Every author has seen the quote, “Write, rewrite, repeat”. The fact is, a novel is an investment of time and effort. Up to now, I’ve written how-to ideas on writing. Today, and for the next two weeks, I’m going to focus on the process involved in the rewrite.
The first hurdle to jump is found in two simple facts. First, the you who writes is the same you who will rewrite. Second, few writers spill honey from their pens, even on a first rewrite.
It begins here: You have an idea. You have a beginning and an ending. You probably have ideas for much of the stuff in between. Maybe these ideas are jotted down in a notebook or journal. Maybe they’re kept in that secret stash of thoughts within your mind.
On Day One, you spill ink onto paper. You write the entire first scene, proceed to an obvious second scene, transition toward a third, and before you know it, you’ve written fifteen to twenty pages. You get some coffee, you grab a snack, then you go back to spill more ink on paper.
Ten pages later, day one is in the books. Checkmark. Gold star. Pat on the back. Next.
Or maybe Day One is: Write the first scene, get some coffee, grab a snack, go back to the desk, stand up, go to the window, worry about the opening scene, read it over (twice, three times, etc), decide to correct it later, grab some more coffee and another snack, decide it’s enough for now.
Day one is in the books. Checkmark. Star of ambiguous color. Pat on the back. Next.
Most new writer’s projects fall somewhere in between those examples. They work on their manuscripts without trying to correct as they go. They gather their stars for daily work, and, when the project finally comes its logical conclusion, they put the manuscript aside and take a break.
My suggestion, while on a short break, is to read for enjoyment. Pick authors you’d like to emulate. Don’t think about your own project. Allow yourself distance from your thoughts. Maybe jot notes for a new project.
Distance often helps us refocus on timing and structure. Time gives us fresh eyes. New writers sometimes read what they meant to write and not the actual words on the page (screen).
On the first rewrite, read the entire manuscript. Spelling and grammar errors are immediate corrections. Sentence and paragraph restructure can be corrected here also. I occasionally find sentences that read better when repositioned ahead or after correlated thoughts.
I suggest to makes notes in the margins for changes in storyline. However, some writers change their storyline on the fly (as they read their manuscript). Those writers usually have the benefit of experience. They can easily keep up with the changes they’ve made. But even experienced writers make mistakes. I’ve read books by noted authors and come away confused, but nonetheless accepting, at a shift in the storyline.
Any change in the story (actions, characters, etc) effects the manuscript at its core. Story changes can ensure a consistency in flow. Also, the writer might gain new revelations when reading their work. For example, would it work better to have the story told from a female instead of a male perspective, or should a character’s past be interwoven to help tie up loose ends?
Next week I’ll focus on what to do with the margin notes and the next step toward publication.
My Click Here selection is another excerpt from Brettinger. The focus is how to make your characters more relatable in their home life. The characters have had their introduction. The reader has a picture of them in their mind. Now it’s time to make it seem real. I hope I’ve done that here.
As always, any comments or suggestions can be forwarded by clicking the site navigation at the top right of the screen and selecting Contact Me.
Thanks for reading, and as always, keep writing.