Last week, in a naive moment, I compared revising to growing a bonsai tree, and I said I needed to "snip some here and let it grow bigger there." Yeah, sure. Just a few subtle changes -- NOT!! I had to prune Chapter 7 completely off the WIP tree and then rewrite from scratch. I'm about three quarters through, but now it's a first draft and will take even more time to revise. *sigh*
This week I'm celebrating knowing when I need to "kill my darlings" and completely rewrite.
Do you ever start revising a chapter and realize it's better to start from scratch?
CLOAKED IN FUR
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BUY: Amazon, Barnes&Noble, Kobo, iTunes
Tania Walsh is a fantastic writer and
her Paranormal novel rocks!
It's only 99-cents ~ you've got to buy it!!
Foxy's Friday Freebies!
Foxy has been nosing around the net.
When she finds great FREE STUFF, she'll feature it on Fridays Freebies posts -
When she finds great FREE STUFF, she'll feature it on Fridays Freebies posts -
- Free short stories, novellas, and novels
- Giveaways for books and swag
- Free services for authors
Here are Foxy's suggestions for July 18, 2014:
Free Fantasy Novella -- “Heart of a Dragon,” by Mary-Jean Harris, from her Soul Wanderers series pubbed by MuseItUp. (Download in PDF or ePUB --> HERE)
For Foxy's other Freebies, go to the Freebie page.
Free Fantasy Novella -- “Heart of a Dragon,” by Mary-Jean Harris, from her Soul Wanderers series pubbed by MuseItUp. (Download in PDF or ePUB --> HERE)
For Foxy's other Freebies, go to the Freebie page.
If anyone has a FREE short story (for download or online at a free ezine), novella, novel, special giveaway, or author service, please let Foxy know so she can plug you here! Write to: laura.6eg(at)gmail.com
This post is part of VikLit's blog hop, Celebrate the Small Things. To be part of this blog hop, all you have to do is follow the link and put your name on the Mr.Linky list, and then be sure to post every Friday about something you're grateful for that week. It can be about writing or family or school or general life. This is the funnest and easiest blog hop ever!
43 comments:
I try never to have to do that kind of revising.
Oh, I've been there, done that... it's hard, but once done, I realize it was the best thing I'd done... I know the chp will rock:) Thanks for sharing my sale... You're awesome.
Good luck with the revisions, they'll be worth it in the end.
Happy Friday to you!
I have been there more times than I care to count... I hat not being able to salvage anything from my words, but sometimes it's better not to.
And everyone, buy Cloaked in Fur! It's so good!
I admit I've never had to completely rewrite like that. Only because I plan my stories to death I guess. Hey, just think how amazing it will be when rewritten.
I've never had to rewrite an entire manuscript from scratch, but I've popped new chapters in that pretty much were. As for killing darlings, the first time I did it, I found it refreshing--mainly because I *knew* the part I was ripping out really didn't belong.
Yuck, that sucks, Lexa. So been there, and will be there again soon. Hoped to finished w/my current story in a few months. Cloaked in Fur looks great- I love those wolf-y eyes on the cover!
well that sucks but you also know best and would not feel better if you left it the way it was. In the end you will feel gratified
oh no!
I'm sure you wouldn't have started again if you didn't feel you had to. Good luck with your revisions.
Have a perfect weekend :)
Thank you for sharing Foxy. You always have the best products.
Been there, done that. Totally get it. Not fun. Definitely worth the effort.
I have been there and had to chop chapters right out. Once I chopped three at once, which was painful at first- but so worth it in the end. Let's the light hits other parts of the tree so they can grow. :)
Hope the rewriting/editing is going well!
Awesome about Cloaked in Fur!
~Jess
I feel your pain. I had to rewrite the ending of my novella this past week. It was dear to me, but the majority of beta readers didn't like it. *sigh*
Best of luck with your revisions!
I've discovered through revisions that my story actually starts about twenty-five pages into the manuscript. I work hard to engage the reader on page #1 but I often have to delete the intro and start again.
It's part of the process that many non-writers just don't get. All the words that pour out aren't the best on the first go around.
I have done that before and it's hard! I also write a pretty messy first draft with lots of issues which makes revising almost as hard as writing the first draft.
Lexa, in this last WiP I've deleted three times what I've kept. I feel your pain. Why are we so hard to please this round? lol sigh
Hugs! You can do it and I'll do it with you . . . somehow.
Good luck with revising! Yeah, it's hard when you need to take out that much, but hopefully the story will be stronger in the end because you were bold enough to make those kinds of changes.
Absolutely!!
Sometimes it's because of an editor's request for revisions.
Other times, it's because I've lost my way in a first draft and I have to back up and take a different direction.
I've rewritten chapters, sometimes a whole manuscript. Sometimes it's necessary.
Good luck with your revisions! One of the hardest parts for me in the manuscript I finished earlier this year was cutting an entire chapter. But it needed to be done. Have a good weekend! :)
Hey Lexa,
Nice mention of TF Walsh and "Cloaked in Fur." Penny the Jack Russell dog and modest internet superstar can relate to that.
I usually scratch before I write. Bonsai, away. Back to packing boxes and comfort a trembling Jack Russell dog who doesn't exactly like thunder and lightning...
Gary
Oh yeah. I've been happily writing chapter ten and realize I took a wrong turn back on chapter seven and I have to scrap and re-write everything from that point forward.
At least you recognized it before you got too bogged down! :)
That sucks, but I bet the new version is awesome. I can't wait to read it!
The thought terrorizes me, but I've done it a few times. I'm a slow writer which helps. I never get that far ahead of myself. However, when I've had to remove large paras, I find I have to take a mini vacation to calm my heart. Very dramatic trimming all those precious words.
That image says it all. Know exactly how you feel, but whatever you do, don't toss that chapter entirely. You never know when you'll need something in it.
I'm in the editing and rewriting stage of Killer Stilletos. So yeah. Know what you mean.
Hi Lexa - sadly it happens with blog posts too and talks .. destroy, delete ... keep printout - rescue from dustbin and reuse bits ..
Such is life - sometimes I think my head needs to turn on itself to work my way through .. good for you - and keep going and then it'll be done ..
Cheers Hilary
Revising might be like trimming up a Bonzai tree when you're in the later stages of the process.
For me, it's more like demolition and reconstruction!
I compare revision to surgery. There's major reconstructive surgery, ambulatory, and minor surgery. I try to keep them in order so that I don't have to go in and do a major operation after the fact. :)
That's funny--I was thinking about the term "Kill Your Darlings" when you were writing about revising in a previous blog! Or is it "Murder your darlings?" Can't remember--but either way, it all is for the best!
Good luck with the revisions.
Ah yes, revision pains. I'm all too familiar with them. Best wishes that your revisions go smoothly.
I was shocked with the amount of re-writing my editor demanded, but her ideas are invaluable. Now I just have to incorporate them well. At times it's a drain, but mostly I love editing.
I've downloaded T.F.Walsh's book. I like a good paranormal occasionally.
Hope you are well, Lexa.
Denise
I'm doing some pruning myself right now. It does in fact suck! :D
Love Foxy and her freebies.
Yeah, when I did my first massive rewrite on my WIP, there was some major scrapping of story elements and additions of new ones. None of my subsequent rewrites have been that drastic - more the Bonsai approach you mentioned earlier.
Ooh, that Fox thing is awesome. I'll have to keep it in mind.
Whew! I know what you mean about revising and rewriting. I've got an entire book that I wrote 12 years ago I'm planning to publish, and I just know I'm going to have to rewrite the entire thing. THE ENTIRE THING. It's going to be awesome though...when I can bring myself to do it. *crying alligator tears*
Good luck with your revisions - I hope they go smoothly! And I'm sure it will all be worth it, at the end...
Thanks for the Foxy freebies!
I hate when I have to revise like that. But it has happened!
Thanks for sharing the freebies, Lexa. I wish I had more time this week because "Heart of a Dragon" sounds really interesting. I'm backed up on my TBR list while trying to revise and edit my novel.
Sometimes, redrafting is necessary for the life of our story. It's quite a pain in the ass but in the end, hopefully, all of our hard work will pay off.
Revisions do have to happen sometimes. You can make it!
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