September 24, 2008

I’m down to revising the final chapter of a novel, and what a different feeling than when I started this last revision. I’d had it critiqued by several people, and the number of suggestions looked daunting. I wasn’t sure I could make the changes. For two days, I sat and stared at the screen, ate a lot of chocolate, scrolled through the chapters trying to decide where to start–and then stopped for the day.

Then I remembered to take things one step at a time, like I always tell students and workshop participants. Little by little, it isn’t so scary. And don’t try to re-invent the wheel. Get help! For example, a whole single-spaced page of suggestions was for the opening chapter (which had been revised four times already). For help I turned to a terrific book on my shelf, Hooked: write fiction that grabs readers at page one and never lets them go by Les Edgerton. I also reviewed a couple chapters from Self-Editing for Fiction Writers: How to Edit Yourself into Print by Renni Browne and Dave King. As I tackled each suggestion, one at a time, I read articles or chapters on a particular problem or issue. The list suddenly became do-able. Bit by bit, suggestion by suggestion, change by change, I’ve watched the novel grow stronger and more believable.

What do you do when you’re stuck in a revision? What helps get you moving again? I’d love to try your ideas for myself!

4 Comments »

1. 

   Thank you for sharing your experiences in revision. I’m not there now, but I’m tucking away ideas and forming a concept of how it may be for me someday. Your blog encourages me to keep going.

   Comment by myrtle — September 25, 2008 @ 4:05 pm

2. 

   Myrtle, thank you for your comment about encouraging you to keep going. You made my day! We’re all in this together, regardless of the stage we’re at currently. These days I revise more–not less–than I did in the beginning. That’s been a surprise, but the more you learn about writing, the more you see that needs fixing in your manuscript!

   Comment by Kristi Holl — September 26, 2008 @ 12:42 am

3. 

   I should throw in my kudos, too. I don’t comment a lot, but I’ve been with you here from the beginning, and I love your words of wisdom! It’s nice to see that even published authors still struggle, but can take the time to encourage those of us still trying to establish ourselves.

   Comment by Alice — September 26, 2008 @ 5:26 pm

4. 

   Oh, Alice, all published writers still struggle. At least, all the ones I know do. You stop thinking about it though. And I’ve finally stopped being a Drama Queen about it. I used to act like writer’s block was some dread disease I had, requiring all kinds of special treatments. Now I realize it’s like the mailman who has flat feet–it goes with the territory. It makes it less of a big deal.

   Comment by Kristi Holl — September 26, 2008 @ 8:50 pm

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