lishmcbride
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Notes from Revision Land
🕑 Added 2020-06-22 21:33:26 +0000 UTCI have not forgotten that I owe you a Lena chapter. Revision ate my brain last week, but I planned to write on the weekend...and then my brain died. I had nothing to give. But I haven't forgotten! In the mean time, here is an offering of today's desk. It is absolutely LOVELY in Washington right now. The headache I got this weekend has chilled a little, so I can think past it, which is nice. Because revisions? They take some brain space.
Usually, when I revise, I keep my editors (or beta readers) notes handy and then start at the beginning and go through the whole book in order. It's exhausting to me and feels like I'm trying to hold a dozen threads at once in my brain and not drop anything. There's a certain amount of decision fatigue, too. What will I name this street? Coffee shop? Side character? What is the weather like? What is everyone doing? Who is in this scene? What's the food like? It just goes on and on and on.
With urban fantasy, which is what my first four books were, there is a lot of things already in place for me to lean on. The places actually existed. You know how money works in America. You know what coffee shops look like. Curses is my first full fantasy book, and this revision is a lot about bringing in the world building I'd skipped in other drafts. So I'm having to figure out more about the world and it's a lot. Luckily my editor is wonderful and I have a lot of writer friends to lean on. I miss meeting up with them in person, but at least we're all connected on the internet.
Earlier I said that I usually revise a certain way--the thing is, every book is different. This book has taken new (and often opposite) approaches than I usually use. This is why I tell new authors to research how other writers do things. You need to figure out what works for you, but also things to try if the usual stops working.
Since I've rewritten Curses five times (rewriting to me is starting from a blank document, not revising), which is something I've never had to do, and since it's been a few months since I looked at the book (time that it was in my editors hand) I tried something new on this revision. First, I downloaded the book onto my ereader so I couldn't fuss with it. Then I read through it took quick notes on what happened in each chapter, adding a few notes on things I might want to change, add or cut. This book is bigger and more complicated than I've managed before. And, much to my editors chagrin, I have a large cast.
Despite the fact that my handwriting is AWFUL, the notes have been helping as I plunge back in. It's nice to have a map, so while I'm still keeping several threads in my head as I go, I'm less worried about dropping them. I do normally print out my manuscript and read through it between drafts--physical paper helps me catch things--I think this new method might be my approach to my fantasy novels.
I do often write down notes about projects in notebooks. Unfortunately, I grab whichever one is handy, so that means at any given time I might have book notes in three different notebooks. Apparently my very Virgo need to organize things has its limits. Ha!
Okay, I'm going back to work. If you have any questions about revisions or writing process, hit me up in the comments!
Lish
Comments
It does. If I have the ability to change or edit as I read, I'll do it and quickly become distracted.
Thanks for this. I'm always very interested in how writers tackle revision. I can see how the lack of fussing would help you focus on taking good notes.
