One of the best parts of writing a MS. Yet so hard!

BlueDimity · Jan 24, 2010

I finished writing my MS, yet still in the editing process. I believe this is one of the most fun parts of writing, because your story is finished. You know your characters and the plot. Everything important has been covered and written, and now for me all I have to do is ''smooth the edges'' and add about 100 more pages. This is the best and hardest because now I can add detail but I have to figure out how to do so or what exactly to write when it comes to taking everything to another level. If that made any sense at all.

Ciera_ · Jan 24, 2010

Disagree!
But that totally made sense. Yay for you = D

arthur_read · Jan 24, 2010

I'm at that stage right now and I totally agree.

Now I have to stop telling myself "I'll come back to this when I'm editing...".

BlueDimity · Jan 24, 2010

Ah, yes. And thanks, Ciera.

Roly · Jan 24, 2010

I'm in my fourth edit and I have to say it is kinda fun, but tedious. That and rather than adding I've gotta cut

Still, I went from 117 to 114K in one day and not even halfway through the manuscript so yay!

The_Ink_Goddess · Jan 24, 2010

This is not going to be a popular opinion, but while I don't really enjoy editing, I find it the easiest to do. Mainly because I'm a "less is more" kind of girl from the very beginning, so I don't have the problem of having to trim down from 140K or some hideous amount like that. Obviously, I still edit, and it's not exactly easy, but in comparison to the actual writing process, I find it comparatively easier.

Does that make any sense?

Leanan-Sidhe · Jan 24, 2010

I know what you mean. It's easier and more difficult at the same time!

Roly said:
Still, I went from 117 to 114K in one day and not even halfway through the manuscript so yay!

That's impressive. :Clap:

ETA

Does that make any sense?

Yes, it does.

lvae · Jan 25, 2010

I find editing fun as well. Sometimes, when I first do the drafts, the scene doesn't come through as I picture it in my mind. When I read it through, it just doesn't sound right. But when I go through the edits, everything slowly comes together.

Things are never perfect, of course. At any given time, I always have the urge to move this dialogue tag, that adverb. Ctrl+F is my favourite function. Find and replace. I have no idea how many unnecessary repetitions of 'that' 'but' 'really' 'thought' 'just' (the list goes on and on) I've taken out from my manuscript. Reaching the end is always a great feeling.

And then you start all over again.

KimJo · Jan 25, 2010

I tend to write very short and without a lot of detail in my first drafts. That means that when I revise and edit, I usually have to *add* content. I had a 35K YA manuscript that, when I revised it the way it should have been in the first place, topped out at 51K. (Still short for YA, I realize, but it's as long as the story needed it to be.)

So I fully agree that editing and revising is the hard part.

LynKay · Jan 25, 2010

I love both, that said I think editing is a bit more rewarding. By the time you are done writing, you know your characters so well that you can trim their dialogue and can actually say: So and so wouldn't say that nor would they wear such a hideous shirt.

BlueDimity · Jan 25, 2010

Thanks for posting, guys.

Lnykay, I know exactly what you mean.
And Kimjo, with your YA that short, did or do you find it hard to find a publisher?
Ivae, I know what you are saying and I agree. Once you are finished and get to the end, it's a great feeling! But you are never done. Heck, on rewrite #800, my MS could be at the agent-ready stage (probably not). But I may not want to send it off until it's 900th rewrite.

gideonna · Jan 26, 2010

I find editing the hardest, although ultimately, the most satisfying. There's a lot more pressure during the revision stage. Is this character solid enough? Does the plot hold interest?

I'm revising at the moment, and I'm starting to wonder if I'll ever be completely happy with it. Guess I just need to send it out there and find out what others think!

KimJo · Jan 27, 2010

Anonyouth said:
Thanks for posting, guys.

And Kimjo, with your YA that short, did or do you find it hard to find a publisher?
QUOTE]

I don't have a publisher for that one yet, mainly because I haven't tried. However, the book in my avatar, and the rest of the books in that series, are all between 50K-60K, and the publisher didn't see a problem with it. (I'm published by a micropress, however, which gave me a little leeway.)

I'm a former special education teacher, so I write with reluctant readers and kids with reading difficulties in mind, hence the lower word count. I made that clear to my publisher, as well as to the bookstores and reviewers I've dealt with so far.

Rhoda Nightingale · Jan 27, 2010

I'm a short writer too, so I agonize over the editing process too. Most of the advice you get talks about "cutting," and that's never helpful. I'm trying to shoot for 60k with the one I'm working on right now, but we'll see what happens.

It's exciting, because you can see the story taking shape and becoming a novel rather than a first draft, but also a huge pain because you see all the things that need changing more clearly.

BlueDimity · Jan 27, 2010

Congrats for being published, KimJo. And you, Rhoda, I know what you mean.

Skye Jules · Jan 28, 2010

I would say it's one of the hardest parts as well. I'm on Witch Tourniquet's fifth, and hopefully final, revision. Then again, it is fantasy, and after having written several non-fantasy things since, I've come to realize that fantasy (to me, IMO) is much harder to write because of all the world building and because you have to constantly keep note of everything going on in your made-up world (magic systems, ect...).

BlueDimity · Jan 29, 2010

KimJo · Jan 30, 2010

Thanks, Anonyouth

Rhoda, on some of the boards and groups I belong to, I read other authors agonizing over having to cut word count. I always feel like asking if I can have some of their words, because mine are never long enough.

Right now, I'm working on an adult paranormal. First draft was 60K. I'm now at 96K, and hoping for another 5000 words before I'm finished. It's far from easy.

Tan · Jan 31, 2010

Agree.

Renee Collins · Jan 31, 2010

When I edit, I usually end up adding about 10k of plot/subplots the first go through, and then cut out about 10k of fat the second round. Somehow, it just works out that way.

writetodream · Jan 31, 2010

I never thought of editing in that way. If I do, maybe I'll enjoy it more. My favorite part of novel writing is hashing out the climactic scenes in my story. I love feeling it come to life.

BlueDimity · Jan 31, 2010

Great.

One of the best parts of writing a MS. Yet so hard!

BlueDimity

Ciera_

arthur_read

BlueDimity

Roly

silly puppy monster

The_Ink_Goddess

we're gonna make it out of the fire

Leanan-Sidhe

leaving trails of fairy dust

lvae

oh so shiny

KimJo

Outside the box, with the werewolves

LynKay

Hanging out through Space and Time

BlueDimity

gideonna

KimJo

Outside the box, with the werewolves

Rhoda Nightingale

Vampire Junkie

BlueDimity

Skye Jules

March 15th: Issue 1 release

BlueDimity

KimJo

Outside the box, with the werewolves

Tan

Everything you can imagine is real.

Renee Collins

Plotting . . .

writetodream

BlueDimity