Coming to the end of yet another revision. The more you see the more you see. A few first readers commented that one of my major characters disappeared in the middle of the book. I made a map of where and when all the characters appeared and sure enough she had fallen into the grand canyon. It took a lot of rejiggering to get it right, and then another reader pointed our that there was still a hole. I found the errant flashback and popped in its rightful chronological place. It slid in easily with a few minor adjustments. The world may rest easy.
Writing or revising? What turns you on?
Filed under: Uncategorized |
Betsy Lerner 
Revising. Hands down. Crazy making but there’s something so satisfying in it.
Writing. I like letting it all out, letting the chips fall where they may. This part is fun. Although necessary, the revisions can be, you know, work.
“Writing or revising? What turns you on?”
All of it. I am writermorphously perverse.
I enjoy “finishing” even though there will be changes. Luckily, I love to read my words over and over, so I love revising. A little bit of an egomaniac. I admit it!
I’m pretty good on first drafts. They’re a mess, but I don’t mind. I don’t mind revising either. It can be fun spotting something so stupid, you’re stupid. After a blur of revisions and I’m ready to give my work the good kicking it deserves, and I hate it with such a passion I’d have crucified Christ, well, it’s all glory and no resurrection. ps. I’m reading your book An Editor’s Advice. I’ts good in that it’s true. But the lady you mention that published a book about nurture (as in nature/nature) being wrong and having a bestseller, you have her aged 65, but have her born in 1962 (my year of annunciation) and you have her as recent. One of these doesn’t ring true. Nobody is perfect.
Both – but I prefer revising – as long as in doing so, I don’t find that dreaded plot hole you mention. B/c then I might feel compelled to have about a dozen of those lovely Krispy Kremes. (you can thank NC for them!)😋🍩
I love it all! Getting it all down on paper is a huge relief. Just getting everything out of your head feels like an enormous accomplishment. However, I have to say that the revisions are just a bit more exciting than the first draft. To hone your words into sentences and paragraphs that are the essence of the emotions you are trying to convey isn’t just satisfying, it’s magical.