Karen Foley
Lynn Raye Harris
Ellen Hartman
Diana Holquist
Samantha Hunter
Shirley Jump
Dee Tenorio
Jeannie Watt
Welcome guest blogger, Joanne Rock!
Fate laughed at me last two weeks ago while I was knee-deep in giving an online workshop on revisions. After recently penning my thirtieth book, I felt like enough of a war veteran to talk knowledgably about my experience with revisions and how to tackle them successfully. But in the middle of the workshop, I received the toughest revisions of my career to date.
Ha ha, the revisions seemed to be saying between the many, many lines of requested changes. Think you know how to revise? Try tackling these changes!
Ugh. I have to confess that revisions make me cross-eyed. I know intellectually that revision makes a book better. Who was it said that good books aren’t written, they’re re-written? I get that. But me understanding that doesn’t make me like the revision process anymore. Some authors are so relieved once they have words on the page that they can cut and paste, add and change for days. Weeks. Months! But me—I love the drafting stage. Putting the words on paper and channeling the story that seems to come from somewhere outside me. That’s the fun part. But ask me to revise a story that’s already on paper—a story that, chances are, I really like—and I break out in hives.
For an hour or two, I might revise successfully, but when we get into the really big changes—ripping out scenes and changing motivations—the manuscript I once loved turns into a sea of disconnected words floating in space. Is this even a story? I begin to ask myself.
Which might make you wonder why I, of all people, would give a workshop on revisions. Seems sort of counterintuitive, I know. But honestly, the writing process comes so smoothly and easily that it’s harder to break down and teach for me. The revision process, on the other hand, I’ve taken apart and examined many times in the hope of improving my approach and the hope that one day, I’ll find the perfect way to tackle them. I can talk intelligently about how to do revisions because I’ve read tons of advice and listened to every theory. I can easily share what I know. It’s the doing that I still find painful.
So anyway, I found it amusing that Fate chose to dump a huge revision project in my lap during the time I’d set myself up to be an expert on the matter. I whined—which is not part of my lesson plan on revisions. And then I stomped—also not on the oh-so-smart agenda.
And then I followed every tip, rule and piece of advice I had doled out in that workshop, making the experience even more weird. Sort of an out-of-body revision experience since I had a cool headed revision guide to walk me through the tangle of editing hell and lead me out the other side. What do you know, I actually helped myself.
And that’s why I’m always the first person to write an article on a topic I don’t understand or to give a workshop on an area that might not be my strongest suit. Because through the necessary research to put together a good talk or a smart workshop, I teach myself. I also have the ability to relate to my audience since I am as much a diligent seeker of information as anyone else. No one wants to figure out this stuff out than me.
Revisions are—for me— a bit like math. I’m good at it, but I don’t like it and try to avoid it wherever possible. Do you have any skills for something you don’t necessarily enjoy? And why do you think it is we end up with such a mixed bag of talents in life? If I’d tried to establish my career in something I was good at-- simply because I might be successful at it-- I believe I would have been very unhappy. A career should stimulate your passions. Were you ever tempted to follow a career path because you thought you would be good at it and not because your passions led you there?
** Prize giveaway (remember, you have to be registered at Cigars to qualify) Chat with Joanne on the blog this week for a chance to win her new Night Eyes series including Don’t Look Back and Just One Look.
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Welcome to Cigars, Joanne!
God, I just handed in my August book, so I'm repressing for the moment and not even thinking about revisions, but in general I'm the direct opposite. Writing the book, the drafting, is the hardest part for me. I don't think I breathe an easy breath until I know all the pages are actually done, and I actually made the word count. Revisions, I don't mind at all because when I've had a little time away from the book, that helps, but also Birgit's comments are always so helpful, and I can play with the book now without worrying about page count. My books always grow in revisions, even when I cut, which is a weird phenom.
What are some of your tips? we have a lot of writers here, so I bet they're taking notes! ;)
And everyone -- Joanne slipped it in there pretty subtly, but did you notice she's written THIRTY books? -- and in just a few years. I think we have our very own superheroine here today! ;) And I've read a lot of them, and they're wonderful.
Welcome to Cigars -- we love having you!
Sam
Ouch! Revisions!
Night Eyes Series
Here's the broken record...
Here I am with the usual reminder -- TO QUALIFY FOR THIS GIVEAWAY, YOU MUST BE A REGISTERED (VERIFIED) MEMBER OF THE SITE. To register, just login on the upper left sidebar. It's easy. :) Do it once, get a password, and you're all set forever. Now....back to the discussion...
Thanks.
Hi Joanne! Hi
hi joanne
hi joanne glad to see you
JOANNE
JOANNE
JOANNE
Hi Joanne, Congratulations
Joanne
revision terror and career plans...
Hi Joanna, very cool to have you with us this week. Love your books, too. How can we not all have read you when you've got 30 books out there? Amazing achievement. As for things that come easily but not necessarily with a smile... I used to be good at math, too, back in the day. But as soon as I could drop it, I did. Now, I am officially Math Challenged. Waiters either love me or hate me after I've worked out the tip. If I had done anything remotely admin-y for a living(accounts, secretarial), I think my head would have exploded. As for revisions...I suspect I know which book you're talking about. Which is why I am going to go have brandy on my corn flakes...
Any gems you wish to share on revisions would be most welcome...
Sarah
Congratulations
Hi, Joanne! Great to see
Good luck Joanne with your
Hi Joanne, I really don't
Hi Joanne
Home from B'ball... ready to visit!
Hey Sarah the Math Challenged! I methodically broke all my pencils after I finished my last accounting class in college in a symbolic decision never to write anything in columns-- or with skritchy, scratchy sounding pencils-- again!
Thank you all for the thirty book cheers! I have no idea how that many stories got written. It's one of those things where you keep pushing yourself and working hard and all of the sudden... geesh. Those words add up. I'm still surprised when I print out a manuscript copy of a book on my printer and see how fat that stack of paper is. I also think it's funny that people view me as quiet. Clearly, I have a lot to say! I guess I just like that I can say it so much better when I have time to think at my leisure and edit heavily :-).
Joanne
Revisions
Karen, all commiseration is gratefully accepted :-). And Sam, my tips for revision are many!! I do try to attack the work in stages, which is probably what frustrates me because it is a S-L-O-W process for me and it's something that I can't speed up. I need to think, pick at the words, walk away. Then more of the same. I like days in between big changes so that I can assimilate the new story with my A level changes before I tackle my B level changes. Well-- that's if *I'm* in charge of the revision process. If I'm revising for an editor I can move more quickly because usually I've gotten very specific comments and have a pretty good idea what to do after I've chatted through the changes. But for my own work, I have eyes that are slow to absorb the true picture. Chances are if I wrote it, I like it! It takes me time to separate myself from what I wrote so that I can see it as a reader.
I do think that revisions get easier as you understand your writing process better. Knowing that drafting is easier for me, I've learned to cut more liberally in revisions and rewrite fresh material. That's usually quicker than picking a page to pieces. But again-- that's a personal choice.
Until you develop the distance and editorial eyes to work effectively on your own manuscripts, I recommend outside reads if you are open to critiquing. This way you can at least get an idea what a range of people think and then see if it makes sense for your vision of the story.
Joanne
I think you meant Mads
I think you meant Mads there, instead of me, but I like being on your mind. ;)
Outside eyes are a great idea -- and you're right, Joanne, revising can be a headache. I've been working on a paranormal ST, which I'm not really sure IS an ST, LOL -- I thought it was while I was writing it, and I've revised it so many times it makes me nauseated to think about it, though I do think it's gotten better each time. However, while what I'm hoping for is an agent who can help me get it in better shape, truth is, it could be a category book at heart, and I might be back to square one. However, I got *very* lucky and had some good karma drop on me -- a best selling author in para contacted me afer seeing one of my emails and offered to take a look - she made the jump from cata to st, and she knows the ropes -- so I know her advice will be like gold. I'm always amazed and thankful for the kindness and generosity of people in this field.
I'm going through this long, long babble to say that we just can't ever give up -- you can rewrite something 100 times and it's all just part of the journey -- one that often makes you want to park the car and get out and walk away, but for whatever reason, we keep driving. ;)
Have to be careful, tho. I've had some really awful crit partners, and some fab ones. The ones who are wrong for you can be really wrong, too, so never feel bad about telling someone "no" and protecting your work and your feelings. So it can take a while to find the people who are just right.
Okay, getting off track, but I think for new writers in particular the crit thing can be a treasure chest or a mine field...
Sam
For Maria and On Critiquing
Maria, I think you just need to find the right subject for the massages :-).
And where is that Jamie Sobrato? I think Sex as a Second Language is a faboo title. Must pop around the board and see if I can scare her up and let her know.
I survived hideous critiquing relationships, BTW. Yes, be careful!! But like any great partnership, you know it when the right one comes along ;-). And until then, it's good to pick and choose. OR, if you don't want the hassle of finding potential crit partners and have a little extra cash, contests can be good for gathering a range of feedback.
Actually, I was scared to critique with my cp when a mutual friend set us up. I was burned out on unproductive cp work and thinking that wasn't for me. But my friend swore this new person was a dynamo and was she ever. Catherine Mann and I have been working together for nine years now and I continue to learn from her-- not only from how she critiques me, but from how she writes. It's really rewarding to read someone else's work in stages and see the way it grows, changes, polishes and improves over the years and over the course of the drafts. I also like seeing what has stayed the same... there's a wicked sense of humor in her work that never goes away. Working with someone whose work you really respect gives you the chance to be Dorothy and see behind the great Oz's curtain...you get to know how they craft those huge, amazing, impressive works.
Joanne
Morning meditation
Was just reading an Elizabeth Engstrom essay this morning about Theodore Sturgeon, and one of his bits of advice was "No matter what you write, what you believe will show through." I think there are core things that always stay the same, the things we care about, and I loved reading that, and then your post about Catherine confirmed it. It's nice to think that no matter how we worry craft, the heart of it sort of beats steadily through... Those are things other people can see even more than we do, I think.
Sam
Hi!
Thank you!
Thanks, Minna! I have a friend from Finland-- near Helsinki-- she went home last summer and brought back beautiful pictures. It was fun looking at them and playing armchair traveler!
I'll be around all weekend if anyone on the boards, BTW, and will post a winner on Monday.
Joanne
Joanne ROCKS!
Revisions and editing
P.S. from Susan P.
Critique Partners
Wow, Joanne, kuddos to you
Congratulations, Dawn!
Thank you to everyone who popped in to visit and chat! I wanted to tie up the time by announcing the winner of the Night Eyes books-- DawnPeit. Dawn, if you want to email me joanne@joannerock.com with a snail mail address, I'll ship the books right out to you!
All the best and thanks again for having me at Cigars!
Joanne
Thanks to you Joanne :)
We appreciate you sharing your thoughts, and hope you'll be a familiar face around here. ;)
Sam
Rock on!!! WooHoo!! Pardon
Congratulations Dawn
Way to go, Dawn!!
Thanks! I'm still reeling.