Over the past couple of years, as I've sort of immersed myself in the writing world, I've heard many people refer to the revision period of a novel as the time when your work truly begins to shine. Some authors claim it's their favorite thing to do, that they can't wait to rip and shred and transform their writing into their finished product. Doesn't that sound lovely?
For me, it's far from poetic. I loathe revisions, even if I do respect them as a necesary part of the process. I'll admit that I'd rather be writing new things, though. Going back to rehash the same chapters over and over is a tedious process in my opinion. A segment that took me two hours to write, takes me at least twice that to hem and haw over how I can change the description of the surroundings to make it more vivid, etc. I'm determined to push through and make FAKING IT the best it can be, but man, I'd pay big money to skip this part of writing.
After some mild success with my first round of queries, I'm getting ready to embark on a new set. Hence the sudden need to rip my hair out over these chapters. I just finished chapter three -- only about twenty-one to go. Oh the fun of it all.
Anyway -- despite my complaints, I can see the manuscript improving as a whole. The descriptions I'm adding are setting the scene better, making what I have pop. So, even if I hate it, I keep reminding myself it's for the best.
Anyone want to share their revision experiences? Is it just me?
2 comments:
Hi Jen,
Revisions are a necessary evil that I do not enjoy. I would much rather continue on with the telling of the story. Typically, I continue to write until I am at a loss for what else should happen. This is when I go back and edit previous chapters. Sometimes, I will find the smallest mention of something that becomes a catalyst for a new thread in the story. I love discovering small setups that I wasn't even aware of with the original writing. This serendipity almost makes revisions worthwhile.
Carol,
I hate them so. (g) But yes, definitely a necessary evil. I could see the new threads being a huge bonus, but I don't write at all linearly. Oh the fun.
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