Where does the story start?
One of the best lessons I’ve learned as a writer is to start at the beginning.
No, really.
But deciding where a story starts isn’t always easy, because if you wrote it, it’s all good of course, all worthy, all delicious in the sense that you don’t want to throw any away even if it’s bad for you. Stories are hand crafted with care. Even crappy ones sometimes.
I’ve mentioned before that I’m big on rearranging and cutting and pasting. And that’s what’s about to happen here. A word diet of sorts, of editing and purging (in a good sense) in seeing where each bit of the story belongs and if indeed, that’s where it is. I’m not sure how to go about this, as the longest thing I’ve edited to date are about 25 pages. In that case I had to print it out, spread the pages out in chronological order so I could backtrack and circle things and draw colored lines and indicate that I wanted paragraph K to replace paragraph C.
I’m not printing out 75,000 words. Not today. I’m going to save a tree or six and do it all on the laptop. Oh, maybe I could get a hundred laptops and put a page up on each one. That would probably be worse ecologically than killing a tree.
So, here you go, internet writing buds, how do you revise, edit, rearrange long WIPs…oh excuse me…FDs. I have to figure out not only where my story starts and make sure I’ve nailed it, but where my own revision story starts.
Although I know when it starts, and that’s today.
I edit inside the document and then when I feel that I am actually close I print it out- there’s nothing like seeing the words on paper for a final rough draft edit and final final I can’t do these edits online…need paper..
I think you’ll find that a full novel is way different. You can move a few scenes around–but not many. Instead, just go through it from the top and enjoy yourself. After you’ve finished reading the whole thing through and fixing everything you can find, give it to four of your bff’s who love to read, and then let them tell you what is wrong, or what they don’t understand.. you know, that kind of stuff. I find the biggest help I get, is from my proof readers. They’re awesome!
I try to focus on different things in different edits, or I end up confusing myself. For example, for the first edit, I focus on plot. Then, I focus on character – voice, adding more backstory, making sure everything is consistent. The last two-ish edits are focused mainly on language and writing style. And hey presto! You’re done!
If you can ever be finished with a novel, that is…
Good luck!
I do not have a linear thought process, so all the hard work happens in the editing stage. I’ll have a 45-minute gush, where I can’t keep up with my pen, and it will all be very interesting and moving but what the hell does it mean? And then, for the next several weeks or months, I’m trying to find plot and a linear thought process and moving everything around and balling up paper and starting over.
I just finished a book this way and don’t recommend it.
This time around, with the new book, I’m plotting and outlining first. It is sheer heaven to see the hard stuff lock into place, and knowing, when I’m done creating a clear and compelling structure, I can go back and do what I really love and am good at, which is the detail, the emotion, and the character work.
So in awe of those with a clear head who start at the beginning and end at the end!
Amy, I’m certainly no expert. However, I did just finish writing my first, well actually my second, novel. I’m not nearly as logical as you are. I edit as I write, and when I’m done writing the book, I start at the beginning and read through the whole thing, again, while editing. As I go, I pay attention to plot, character and grammar all at the same time. Of course, I may end up doing this over and over again (see today’s post on my blog!), but that’s what works for me. I guess what I’m trying to say is – for me – editing is part of the writing process. It’s a constant. (You’re welcome. I’m sure you’re ten times more confused than before your read this!)The best advice I can give you? TRUST YOURSELF – YOU’LL BE FINE!
What I do, when I have a “completed manuscript” is to just start at the beginning read it as I would a novel – usually on the laptop first, and then I print out one copy to read just as I would a “real novel” – as I read, I get a sense of the story as a whole -with a beginning, a middle, and an end. That way, if something needs to be moved, it (I always hope) will “blare” out at me. Or, when I reach the end, I’ll see the novel as a whole entity and think: Hmm, when so and so happens, it really needs to happen later/sooner than I have it.
That’s just how my brain works. I have heard of authors spreading out pages and re-arranging them, but my stupid ole brain won’t work that way. *laugh*
But, CONGRATS on writing your words – that’s the cool thing, the fun part – the magical part.
(I’ve stopped over here from Angie’s place )
Echoing JJ here. Just start at the beginning and plow through. PS Our eyes skip over some things when reading on screen. Spring for the $30 or so at Office Depot for a print out (way cheaper/faster than trying to do it at home). Then you can move your hunnkin’ ms around with you to different locations, carpool, etc. They’ve done my 400 pages while I waited. Congrats again, Momma Amy. (I put a link on the blog today, so maybe you’ll get some better advice from visitors.)
I use Mindola SuperNotecard. I cut and paste each scene on a notecard with an appropriate title, which then creates an “automatic” outline in the left column. This gives me a bird’s eye view, and then I can make sure the rhythm of the scenes/POV/etc. work, and I can move things around easily.
I then read through and write down every little thread, hook, etc. As I go through the book, I make sure most of them are planted in the beginning, that we briefly touch base with them in the middle, and they’re tied up in the end.
Then I have Super Notecard combine it all into a single doc again, and I go through and edit for flow, and smooth out the rough edges.
I’m always tweaking, of course.
But that’s just my process! There’s fancier stuff you can do with Notecard, like use different colors and stuff. I’ve never had time; I’m a basics sort of gal!
I think time is my biggest friend, when it comes to editing. When I write a first draft, I put a lot of tangents and meandering thoughts and descriptions in — when I’ve put something aside for two months (or in the case of the novel I’m rewriting now, two years!) — the extra words, phrases, descriptions are so obvious!
But I don’t “kill” all my darlings — I often create an outtakes file — sometimes those little gem phrases will work elsewhere.
I think it’s very personal and idiosyncratic — I always start off thinking, I’m just going to edit for (for example) continuity of HAIR COLOR or some such thing, but then I get sidetracked because this bit of dialogue CANNOT STAND AS IT IS…and then it’s all downhill from there. I edit a zillion times over. I would still be editing if my editor hadn’t grabbed it out of my hands. Then again, I’m trying to be less critical, because it really gets in the way of the creative process. As we well know. I’m so excited you’re at this stage, yay yay yay! OH and I waste a LOT of trees. A LOT. I will print out several chapters (I like to look at 3-4 chapters at a time, sort of one big movement of the plot) then start revising, so a week later I have to print out the whole thing again. Don’t have any preconceptions (I will save trees) is my advice, and get yourself a super-fast b/w printer (30 ppm at least). And huzzah!
I usually follow a pretty organized approach to revisions …
First, I read the whole book on hard copy (I know it sucks to print, but it’s the only way for me). Along the way, I’m making notes in the margins for big issues — theme, bad transitions. Big stuff.
Second, if I notice any major problems, I’ll reoutline that section, or produce new sketches to fix it. I’m still not working in the actual manuscript at this point, but often in notebooks or separate files.
Next, I’ll do an editing pass, from the beginning. At this point, I’m looking to handle big stuff. I’ll edit with the hard copy in front of me, page by page, addressing any of the notes I made. I’ll also handle the big stuff I identified. This might might new chapters, a new ending, whatever. This can be a pretty major edit, in which I’m still open to deleting whole chapters or revising major sections of the book.
Once this is done, I’ll start reading for each character. I’m a big fan of F/R, and I’ll often go through a book with the Find function, searching for each character by name and reading the book only through their plot lines. At this time, I’ll adjust their dialogue and emotional arc so if you just look at them, in isolation, their story still hangs together. The MC is ALWAYS last, because I find that I’m usually tinkering with this person as I deal with the other characters, and they are the most important.
After I’ve gotten this far, I’ve been through the book usually 5 or 6 times, but in pieces. So I’ll read it again from the beginning, working onscreen and really drilling down into the writing itself. Until now, I’m usually not too concerned with word-by-word stuff. But now I start to polish. I’ll get rid of every unnecessary word I can find. Look for better verbs. Heap derision on my prepositions. Look for ways to reduce paragraph length (I write MG) and generally work over the text.
Finally, I’ll print it out again (recycled paper rules!) and read it one more time on hard copy. At this point, I should be finding only little stuff, but I’m also keeping an eye on the big picture. Does this feel like a novel? Is it tight? Is it compulsively readable? Do I find myself stopping at any particular place? Am I moved? Hopefully, I will have addressed all these issues by now, but you never know.
Then I’ll make one last pass to clean up any little issues and I’m done.
I know this process sounds sort of bloodless and methodical, but it works for me. Part of my problem is speed: I write and read too fast. I have a tendency to skim and skip. By forcing myself to make many passes, concentrating on discrete and small issues, I force myself to pay attention to the whole book.
Good luck!
My favorite part about starting this stage was saving a new document called “Second Draft.”
Then I start reading and note where things don’t make sense. For me, the Track Changes function in Word is good because I don’t have to stop right then if I don’t want to. I also start trying to pay attention to just one thing, but after 20 pages I get sidetracked and check everything.
Good luck!
Well, I’ve got an interesting system.
When I’ve finished the first draft, I DO kill trees and print the whole thing out. Then I curl up and read it, making notes in the margins as I go (I’m tactile…I love the feeling of that manuscript in my hands).
Then I’ll go to the computer and use the “track changes” feature in Word to do edits.
When I have what I would consider “draft 2″ complete, I print out 2 copies of each chapter, several at a time. Mr. Authoress and I then sit on the sofa together (usually with wine) and go through it together — lots of times with Mr. A. reading out loud. This system NAILS weak dialogue and purple prose, as Mr. A. has a particular talent for bringing out the ridiculous (and making me belly laugh at my own ludicrous word choices).
As we complete each batch of chapters, I return to Word and use “track changes” to edit each chapter. We repeat this process until the new draft is finished.
And of course, the process is repeated yet again as I implement feedback from personal rejections (collectively, not one at a time — I mean, this biz is so subjective!).
What timing! I just finished the last tweaks on my latest novel yesterday. I love editing. I love the white-knuckle fear of discovering I’ve written myself into a corner, and the satisfaction of finding a way out. I go through about 4-6 printed drafts, and in between, several screen drafts. My most recent helpful tool is a taped-together printed table of contents, highlighting each POV in a different color.
Regarding beginnings – for my last three of four novels, my original beginning ends up about 10-15 pages in or in the garbage. I probably rewrite the first 50 pages of my novels three times as much as the rest of the book.
Good luck!
This is, without a doubt, one of the toughest parts of writing. I just completed a column, and it took me hours to shave off a mere 200 words. So with a long WIP, it’s a much tougher project.
I have to distance myself emotionally from a project and look at it from a purely objective standpoint. It helps if I can take time away from the work before embarking on the editing portion. If it’s a long WIP, I need at least a week, maybe more. For a column, a night of sleep is sufficient time.
Of course I have no advice, but I wish you the best of luck and I am sure you will come up with something brillant!!
One of the things I do, is I Make a new outline first. The outline is a summary of exactly what actually happens in the plot in every chapter. This gives me a birds eye view of it.
Then I look over that and figure out what I need that I’m missing, and make a new outline and go from there.
Also, for things like copy-editing help, I have CP’s/beta readers, but I’m truly convinced human beings can’t catch everything. Though neither can software, so I use a combo approach. I use a software called “Editor” made by “Serenity Software” If you google the company it will come up. And it’s one of the best editing softwares I’ve ever seen.
It really helped me to clean up KEPT a lot and caught a lot of things that no human being caught. Partly because some of it was an issue of style and redundancy, but that’s just as important as typos.