Revision Glory!

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Balthane

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You finished the first draft and are either feeling hopeful or with despair at the work. Whatever the case, it's time for the next step on the journey. Revision!

So I'm setting up a thread where people can be accountable and offer motivation/encouragement as people sludge through the writing process.

Post a before and after of a sentence or three of something you've changed. Not too much, so we won't have to worry about password protection. I'll start.

Before: "You're quite good company for an evil spirit." The old man raised his hand and a pale cream teapot with blue swirls floated across the room. The stout matching cup hurried after it.

After: "You're quite good company for an evil spirit." The old man Colis raised his hand and a pale cream teapot with blue swirls floated across the room his office. The stout matching tea cup hurried after it.

Note: I wanted to tightened this and also help to give the location right away.
 
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Let's say I give it six months and write a new book. What do I do with the other three months once I've finished the second novel?

SP, who leaves a WIP for no more than three months. Tops.
 

Aggy B.

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Before:
Keira nodded absently, trying hard not to gawp at the room.
Like the hall the floor was covered in thick, rich carpet and wood paneled walls shone warmly beneath the crystal lights. On the far wall two large bookcases flanked a wide window. A small fireplace had a cheerful fire burning in its belly and opposite stood a large and comfortable bed complete with draperies to keep out any drafts.

Turned out (during revisions) that the owner of the house was not a friend. All the specifics of description were just fluff. (That happens during NaNo. :p) Changes were made accordingly.

After:
The room was golden warm and welcoming. Keira took a breath, aching to let her guard down, but the warning sting on the back of her neck was insistent. She had hoped, had thought, that Emil Devereaux would prove an ally in the search for her father. Burning instinct told her she was mistaken. “Pox.”

And I have yet to let my WIP sit for more than a couple weeks. >_<
 

Balthane

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Great job Aggy! It's always nice to see something change into polished prose.

I try to let mine sit for as long as I can, but from what I hear, most authors that are publishing regularly, don't get the option to set their stuff aside for more than a few weeks.
 

Ken Schneider

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Great job Aggy! It's always nice to see something change into polished prose.

I try to let mine sit for as long as I can, but from what I hear, most authors that are publishing regularly, don't get the option to set their stuff aside for more than a few weeks.

Good for you. I'm glad you are publishing regularly. You go.
 

Balthane

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Eh? I'm not a publishing regular. I just listen to author's podcast and read blogs, that's why I say that. I got from them that they don't have much time to really let a book wait for longer than a few weeks.

Me, I just have a few short stories published.
 

Ken Schneider

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'Um, I know. So, you can afford to let it sit and write the next one. It'll give you more perspective. IMO.

Multi-published writers do it because they can, and have to.
 

Aggy B.

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Great job Aggy! It's always nice to see something change into polished prose.

Heh. Did I mention that my revising/editing/beta-reading tool of choice is a machete? I had to look very hard to find a section in the third draft that was in any way similar to the first because the sequence of the story has changed so dramatically. There are parallel scenes but they happen in such different places and for such different purposes that it's difficult to compare.

:)
 
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