Talking about Revisions

I'm talking a little about revisions today over at Simply Put, go join the conversation.

Writing Wednesday

I have a Writing Wednesday post over at Simply Put.

When Mike Kissed Emma

Coming Soon to Wild Rose Press!

I have a cover!

Writing Wednesday - NaNoWriMo continued

I haven't been blogging a lot because I've been writing a lot - plowing ahead with my new WIP for National Novel Writing Month.

And you know what? It's fun.

I've had this idea for a story brewing in my head for many years. I started it once way back when, started it a second time a bit later, but I never got into the meat of the story. And the thing about this story (unlike so many ideas that pop into my head) is that I knew how I wanted it to end.

The middle was a little unclear. But that's okay - that's where I am now - and I'm figuring it out as I go. The story took a few twists I didn't expect. And I'm thinking in re-writes there are some factors I need to explore more deeply. But the great thing about NaNoWriMo - it forces you not to worry about the re-writes yet. You think this part or that part could be better? Great - you'll take care of it next time around. For today - just plunge ahead. And I've been plunging.

The goal for NaNoWriMo is 50,000 words in the month of November. I'm up to 32,000 so far and trying to figure out at what point I start the downward slope toward the end of the novel.

I'll confess that I love revisions. I love knowing a story so well that you can really focus on making it the best it can be. But this is the second first draft of a story I've written this year - and I'm really enjoying this part too.

What can I say - I love it all!

Writing Wednesday - NaNoWriMo

Okay, I decided to plunge ahead and do NaNoWriMo this year. Not familiar with it? It's National Novel Writing Month. Yes, that's right. The goal is to take the month of November and write a 50,000 word novel.

It's first draft territory - no worrying about editing or making sure every word or every scene is perfect - just getting the words on paper (or on the computer screen in most cases).

Unfortunately I can't commit for the entire month, so I have to try to finish 50,000 words a bit earlier than that. I'm not sure I'll meet the goal. But what the heck, I can try anyway.

The best thing though is that NaNoWriMo has a Young Writer's program. And Pippi has signed up (under the name Jinx, if anyone wants to be her buddy). She is totally into it. Kids get to set their own word goal - and for sixth graders the recommended goal was between 6,000 and 12,000. She chose 11,000 since she is 11. Seemed reasonable. She already has over 2,000 words (she's ahead of me!). She may update her goal. She's been involved in the forums and is really loving this. She's always loved to write and I like how this is really focusing her attention on one project for awhile (which of course is largely the whole point of NaNoWriMo)

So are you doing NaNoWriMo?

Bonus Revision Tip

I was thinking more about revisions after yesterday's post and realized I had left out one crucial rule of thumb. I figured if I waited until next week to share it I'd forget to mention it again.

So here's a bonus revision tip on a Thursday.

When re-reading your story. If there are places you skim over in order to get to the 'good stuff', look at those places very carefully. If you're not interested in reading them again - even though it may be the hundredth time, maybe they're not worthy of staying in the story.

Writing Wednesday

Once again I find myself revising things I've already written. Sometimes it feels as if all I do is revise things I've already written. And I know some of you know the absolute truth of that.

The revisions I'm working on now are actually big picture kind of revisions and I'm going through chapter by chapter to see if all of the scenes actually move the plot forward or if they are just happy little place holder scenes - showing what "happened then". I find I write a lot of that kind of scene. I know in my time line that it is Thanksgiving or Christmas and I feel that I must write in detail about that event. But if nothing that happens during that event actually moves the story forward, then it is just kind of boring reading.

Since I'd rather my story not be boring I have to make sure that each scene either has a reason for being there. Or else it has to go.

So that's what I'm doing today.

How do you revise?

Unexpected Stuff on a Monday

I just got a publishing contract.

My first.

I'm beyond excited and trying very hard not to use all caps and lots of exclamation points.

YAY!!!

Writing Wednesday - Critiques

The contractor is gone for the day, there is an apple cake in the oven, my critiques for the week are done and I have another hour and a half before the kids get home from school.

Time to write!

But first - a quick post for Writing Wednesday. Since I spent the morning doing critiques, I have that on my mind.

Writing is fun. Writing is largely a solitary endeavor. And it is very easy to become enamored of ones own turn of phrase to see if what is on the paper is very good or not. That's where a good critique comes into play.

For a long time a friend and I critiqued each others' work. Of course we knew each other so well - and our writing style's so well, that it was almost like reading your own - with the same pitfalls.

About a year and a half ago I joined a wonderful critique group (and now belong to two wonderful critique groups). They are both on-line - with weekly deadlines. It works very well for me.

Now I get opinions from a variety of people - each of whom takes a slightly different approach to the things they look for and critique on - which is great - because it truly gives a well rounded view point in the end.

I have learned so much about what works and what doesn't in my own writing and in others' and really think I am a better writer today because of the groups.

So - aside from singing the praises of these groups - what can I say about critiquing?

1) Don't be offended if someone isn't as enamored with your pithy wordings as you are. Take all criticism and comments in the spirit offered - a spirit of trying to help everyone do their best.

2) When critiquing offer all your comments and criticisms in the spirit of trying to help everyone do their best. (see #1)

3) Be specific. "It's all great" might make the writer feel good - but it won't help her improve. What things did you have questions on? What things did you think could be better? And also - what things did you love? Critiques don't only have to point out things that are "wrong" they can also (and should also) point out the things that are right. Everyone likes to know when they hit that home run.

Okay - that's all I've got for today. Off to do some writing!

Writing Wednesday - First Page

In my critique group we've spent some time talking about and discussing what makes a good first page. In Writer's Digest this month there was on article on what agents hate in Chapter One. Of course they have to get past page one in order to read all of the first chapter. What it comes down to is that not only does the first chapter have to be good - but the first page has to grab the reader.

So here's a little test. Here's the current first page from my historical YA work in progress. Would it make you want to read more?

Chapter 1

“Do you think they have new fashion dolls?” Polly asked, running forward to get a better glimpse of the approaching ships.

I breathed deeply of the salty, fishy air and watched, feeling my stomach tighten. These were not ships delivering goods.

“Molasses!” Patience jumped up and down and clapped her hands.

“No.” I shielded my eyes to watch the ships form a ring around Boston and then drop their sails. Instead of a lovely row of billowing sails against the horizon, we now had a well regulated line of ships surrounding the port. War ships.

“I didn’t think they’d really do it,” Susannah said.

I tucked a flyaway strand of hair back into my bonnet, that sinking feeling wouldn’t leave my stomach. I tore my eyes away from the forest of riggings out in the harbor and looked at my best friend. “We best get the children home.”

Our younger sisters were still discussing the many goodies that could be aboard one of those ships. Susannah continued to look into the harbor. “Do you think they’ll stay long?”

“Only until we pay for the tea.”

“Papa says we’ll never pay for that tea.” Susannah grabbed five-year-old Patience by the hand and turned toward home.

“Then they’ll be there for a long time.”

I signaled to Polly to come and we left Long Wharf, through the crowd that had assembled, and toward home.

Patience tugged on Susannah’s hand. “I want an ice,” she said.

Susannah stuck her hand in her pocket “I don’t have any money with me.”

“I have a shilling,” I said, and felt in my own pocket to make sure it was true. My fingers wrapped around the small silver piece that Da had given me for helping in his apothecary shop.

*all content copyright Christine Marciniak

Writing Wednesday

And that's what I'm doing.... writing. I'm trying to use the tips PJ posted about awhile back and make sure that every page has tension. That every scene is useful. That everything my characters do make sense in the context of the story.

It goes a lot slower than you might think.

And in other writing topics - Pippi, who just last year thought she didn't like writing poetry - can't decide now if she likes writing poetry or fiction better. The advantage to poetry, she decided, is that she actually finishes a piece. She says she never seems to finish the stories she starts.

I can relate to that.

Writing Wednesday - What Now?

So last week I blogged that I'd finished the first draft of my new story. So now what? Revisions are on the way - but first I realized that I needed to start the story in a different place. And surprisingly I decided I had to start earlier in the story - usually I end up cutting things and starting later.

I'm not trying to get that perfect and memorable first line - though that would be nice. But I am trying to make sure that the conflict of the story actually shows up on page one. I have a tendency to think that the first page and chapter should be to to set up and introduce the characters - and they should - but I need to remember to make sure that the crux of the story is there too.

That's what I'm working on this week - not high word counts - just making sure I get a good first page.

Writing Wednesday - First Draft Finished!

The first draft of my WIP is done. Now it is ready to go into revisions (after a small break.) And for those of you following my progress and wondering what this story is about:

Boston has been under blockade for six months and there are more Regular army troops in the city than civilians at this point, but Abby Prescott and her family try to continue to live their lives as normally as possible. Then on Abby's fifteenth birthday the King's troops skirmish with the rebels in towns called Lexington and Concord. Boston is suddenly besieged by the rebels - trapping the troops and any one loyal to the King, like the Prescott family, inside. Suddenly Abby and her family are part of the enemy - in their own home town.

It needs tons of revisions. But as I said last week - at least I now have the bones in place.

Writing Wednesday - WIP Progress

The WIP is really coming along. I know it needs revisions. Lots and lots of revisions. But once I have the bones in place I can go back and put on the skin (how's that for kind of a gross image).

So - off to write some more!

Writing Wednesday - WIP Progress

I wrote almost 10,000 words on my WIP last week. Not bad. Though probably every one of those words is going to require revision. But at least I'm getting my road map laid.

Now for the next day or so I'm working on revisions to the story that is making its way through my critique groups.

Writing Wednesday - WIP Progress

It's back to work on my WIP - now that my revised manuscript is out the door and on its way to an editor who said she'd be happy to see it again if revised.

Writing Wednesday

No little potato progress report this week. I haven't made any progress on that manuscript. But I've been busy making final revisions to another.

I know some people hate making revisions. I like them. You already have the bones of the story and you know exactly where it is going and why. Now it's time to go back and fill in this character or that - make things come together in a way you didn't even foresee the first time around. It's a time to look at a phrase and say that is a place where I can show instead of tell. Or that's a place where I can delve a little deeper.

On this particular story these revisions are now final tweaks. And then it gets sent out into the wide world again in the hopes to someday become a book. I'll keep you posted.

In the meantime there are some great posts about critique groups over at HipWriterMama. My critique group (which HipWriterMama is a part of by the way) is absolutely awesome and has helped me so much in fine tuning my writing. If you write and don't have a critique group yet - try to find one. Absolutely the best thing that happened to my writing!

Little Helpers

Ever wish that little elves would come and finish your WIP when your busy doing something else. Kind of like the elves that made shoes for the shoemaker in the fairy tale.

Apparently I have a little elf here.

I was working on my new WIP (see progress meter below) and left the laptop unattended while doing some other things around the house. When I came back, I saw that there had been an addition.

What I wrote:

"We weren't being spies or anything."

"Quite possibly you were. (this is where I left off, when I came back this was added) I saw you behind the beech tree looking at him kiss Maria." LOL! : ) (the emoticon was added too)

This could be a wonderful addition to the story - if indeed anyone named Maria was in it. Better luck next time, elf (Harry).

The Purpose of First Drafts

It's been awhile since I've written a true first draft of a novel - no taking this bit from that old story or re-making the character into someone new. And now that I find myself faced with a first draft, I was stymied for awhile.

But then I remembered the purpose of first drafts (at least for me). It's to get the story down on paper. The story that I can later change and alter and play with and revise. But first I have to have a story. So I'm not worrying about making it pretty. I'm not worrying about if this scene or that is totally necessary. I'm not concerning myself with having the most descriptive language or unique metaphors. I'm getting the story down on paper - and that's a good thing.

A Little on Writing

Today I finished my Work in Progress. 81,000 words. It was actually a revision - a second draft. But there were huge departures from the first - so parts of it felt like I was writing it from scratch. There were times I didn't think I'd ever get through the last third of it. But today the ending came to me (it came sooner than I was expecting, I thought I had another couple of chapters). And it's done. Now my wonderful writing critique group gets a go at it.

Now I can go back to the story that I was tracking my progress on in the progress meter on the sidebar. Poor little progress meter, abandoned for so long. Hopefully there will be some movement there soon (Hopefully I'll remember how to update the progress meter!)