I’m still working on reading through my story and making notes on where more info is needed. I’m trying to get through it quickly so it doesn’t fade too much. I’m hoping doing it fast will help me remember which sections I thought were going to need more info or added scenes while I was writing.
Meanwhile, I’ve also been thinking about how to proceed after this read-through. I plan to have that done by the end of December 31, and then the story is going to need some time to rest before I start revisions. I’m planning to let it rest through January.
While it’s resting (okay, I’ve already started this), I’m going to read up on good ways of revising a novel. Since this is the first time I’ve actually gotten to the end of a long work, this is going to be my first try at revising one. I’m thinking the first pass will be to go through and add in the scenes and info from the notes I’m making right now. That should give me a more complete first draft to work with. After that part, though, I’m not sure how to proceed. So, research time!
I’m also trying to figure out how to do revisions and write at the same time. Are you really supposed to stop writing while you’re revising something? That doesn’t feel right to me.
I’d love to hear about any methods (books, workshops, anything) that other writers use for their revisions. And I’d really love to hear how you balance writing and revising.
I hope everyone’s having a great writing week!
I know there are some people who only write or only revise. I can’t do that. I have to be creating new words or my brain is not happy. But, that doesn’t work for everyone.
Fallon, the idea of only doing one or the other doesn’t feel right to me, either. I’m just trying to figure out how to do both, and I have no idea how that might look.
I’m impressed you are being so methodical. I’d still be roaming the streets accosting people like Scrooge at the end of “A Christmas Carol” if I had just finished my novel! As for revision, our own Beth Camp wrote a great step-by-step revision path as a sponsor post. I’ll add the link later.
Here’s the link, Kim: https://aroundofwordsin80days.wordpress.com/2015/01/26/how-about-a-new-process-for-revision-by-beth-camp/
As for balancing writing and revision, I can be at different stages on different projects, but they have to be very different–plotting and revising–or at least very different genres–memoir and historical romance.
I suspect I’m going to have to try different things and be open to making changes in my routines frequently until I find what works for me. I hate that part! I like to just make a plan and go. This will be good for working on patience, I think.
Elizabeth, I’m being methodical so I *don’t* go running around accosting people. 😀
Thanks for the link! I will check that out.