I just finished the first draft of what I *hope* will be a novel (yay!) My friend (who is far more experienced than I) says I should sit back for a week or two and relax a bit before starting in on revising. I agree with her, and I want to, but the story keeps nagging at me to start revising now. Should I listen to my friend's sound advice and wait, or should I go with the flow and start now?
Just a Little Confused
- Thread starter TypoSlayer
- Start date
- Status
- Joined
- Apr 25, 2007
- Messages
- 2,267
- Reaction score
- 449
- Location
- Thataway
- Website
- sasseebioche.blogspot.com
- Joined
- Aug 23, 2007
- Messages
- 3,833
- Reaction score
- 815
I'm not the waiting type. Usually I'll go through it once or twice with a red pen. I might work on a different WIP for a while. Then, I'll go back and red pen it again.
I also edit as I go, so usually don't end up doing major rewrites. If you're the major rewrite kind of person, then I suggest waiting a little bit.
I also edit as I go, so usually don't end up doing major rewrites. If you're the major rewrite kind of person, then I suggest waiting a little bit.
I wrote a novel about ten years ago. I'm still waiting to revise it, because it's such utter drivel that I'm afraid of what I'll find when I reread it. It's going to be a huge job to revise it, but I am spending time improving my writing skills (I hope) so that when I do revise, it will be the best I can possible make it.
I think you need a fresh pair of eyes to give your first draft a fair review. In order to do that, you have to step away from it. I would give it at least a month, if you can. If you start the review process now, you will only be adding another layer of review to the process. You will still need that unbiased look and you need to put some time between writing and reviewing to do that.
If you write like Dreamer, I'd wait, too. But I don't write like that. In my first draft, I try to cover the major points in my outline. The writing is atrocious. The story changes course. The ending isn't supported. Etc. Etc. So, my first edit is a major clean-up. I like to attack it immediately after typing, "The End."
I'd say if it's nagging at you, go ahead and answer your nagging. It's not like this is going to be the only time you go through it, wait for the second revision.
But this is also coming from someone who hates editing, so when the urge to edit hits me, I run with it and try to ride it as far as it will take me.
But this is also coming from someone who hates editing, so when the urge to edit hits me, I run with it and try to ride it as far as it will take me.
I wait six weeks between drafts. The reason for waiting is so that you get some distance from the work, regaining some objectivity.
However, if you are going to be rewriting more than editing/polishing, you might need your current energy more than you need a cool eye.
However, if you are going to be rewriting more than editing/polishing, you might need your current energy more than you need a cool eye.
- Joined
- Apr 10, 2008
- Messages
- 588
- Reaction score
- 189
- Location
- Puyallup, Washington, USA
- Website
- www.darklock.com
Can you throw the novel away and not be bothered?
If you go with the flow and start now, you will learn why people say to wait. It is possible (though unlikely) that you may completely destroy the work and be unable to fix the damage. If you can live with this risk, and it just drives you crazy to do things without personally understanding exactly why you do them, bite the bullet and learn the lesson.
However, I strongly recommend that you wait. That novel is your baby! You don't toss your baby into a wood chipper to see whether it's on, no matter how unlikely it is! Just sit back and wait. Two weeks is good.
In the meantime, why not start the sequel, or just something else entirely?
What? You don't keep it as separate draft copies? I never change anything without still having the original. That way if I absolutely hate the change or the cuts, it's still right here. No harm done.
I used to be the immediate reviser, but then my english teacher this year started making us wait to revise. She always takes our papers and gives them back weeks later.
You look at it much more objectively, particularly if you spend your time working on your next great idea. You actually find yourself reading it not only for errors, but also for the content itself because you can no longer remember all the words. You read it much more as a reader would read a book, and you see things they'll see.
You look at it much more objectively, particularly if you spend your time working on your next great idea. You actually find yourself reading it not only for errors, but also for the content itself because you can no longer remember all the words. You read it much more as a reader would read a book, and you see things they'll see.
I agree with the majority of responses here. Wait, preferably longer than a week or two. Wait until the story leaves your mind, when you can go a day without thinking about it. Give yourself that bit of distance, and when you finally pick it up again you'll be much more objective, that's true, but also excited by what you've written. That excitement will help you get through the rough spots, the parts that need drastic change or simply don't work. You won't feel quite as dejected because you're rediscovering all the good parts that do work, the parts that thrill you, the parts you can't believe were written by you.
That's my experience, and I've read similar experiences from others here. I have stories that I edited and rewrote soon after finishing and thought they were done, but when I picked them up a few months later I've always been able to polish them further. For the ones that I let sit before reviewing, after a few months I find I'm still content with them and usually find myself wasting time with minor tweaks that aren't even necessary.
That's my experience, and I've read similar experiences from others here. I have stories that I edited and rewrote soon after finishing and thought they were done, but when I picked them up a few months later I've always been able to polish them further. For the ones that I let sit before reviewing, after a few months I find I'm still content with them and usually find myself wasting time with minor tweaks that aren't even necessary.
I'd go with your enthusiasm. If there are things you already know you want to work on, go for it, there will be time to let it sit later. Although I don't ever really subscribe to the letting it sit thing, except when I'm waiting for notes from a reader.
Develop what works for you and go with it.
Develop what works for you and go with it.
This is only a first draft, right? Okay. If you feel the need to go over it right away, do it. The whole thing. THEN put it away for awhile. Three weeks, if you can. Work on other things. Essays, short stories, poems, or read. Go back to it. Reread it out loud. Repeat.
I don't usually wait. But I find that if I read through it once after I finish it (fixing only the things that bug me enough that they've already ruined the flow of my reading), I'll be more productive when I start editing on my second read.
- Joined
- Dec 30, 2006
- Messages
- 20,770
- Reaction score
- 2,726
- Location
- Pittsburgh, PA
- Website
- www.gallagherwitt.com
I'll usually give it a once-over right away, just because I can't help myself. Fix a few grammatical errors, check for continuity errors, etc. THEN I print it out again, stick it in a drawer, and let it sit for a few weeks before I go over it again with a fresh eye.
- Joined
- Dec 30, 2006
- Messages
- 20,770
- Reaction score
- 2,726
- Location
- Pittsburgh, PA
- Website
- www.gallagherwitt.com
Wait...you mean...
Oops...
*whistles and casually heads for backyard to put wood chipper away*
- Joined
- Aug 23, 2007
- Messages
- 3,802
- Reaction score
- 465
- Location
- Canada
- Website
- www.linneaheinrichs.com
Wait. You need to put some distance between yourself and the story so that you can view it as a reader instead of a writer. I tend to put mine away longer than a few weeks. I need a couple of months before I can approach it with fresh eyes. So, yes, it would be wise to listen to your friend's advice.
Linnea
- Joined
- Jan 6, 2008
- Messages
- 13,979
- Reaction score
- 1,533
- Location
- Wisconsin's (sore) thumb
- Website
- www.firefromthesky.org
- Joined
- Dec 22, 2005
- Messages
- 470
- Reaction score
- 53
If you want to get in there and revise do it. There is no magic rule about how long to wait. In fact, if you plan to actually be a working writer, waiting is often just not an option so don't try to force an artificial time limit
If I ever let more than a few days lag without writing or editing it's very hard to get me motivated again.
I finished a partial this morning, took today off and will be revising tomorrow and sending to my agent Monday.
annie jones - The Barefoot Believers - out now
If I ever let more than a few days lag without writing or editing it's very hard to get me motivated again.
I finished a partial this morning, took today off and will be revising tomorrow and sending to my agent Monday.
annie jones - The Barefoot Believers - out now
It's your novel, not anyone else's. You're the writer. If you want to revise now--revise now.
I would, however, recommend a cooling-off period of a few weeks at some point in the revision/editing process. (And believe me, once you've reread the darn thing twenty times and have it memorized word-for-word and every little phrase and action seems inevitable and you know it's not quite right but you don't know how to change it... you'll want to take a break.)
I would, however, recommend a cooling-off period of a few weeks at some point in the revision/editing process. (And believe me, once you've reread the darn thing twenty times and have it memorized word-for-word and every little phrase and action seems inevitable and you know it's not quite right but you don't know how to change it... you'll want to take a break.)
or you could ignore what everyone says and listen to the nagging voice... i can never help myself. i always have to start editing pronto because i'm obsessed and crazy. he he
Waiting is a good idea when you hate your book, your idea, your first or second draft or whatever. That is the time to take a really big break and relax perhaps even a month.
In the meantime go with the flow.
A lot of people like waiting , to get a better perspective on things for the revision. Nothing wrong with that.
You'll find your own way, whatever you do.
In the meantime go with the flow.
A lot of people like waiting , to get a better perspective on things for the revision. Nothing wrong with that.
You'll find your own way, whatever you do.
Whatever you do, though, save this draft.
It's far far easier to make major revisions if you know the old version is there, and if you mess up completely you can go back to that.
I've never yet felt the urge to go back to an earlier draft, but saving them is still useful because it frees me up to play with the story more.
It's far far easier to make major revisions if you know the old version is there, and if you mess up completely you can go back to that.
I've never yet felt the urge to go back to an earlier draft, but saving them is still useful because it frees me up to play with the story more.
I've gotta agree. For some people a cooling off period is standard, but it's not a rule. If you've got the excitement and momentum, ride the wave!
- Status