting with the next book. This rewrite has been challenging, but worth it at the same time.
ReplyDeleteI revise as I go. Usually by going back and revising the previous chapter, it gives me an update on where I was going when I stopped. I'm kinda stubborn about editing and sometimes I have to make myself move on.
ReplyDeleteI absolutely abhor printing out over 200 pages of manuscript and then sitting down to edit. I'd rather eat broken glass, but it's a necessity for any writer who wants to be successful.
I love your approach, and am going to file this away for when I start the revision process!!!
ReplyDeleteI'm definitely a better reviser than a writer!I love to tweak and adjust - I do it with clothes too....
ReplyDeleteI like the idea of a revisions checklist.
I set it aside and come back to it but I don't really have a checklist. I just start reading and make notes as I go. I do have to print it out and edit the hard copy....just a mental thing for me. But I don't save another copy unless I'm taking out major portions. If it's just a paragraph here and there, I edit the original. I may regret that someday.
ReplyDeleteThis has been such a fun discussion! I'm sorry I haven't been around more--one of those weeks, you know. To the new commenters: welcome!!
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for stopping by!
Hi
ReplyDeleteVery nice and intrestingss story.