My dear friend Johnathan S. Pembrook mentioned that his edits were not quite like one I posted in the last entry, so I wanted to put it out to whomever is out there reading in blog land:
Like you touched on in your previous entry, it's tough for me to say because it depends on the story. For the story I'm currently working on, first draft was getting down the basic skeleton--mostly plot, but whatever else came along with it during my verbal spewage. When I finished the first draft, it was easy to see that the structure worked and was able to do what I wanted it to do thematically. So for my second draft I'm working on 1) fleshing out (or add in where missing) description and detail and 2) focusing on the characters (I'm usually discovering them along the way in the first draft, so the second is where I try to get deeper into their heads and edit so that they're consistent with what I learned about them in draft 1). When I'm done with the second draft, I'll go back and get more nitpicky about language, flow, grammar and all that. Then I'll usually have some folks look at it (there have been exceptions where I've been confident enough to send it out without crits), I'll fix anything I feel needs fixing based on feedback, and then off into the world it goes (unless folks ripped it apart so badly that I feel the revision needs a beta read before I send it out).
But that's one story. There's a whole other level of editing before I get into the setting and character stage sometimes if the structure doesn't work. With those I'll look at everything I have and what it's doing for the scene it's in, decide if it needs to be there, and either cut, leave it be, or move it to another point in the story accordingly. And that process usually helps me see where I'm missing something. Usually. There was one story that it wasn't until critiques that I realized I needed to add a scene. None of the critiques specifically suggested that addition, but they all had a sense that something was needed and I realized the added scene would address what they were all getting at.
As I've mentioned before, I do a lot of editing and rewriting while putting the first draft together, so it's all kind of a seamless process.
The life cycle of one of my stories tends to go like this...
Drafting:
-Get an idea. Turn it over in the brain for 30-60 days to dream up some scenes and dialogue exchanges. -Write a few scenes, see how it comes out--if the mood and voice are how I imagined, etc. If it's not coming out right, start over with a clean file as often as necessary. Crack out some lines/snippets that are right and keep these separate for reference. Maybe do some reading for help/inspiration. -When working on a deadline, write up a short summary or a list of scenes so I know where it's going and how much I have left to do. -Continue writing. Reread regularly to refine language and imagery, or to move things around for pacing issues. Fret over large structural or plot problems I know I won't figure out how to fix before the draft is done. -See deadline looming. Fret more. -Finish draft. Submit for critique. Feel awesome. -Reread draft a few times over the next few days to reinforce awesomeness.
Revising:
-Get critiques. Make notes on what I agree with and how to address it. -Engage in conversation with trusted folks. Ask about concerns I had about the story that weren't addressed in critique. Be told most of these concerns aren't a problem. Don't believe them. -Put it away for awhile (at least a month). -Reread story. Be horrified. Open critiques again, realize I agree with them on many more issues than I did in the beginning. -Turn it over in the brain to determine best revising strategy. (Often involves reorganizing the story from scratch.) May decide to shelve the story at this stage if no obvious solution presents itself. -Reread story again, fix issues with imagery, rhythm, and prose. This is mostly a warm-up exercise to get into the feel of the story again. -Draft any new material or scenes that need to be completely reworked. Work from a clean document. -Paste and/or retype any old material that's retained into the new document. -Reread it again from beginning to end without stopping to ensure good flow. -Continue to refine. -Depending on the circumstances, seek critique on the new draft.
1) Get idea, write story. 2) Run through spellcheck. 3) Wife reads, offers feedback. 4) Revise. Could be anything from word usage to gaping plot holes. 5) Post for critiques and make revisions. 6) Repeat #5. 7) Shelve or submit.
Short of #1, I have skipped every step in that list multiple times.
Typically I put some thought into structure issues as I'm writing the first draft--usually not at the very beginning, but at some point before I've actually written the ending.
After that point, the process often goes something like this:
*after a short break (sometimes as little as a day, sometimes quite a bit longer), do a quick read/revision to catch awkward wording issues, fix obvious continuity stuff, and shore up any more structural stuff I've noticed but hadn't fixed while writing *post at FW and DD for critiques *read the critiques as they come in but otherwise ignore the story for at least a few months *after 3 or so months, reread the story and critiques and try to address the things people brought up (as appropriate) and anything else that occurs to me. Usually that involves: -trying to visualize a picture for the story's movement (is it a there-and-back thing, an escalating spiral, a convergence of two things (or divergence), etc.--I like to scribble a doodle of the story's structure in that way to help me see how it holds up and what it might need) -reading through a printed copy of the story two or more times -making the changes on the digital copy -reading the story aloud
Then it's usually off to markets. I might go through more revisions if I get specific feedback from an editor or if it's been awhile and through several rejections. Only rarely is that a full-scale revision, though.
Dan, that's a good point, about waiting on a story for 3 months. I don't let mine sit that long but I notice that if I put it away for a while, I am able to come back to it in a more objective manner. The longer the tale, the longer I need to put it away.
Like you touched on in your previous entry, it's tough for me to say because it depends on the story. For the story I'm currently working on, first draft was getting down the basic skeleton--mostly plot, but whatever else came along with it during my verbal spewage. When I finished the first draft, it was easy to see that the structure worked and was able to do what I wanted it to do thematically. So for my second draft I'm working on 1) fleshing out (or add in where missing) description and detail and 2) focusing on the characters (I'm usually discovering them along the way in the first draft, so the second is where I try to get deeper into their heads and edit so that they're consistent with what I learned about them in draft 1). When I'm done with the second draft, I'll go back and get more nitpicky about language, flow, grammar and all that. Then I'll usually have some folks look at it (there have been exceptions where I've been confident enough to send it out without crits), I'll fix anything I feel needs fixing based on feedback, and then off into the world it goes (unless folks ripped it apart so badly that I feel the revision needs a beta read before I send it out).
ReplyDeleteBut that's one story. There's a whole other level of editing before I get into the setting and character stage sometimes if the structure doesn't work. With those I'll look at everything I have and what it's doing for the scene it's in, decide if it needs to be there, and either cut, leave it be, or move it to another point in the story accordingly. And that process usually helps me see where I'm missing something. Usually. There was one story that it wasn't until critiques that I realized I needed to add a scene. None of the critiques specifically suggested that addition, but they all had a sense that something was needed and I realized the added scene would address what they were all getting at.
As I've mentioned before, I do a lot of editing and rewriting while putting the first draft together, so it's all kind of a seamless process.
ReplyDeleteThe life cycle of one of my stories tends to go like this...
Drafting:
-Get an idea. Turn it over in the brain for 30-60 days to dream up some scenes and dialogue exchanges.
-Write a few scenes, see how it comes out--if the mood and voice are how I imagined, etc. If it's not coming out right, start over with a clean file as often as necessary. Crack out some lines/snippets that are right and keep these separate for reference. Maybe do some reading for help/inspiration.
-When working on a deadline, write up a short summary or a list of scenes so I know where it's going and how much I have left to do.
-Continue writing. Reread regularly to refine language and imagery, or to move things around for pacing issues. Fret over large structural or plot problems I know I won't figure out how to fix before the draft is done.
-See deadline looming. Fret more.
-Finish draft. Submit for critique. Feel awesome.
-Reread draft a few times over the next few days to reinforce awesomeness.
Revising:
-Get critiques. Make notes on what I agree with and how to address it.
-Engage in conversation with trusted folks. Ask about concerns I had about the story that weren't addressed in critique. Be told most of these concerns aren't a problem. Don't believe them.
-Put it away for awhile (at least a month).
-Reread story. Be horrified. Open critiques again, realize I agree with them on many more issues than I did in the beginning.
-Turn it over in the brain to determine best revising strategy. (Often involves reorganizing the story from scratch.) May decide to shelve the story at this stage if no obvious solution presents itself.
-Reread story again, fix issues with imagery, rhythm, and prose. This is mostly a warm-up exercise to get into the feel of the story again.
-Draft any new material or scenes that need to be completely reworked. Work from a clean document.
-Paste and/or retype any old material that's retained into the new document.
-Reread it again from beginning to end without stopping to ensure good flow.
-Continue to refine.
-Depending on the circumstances, seek critique on the new draft.
That's as far as I've gotten.
Good grief. My process consists of:
ReplyDelete1) Get idea, write story.
2) Run through spellcheck.
3) Wife reads, offers feedback.
4) Revise. Could be anything from word usage to gaping plot holes.
5) Post for critiques and make revisions.
6) Repeat #5.
7) Shelve or submit.
Short of #1, I have skipped every step in that list multiple times.
I have to get better at this. :p
Typically I put some thought into structure issues as I'm writing the first draft--usually not at the very beginning, but at some point before I've actually written the ending.
ReplyDeleteAfter that point, the process often goes something like this:
*after a short break (sometimes as little as a day, sometimes quite a bit longer), do a quick read/revision to catch awkward wording issues, fix obvious continuity stuff, and shore up any more structural stuff I've noticed but hadn't fixed while writing
*post at FW and DD for critiques
*read the critiques as they come in but otherwise ignore the story for at least a few months
*after 3 or so months, reread the story and critiques and try to address the things people brought up (as appropriate) and anything else that occurs to me. Usually that involves:
-trying to visualize a picture for the story's movement (is it a there-and-back thing, an escalating spiral, a convergence of two things (or divergence), etc.--I like to scribble a doodle of the story's structure in that way to help me see how it holds up and what it might need)
-reading through a printed copy of the story two or more times
-making the changes on the digital copy
-reading the story aloud
Then it's usually off to markets. I might go through more revisions if I get specific feedback from an editor or if it's been awhile and through several rejections. Only rarely is that a full-scale revision, though.
Thank you guys so much! You're very awesome for sharing!
ReplyDeleteDan, that's a good point, about waiting on a story for 3 months. I don't let mine sit that long but I notice that if I put it away for a while, I am able to come back to it in a more objective manner. The longer the tale, the longer I need to put it away.
ReplyDelete