Yes. I'm ripping my baby to shreds. It's not pretty right now, but perhaps someday it will.
I've struggled with this manuscript, had all kinds of different feedback on it, and now, once again, I'm tackling another set of revisions. Sometimes I wonder if I'm killing it or molding it. Is it getting better--or worse?
What are your thoughts on revisions?
No mercy!
ReplyDeleteI LOVE revisions!!!!! It makes my stories better. Good luck!
ReplyDeleteGet rid of anything unnecessary. I deleted over 15k words from manuscript, and I'm still making little revisions here and there. It might be hard, and it might not seem like it at times, but you're making your writing so much better!
ReplyDelete<3 Gina Blechman
Being so close to our own stories can make it tough to know if we're helping or hurting them after a while.
ReplyDeleteWhen I tackle my own, I'll make passes for specific things. The game plan is Plot stuff first - filling the holes, trimming what isn't needed, and adding scenes if necessary. Then move to charcters arcs, description and setting, and dialogue, saving line edits for last.
It's kind of scary, but I'm looking forward to it. Good luck with yours! :)
It is possible to edit too much. I know because I did that with my first MS. Went through the whole thing and stuck to the facts, deleted all my voice in the name of making the MS shorter.
ReplyDeleteThat was dumb. I had to go back and try to put the voice back in after I got some real feedback.
I know the feeling - my novel has changed so much since its beginning. But at least I have the early drafts in case I need to revert.
ReplyDeleteBlech! Revisions and I have a love-hate relationship. On the one hand, I love it because it means my ms. is done. On the other, I hate it because you can literally revise something for the rest of your life. You can revise published books. So, it's difficult to know when I'm at that point where it's all good to send it out. I hope you get to that point soon. :)
ReplyDeleteGood luck, Shari! I'm sure it'll be better for it.
ReplyDeleteI get cross-eyed when I revise a manuscript from my early writing years. Too much gutting out. That's when I sigh, and then move on. I try to keep all versions in my flash drive, just in case...
I would love them if I had a nice big fat day to myself to work on them in stunningly creative methods. As it is, I feel like I'm choppy with revisions. Am trying to correct that :)
ReplyDeleteRevisions: For me, they are a balance between making things sharper and stronger but at the same time not revising the voice out of the story.
ReplyDeleteSave everything you cut in a separate file, that way you can retrieve it if you need to!
ReplyDeleteSo far I haven't missed a single thing that I've cut, and I know my MS is the better for it.
Hmmm, I have mixed feelings about revisions! On the one hand it is FABULOUS that everything is down already and that everything I do now is to make it better. What I don't like is when I think I've edited a chapter properly and I want to move on, and then someone that I've asked to look over the chapter sends a whole lot of suggested changes! I know, I know, it's good, but.... I want to get to the end!
ReplyDeleteI don't mind them!
ReplyDeleteAhhh.. I'm going through them right now, and I'm definitely enjoying a love/hate relationship... I've deleted so much, but I've added a boatload as well... ;)
ReplyDeleteJust make sure you keep your voice. Don't over edit. When I signed my first agent she looked at my book and said she almost put it down. She recognized the over editing and skimmed to chapter four, then fell in love and offered a contract. She called it contest disease. :)
ReplyDeleteOh gosh, I've had that same thought at least 4 times now, 3 with my first manuscript!!! and now again with my latest work. But I think it's necessary part of the process, and you're only killing it if you give up. If you keep on, you'll have remolded it into soemthing better. At least that's what I keep telling myself!
ReplyDeleteOH man. I'm so sorry about the revisions. I hate them. Just saying.
ReplyDeleteI'm going through the same thing with my novel right now! I'm tearing it apart and asking myself after every revision session if it's actually getting better or just turning into a different kind of horrible. Ugh! What a roller coaster. Good luck with your revision. I'm sure you're on the right track :)
ReplyDeleteAh, I recently did a post on this same topic. It's an important step in the process. :) I'm in the middle of revision number 1,000,000,000,000 of my first ms ... and sometimes I wonder if I'm helping it or killing it.
ReplyDeleteI wish you the best with your revisions! hang in there.
Hi Shari. I just tagged you on my blog.
ReplyDeleteI empathize!! I'm in the midst of a total rewrite based on some great feedback. It is slooooooow going, but at least it's in the right direction. I hope! Good luck with yours! :)
ReplyDelete