Tag: revision

April #InkRipples: 5 Tips for Revising that Manuscript

April 12, 2017 / Katie L. Carroll

Now that you all know from my earlier April #InkRipples post that revision isn’t my favorite part of the writing process, I’ll share some tips on how I try to make it easier on myself. Some of these work for my particular process and some are more general, but I hope you find them helpful. And as with so many things in writing, if they don’t resonate with you, then feel free to ignore them!

Take Time Away (But Not Too Long)

So you’ve finished that first draft and celebrated (and, yes, you should always celebrate such a milestone). Now what? File said manuscript away and take a break from it. Get outside and enjoy some fresh air, take a shower, go on vacation, start a new project…do something other than think about that newly finished draft.

I’m not going to give a set timeline for how long to stay away, but I’d say at least two weeks. Do set a deadline, though, for coming back to it; otherwise you might just find yourself in a perpetual state of procrastination (this from the girl who procrastinates so well on revision that she procrastinated on writing her blog posts about revisions!). The key is to come back to it with fresh eyes so you can have some semblance of objectivity but not wait so long that it feels like old news.

Have a Plan (But Be Flexible)

I find starting revisions to be incredibly overwhelming and having a plan is one way to make it feel more manageable. It breaks down the process of revision into measurable tasks that can be checked off, so you can see you’re actually making progress.

I have actually started creating my revision plan while I’m drafting. I keep a document in my project folder (or take notes in my notebook and transfer them to the document) with a list of things to tackle in revisions. This helps keep me from going back and revising while I’m still drafting (more on this in the next tip). Some notes are as simple as filling in a detail I didn’t want to stop and research in the moment. Others are big, like fix that giant plot hole you’ve written yourself into. One task that inevitably shows up is to do a search for that manuscripts crutch words and eliminate as many as possible (for one recent manuscript “just” and “even” were among the offenders).

Also, recognize that your plan may change as you go along and may even expand at times as you notice new things that need to be addressed during revision. Things on your list may need to be thrown out all together. (Yup, I’m talking about revising your revision plan!) That’s where the flexibility part comes in.

Start Big (Then Move to Small)

Once I have a good working plan, I like to break it down into big revisions and small revisions. Big revisions are things like fixing plot holes, adding or getting rid of scenes, fleshing out characters, changing point of views. Basically getting the story in shape and not necessarily about the words used to tell it.

Small revisions are when you start to look at the language, grammar, and the nitpicky parts of writing. Does the writing have good flow, interesting language, strong verbs, sparse adverbs, action tags instead of a ton of dialogue tags, varied sentence structure? These are a few examples, but basically small revisions are more about the words you are using and the way they are put together and less about the story.

I recommend starting with big revisions and then moving to the small ones because it’ll probably end up saving you time in the long run. Why bother making the language of a scene shine only to later end up deleting it all because of a plot change? I used to spend so much effort going back to older pages and revising while I was in the process of drafting a novel. I know some writers who do this and do it with success, but I don’t revise while drafting anymore. It’s helped me to be a faster drafter, even if it feels like the drafts are messier. In the long run I save a lot of time and hassle by moving forward while drafting (and jotting down those revision notes as I go along) and saving the revisions for later.

Know Your Strengths (and Weaknesses)

This bit of advice applies both to your strengths and weaknesses as a writer and the strengths and weaknesses of the particular manuscript you’re working on. I know I’m a very plot driven writer, so I’m always pushing myself to be better when it comes to character and voice. But I try not to worry about those things too much while drafting. I let the plot drive my first drafts and then tackle my weaker areas in revision. It gives me a certain confidence to know at least that one area will be strong as I go into revisions.

Aside from my strengths and weaknesses as a writer in general, I find each manuscript has its own set of them as well, somewhat independent of mine as a writer. The first novel I ever wrote (ELIXIR BOUND) was full of repetitive over-written descriptions. I often said the same thing in three different ways, so one major part of my revisions for it was to pick the best description and delete the others (or rework them into a single, stronger one). It also was a hot mess when it came to point of view. Another manuscript (BLACK BUTTERFLY) was drafted one scene at a time and they weren’t written in any particular order. This story has flashbacks that could have been worked into the story in a lot of different ways and other scenes that could have been moved around chronologically. A big revision point was not only figuring out the best sequence of events but also how the flashbacks would fit in.

Ask for Help (If You Get Stuck)

Despite you’re best efforts at having a plan and executing it to better your manuscript, there may come a time in the revision process where you simply get stuck. You’re not sure what you’re doing anymore or if what you’re doing is making the manuscript better or worse. Or maybe everything just feels like it belongs on a heaping pile of dung. Like when you first finish that draft, it’s a good time to take a break. It’s probably more a matter that you’ve lost all objectivity on your own work and not so much that it sucks!

This is a good time to have one or two trusted beta readers. It can be incredibly scary share your work with others when you’re feeling bad about it, but it can also be incredibly rewarding. In a moment of insecurity, it’s best not to share work with people you haven’t worked with before, but it can be a lifesaver to share it with someone who you trust to put you back on track.

If you don’t have someone like this in your writing life yet, try reaching out to different writing communities and connecting with a new critique partner. Offer to do a few chapter swap and share with them something more polished than the work that’s giving you trouble. If it feels like a good match, go ahead and send them the hot mess and see what they make of it (and if it doesn’t feel like a good match, try again with someone new). Hopefully you’ll get some great feedback (and then you’ll have to start the whole revision process all over again!).

Okay, that’s all I’ve got for now! What are your best revision tips?

#InkRipples is a monthly meme created by Katie L. Carroll, Mary Waibel, and Kai Strand. We pick a topic (April is about revision), drop a ripple in the inkwell (i.e. write about it on our blogs), and see where the conversation goes. We’d love to have you join in the conversation on your own blogs or on your social media page. Full details and each month’s topic can be found on my #InkRipples page.

April #InkRipples: Revision is Hard

April 3, 2017 / Katie L. Carroll

Join Kai Strand, Mary Waibel, and Katie L. Carroll (that’s me!) for April #InkRipples, which is all about revision.

There is more to writing a novel than simply putting words on a page and calling it a book. It’s a process. A major part of that process is revision. And it’s not my favorite part. I much prefer the excitement of drafting when I’m adding words and feeling the story come together. Once the first draft is done, it’s always such a letdown to think about the story I conceptualized and realize the rudimentary version I have is nothing close to that.

Not all writers feel this way. I’ve known some who go as far as to say they love revising! Sadly that is just not the case for me. Revision often feels overwhelming to the point that I am inclined to avoid it. Of course I want my work to be the best it can be, but I find it’s hard to know how to specifically make it better and to be objective about my work (one day I can love what I’ve written, and the next hate that very same piece of writing). I actually think I’m much better at having insights into other people’s work and helping them on a path to revision.

Another obstacle is that I’ve found each manuscript ends up having different needs in revision. It’s hard to come up with a foolproof method of revising when the same thing never works on two different stories. But through trial-and-error and becoming more knowledgeable about the process (from writing workshops and reading about what other writers do) I have managed to come up with some techniques to help with the daunting process of revision. Stay tuned next week for when I share some of those tips!

A No-Nonsense Approach to Revision by Patrick Scalisi

April 18, 2014 / Katie L. Carroll

My writing/editing buddy from college Patrick Scalisi graciously agreed to guest post on the blog today, and with great advice on the dreaded (at least if you’re me it’s dreaded) revision. Be sure to check out his book coming later this year from Hazardous Press. Welcome, Patrick!

A No-Nonsense Approach to Revision

by Patrick Scalisi

Editing is often a dirty word among writers. I myself have often used the axiom that creating is more fun than correcting, which is to say that revising one’s work is less thrilling than the sheer adventure of crafting a new story from scratch.

Like it or not, though, revision is an essential part of the writing process, the method by which you make your work truly shine. I’m not going to lie and say that editing isn’t an arduous, frustrating and time-consuming process. It is. But editing also lets you put your best self into the world when your book, short story or poem finds its way onto a bookshelf or someone’s e-reader.

As a professional editor for the past 10 years, I’ve had the opportunity to collaborate with writers whose work has been both very rough and very polished. Here are some insights I’ve gleaned that can help make the editing process as fruitful as possible.

Edit both on screen and on paper. Almost everyone does their writing on computers and tablets, so the inclination is strong to edit on these devices as well. For a first run-through, editing on screen can be a good idea. But make sure to print your work and edit on paper as well.

While science is still on the fence about whether our eyes can better interpret text on paper versus on screen, most studies agree that our brains work differently based on the medium we’re reading. This difference is important. Often, you’ll catch errors on paper that you missed on screen and vice versa. So no matter what you’re writing, make sure to integrate a paper edit into your revision process.

Eliminate Unnecessary Words. Your word processor’s extended search-and-replace feature (often Ctrl-F in Windows or ⌘-F on a Mac) lets you easily find problem words — like adverbs — that can weaken your manuscript.

During the revision process, I like to do a document-wide search for “ly.” This lets me identify most of the adverbs and evaluate each one to see if it’s really necessary or if it can be replaced with a stronger verb.

In addition, this list from writer Juliet Madison is extremely helpful in identifying and replacing other trouble words like “very” and “almost.”

Get HONEST opinions from people you trust. At some point, you’re going to want to share your work with someone else to get an outside opinion on the story / novel / poem’s strengths and weaknesses. These people are often called “beta readers.” Choosing beta readers, however, can be just as tricky as finding a stronger verb to replace that adverb.

Beta readers should, above all else, be someone that you trust to give HONEST feedback. Surrounding yourself with yes-men who tell you that the work is “perfect” and “not to change a thing” does a disservice to you as a writer because you’re not receiving the constructive criticism you need to make the work as strong as possible.

You’ll notice I used the term “constructive criticism.” A good beta reader will tell you what he or she both liked and disliked about your work. The very best beta readers can also offer suggestions on how to fix existing problems.

So, who makes a good beta reader? In short, anyone who isn’t going to sugarcoat it for you. Parents and siblings are often a bad choice, but some writers have such strong relationships with their families that they can count on mom or dad, brother or sister to say what they liked and what they didn’t about the work. Friends who read a lot are also viable candidates.

It’s also important that you emphasize to your beta readers that their honesty won’t affect your relationship. Make sure you mean this, too. The truth is that writers have to develop thick skin to deal with rejection, critical reviews and more. Steeling yourself for feedback from your beta readers is a good place to start.

One of the best pieces of advice that I ever got from a writing teacher is to treat each sentence like a painting that you want to make as perfect as possible before moving on to the next one. A collection of these “paintings” form paragraphs, chapters, entire works whose aim is to captivate your readers. Revision is a critical part of the writing process and the one that will ultimately make your work as rewarding as possible for both creator and audience.

About the Author:

Patrick Scalisi is a journalist, magazine editor and author from Connecticut. He has published fiction in several magazines and anthologies, including The Willows, Neo-opsis, Shadowplay and Penny Dread Tales Vol. 1. Pat also edited The Ghost Is the Machine, a bestselling anthology of steampunk-horror stories from Post Mortem Press. His debut book, The Horse Thieves and Other Tales of the New West, will be released this year from Hazardous Press. Visit Pat online at patrickscalisi.com or facebook.com/patrickscalisi.

Meet Antje Hergt Author of Darinel Dragonhunter

August 2, 2013 / Katie L. Carroll

Seems the guest bloggers can’t get enough of the Observation Desk. Today I have fellow Muser Antje Hergt and her middle grade fantasy Darinel Dragonhunter on the topic of revision. Welcome, Antje!

Revising a pet peeve or life saver?

I often get asked what I like most about writing and I never have to think twice: the writing. The time when you sit in front of your computer and pour yourself into your story or characters faster than you can type or if I was writing long hand in my lunch breaks, the moment I got over the pain of old-fashioned writing and lost myself in filling page after page of my journals. That’s what I love about writing.

So I have to answer frankly that revising is my pet peeve, the part of writing I like the least and I procrastinate the most. After having finished my first book, working on my second and various chapter books, I have to discipline myself to not just write, but spent an equal amount revising.

Funny enough, once I am actually in the process of revising, I don’t mind so much anymore. I am so engulfed in the story now that scenes just pop up demanding to be moved or changed. The perfect flow, I thought I had achieved, suddenly wobbles, and crumbles. Watertight continuity abruptly stumbles and falls in every story hole I created and if I am really honest to myself, I take pleasure in finding them before the reader does.

After, of course, the initial groaning of having to redo complete scenes, I enjoy to dive in and rewrite parts, add dialogue and character flaws. The joy comes from the result, but the path to it is the goal. Once I convinced me/my gatekeeper that revising isn’t actually that bad and she lets me write, I realized it’s not that bad. To see the story unfold in more layers, finding deeper nuances and three-dimensional character brings a different kind of satisfaction that can be even greater than the writing process. The comparison from the first draft to the last makes the process rewarding and interesting, but I admit freely I am not a wordsmith who polishes every word, phrase and sentence. I am not writing to achieve the most innovative, crystal-sharp, and economic language you can possibly achieve, but to have fun and let the words flow. In my case, they follow their proper story guidelines and are out to entertain. So yes, they might be more flourished than necessary and I bet a skilled writer could tell my story in lesser words and more pointed images, but that is not how I write. I simply write to entertain and that is how I approach the revising and editing part of writing as well. Nothing wrong with that, I think, as long as the reader is aware of it. Don’t you think?

Thank you for joining me on Katie Carroll’s blog today.

~Antje Hergt

Darninel Dragonhunter blurb:

Prince Darinel is traveling–for what feels like forever. Expelled from his father’s kingdom, he just wants to find a new home. When a shadow lures him to a wealthy kingdom, he stays to discover more about the darkness, but the citizens are tight-lipped.

Their king welcomes the foreign Prince hoping that he will solve his two problems: the dragon and his strong-willed daughter. Coming from a warrior kingdom, Darinel despises violence, but charmed by Princess Tuskja’s dare, he sets out to confront the beast. Instead of finding a fierce dragon, he finds a friend. The dragon’s malicious humor and his love of fairy tales entangle Darinel in a summer of adventures, while danger stirs in the East, the Dark Prince. Being refused by the Princess and humiliated by the dragon, this proud prince seeks revenge.

In compliance with the king’s decree, Darinel is torn between his friendship with the dragon and his love for Princess Tuskja, whom he can only marry if he kills his friend. Before he can make a decision, the kingdom is under attack. Now it is up to the dragon to either help his friend or respect his wish to not interfere.

Darinel Dragonhunter can be found at the MuseItUp bookstore (link might not work because a new Muse site is coming soon), Amazon, Barnes & Noble, iTunes, Kobo, and other ebook retailers.

Excerpt:

“A very human viewpoint,” the voice agreed. “But it brings so much trouble.”

“Exactly. I just didn’t fit in my father’s plans and… Well, I kind of got kicked out.” Prince Darinel is traveling–for what feels like forever. Expelled from his father’s kingdom, he just wants to find a new home. When a shadow lures him to a wealthy kingdom, he stays to discover more about the darkness, but the citizens are tight-lipped.

“Really?”

“After I told my father, I was leaving,” Darinel explained, his hands moving to support his words. “I wanted to spare him the embarrassment so I packed my things and told everybody I was going on an adventure.”

“And that’s why you are here now?” the voice inquired, amused.

“Nah!” the prince said with a smirk. “I just wanted to leave with a believable explanation, so my father wouldn’t lose face for having a firstborn who doesn’t want to fight…and to make room for my little brother.”

“Lose his face? Like it would fall off?” the voice asked, confused.

The prince laughed. “Man, what rock have you been living under?”

“Why? What’s so wrong with living under a rock?” The voice sounded hurt.

The prince bit his lip to stop the laughter building up in his chest, but failed miserably. Laughing, he replied, “It’s just an expression. Haven’t you heard it before?”

“Not that I recall,” the voice said, sulking. “And I pride myself on knowing quite a few phrases.”

The prince sat up straight.

“I’m sorry. It is a common phrase where I’m from and it stands for ‘to be embarrassed by someone’s actions.’ But it also means to lose respect and honour.”

“Oh, I see. So, by admitting that you hate fighting, you would be a disappointment to your father and he would be embarrassed by you. Am I correct?” inquired the voice, eager.

The prince winced. “Yeah, you could put it like that.”

“Ha! I learned something new today!” the voice said, excited.

The prince smiled. “Glad to be of help.”

“So, what’s that got to do with your little brother?” the voice asked.

“Well, I’m the first born and so would inherit my father’s kingdom. My little brother would have been the one to leave and find his own place.” Darinel intertwined his long fingers. “But he belongs there and is madly in love with the daughter of one of the knights.” He smiled at remembering his brother’s astonished face.

“With me still being unmarried, they weren’t allowed to wed either. You know, stupid rules royalty have to live by,” he added, flinging his hands in the air. “So I decided to go. This way he can marry and stay in my father’s kingdom.”

“Quite a noble sacrifice.” The voice sounded impressed.

“Oh no…” The prince smiled, embarrassed. “It’s not a big deal.”

“Of course it is!” the voice boomed, and a few rocks splashed into the creek. “You gave up everything for your brother.”

The prince shook his head. “Isn’t that what any big brother would do?”

“I don’t know.”

The voice remained silent for a moment and Darinel watched the stream as it rushed by.

“So why are you here then?”

A grin flashed over the prince’s face. “Princess Tuskja dared me.”

“Did she now?” The voice sounded amused. “Knowing her, I can picture that.”

“You are acquainted with the princess?” He looked up, surprised.

“Well, just from her roaming around,” the voice admitted. “She has quite an inquisitive mind. She explored my mountains for a while.”

The prince nodded. “Yeah, sounds like her.”

“But then her father found out and locked her up in the castle.”

Darinel shaded his eyes, but still couldn’t make out where the voice was coming from.

“I heard rumours about that. Anyway, all I wanted to do is settle here.”

“So what happened?” the voice asked.

“I went to the king to ask his permission to stay,” the prince said, “which he granted. But then he threw in this assignment of killing the dragon and getting his daughter in reward.”

“Really?”

“Yep, that’s the deal,” the prince said. “I thanked the king and pointed out I was only interested in settling down, not marrying. That’s when the princess dared me.”

“Ouch!”

“Yeah.” He sighed. “I could not let that pass, could I? She ridiculed me in front of the whole court. So I packed my horse and came up here.”

“That’s tough,” the voice replied sympathetically.

“Yes, it is. But anyway, it’s way too hot to fight today. And I’d rather make friends than enemies. So, won’t you come out now and sit with me?” the prince offered a second time.

Silence fell over the little valley, where the creek bubbled quietly. He feared the voice had left when a loud rustle like sails in the breeze filled the air. The sun disappeared as the wind picked up. Little dust roses curled skyward and showered him with debris. He leaned into the rock as the dragon landed in front of him. With great care, the beast folded its wings, curling his tail around him. Darinel’s eyes widened with admiration. Tall as three horses stacked on top of each other and wide as a house, the dragon towered over him. His dark green scales reflected the sunlight so intensely he had to shade his eyes. Impressive claws scraped the ground as the dragon tilted his head and golden eyes studied him with keen interest.

He smiled as he observed the dragon in return. For a moment, neither of them spoke and Darinel had the feeling the beast was as curious about him as he was about it. Slowly, it lowered his triangle-shaped head to take a good sniff at him, revealing its horned eye ridges. Darinel held his breath, but strangely he didn’t feel scared, more intrigued. The dragon didn’t look mean. Its golden eyes radiated warmth and longing more than fierceness and malice. It was intelligent with a wicked sense of humour. He liked that.

“You knew it was me all along?” the dragon asked, eyeing him suspiciously.

The prince tilted his head, so he could see the dragon better and smiled. “Who else would be out here with a dangerous dragon lurking around in the mountains?”

About the Author:

Born and raised in Germany, Antje Hergt came to explore the Canadian Rockies in Canmore, Alberta in 2003. Taking part in the Writing-with-Style Program at the Banff Centre for the Arts in 2007 encouraged her to follow her passion: writing for children. Darinel Dragonhunter is her first novel, which was inspired by her deep love for classic children literature and fairy tales. Her thrill for science fiction/fantasy movies and television shows had an outlet in various genre short stories. She is a member of the Alberta Writer’s Guild and graduated from the Justus-Liebig-University in Giessen with a degree in Modern Languages.

Currently, Antje still lives in Canmore with her snoring cat, Sally, and gets inspired by the magic of the Rocky Mountains. If she is not in Canmore, you can find her in Germany. For more about Antje