re-drafting: how do *you* do it?

[mirrorkisses]

So they say that you should wait until you're done with your work to start rewriting. "They" being the writing community, or the "authorities" of writing. I can see the point: you might get caught up on making a few chapters perfect and never finish your story.

But still, because of the computer age, I'm one of those who re-drafts as she writes. Right now I only have about three different files of my story, because I've made it a point not to rewrite and just get it done... But I started doing rewrites today because I'm not sure where to go next with my story. I felt like I might as well do something while I'm brainstorming.

So, how do you re-draft/rewrite? What way do you think is better, or do you even think there is a better way?

I think that as long as you have a passion for the work it doesn't matter if you edit while you go or not. If you have that passion it will get done.

[Nymtoc]

Each writer has his or her way of proceeding. There is no correct way. Who are these authorities who say you should be done with your work before you start rewriting? Are they the same gurus who say you must work from an outline, must write biographical sketches of all your characters and must be able to summarize your story in one concise sentence? All those things may be useful, but they are not rules.

I revise continually as I go along. It works for me, and--yes--I do finish my projects.

Find what works best for you. :Thumbs:

[mirrorkisses]

I wasn't asking for advice, I was asking out of curiosity, and yes, I agree with you about your first paragraph. That was my point, everyone does it differently. So I'd like to see how other people do it :)

[ORION]

All the other authors I talk to - do it differently. It is completely individual and really -unless you are dissatisfied with the way you are doing it - is personal preference.
Try not to get into a discussion about which is best- There is no one best way for everyone- only a best way for you.

[RoadBuddy]

Right. The only method that will work for you is the one that works for you.

If it's of any use to you, I always go over what I wrote the day before when I start the day. When a manuscript is finished, I put it away for a while. A week, a month, whatever. When I go back, it's almost like reading something someone else wrote. The problems rise right to the top. If I'm still not happy, I do it again.

[Wraith]

Agreed with Nymtoc. As my story changes, I rewrite past things to help me go on, because it gets pretty confusing otherwise (usually when I think of a scene I have to insert somewhere, I also write it, because I feel like it and because it may actually change the course of the story). But I also try to press on and not to get caught in revision. I'll try to write on even if I don't feel like it, but I won't revise my WIP unless I do.

Then again, I'm not one of these people who can finish a first draft at the speed of light. My draft tends to be polished, because every time I write, I read the last scene and edit a bit to get me into the atmosphere.

That's just the way I do, and there's no wrong way but the one that makes you sick of writing. As long as it's fun and makes your writing flow, it's ok.

The thing about waiting until you rewrite is meant to help you after you've finished the draft, polished or rough - to come back to it with a fresh eye. I've found taking a break does wonders to your ability to both spot mistakes and appreciate your own work. But I'm sure even that doesn't work for everyone - that's just how writing is. :)

[ORION]

Sorry we just posted at the same time where you clarified your question-
I write a REALLYSHITTY first draft and revise to a somewhat less shitty second draft. I start at the beginning and go straight through to the end as many times as it takes until I feel it's readable- At that point my agent and then editor makes suggestions I go back and look at those parts and then I go from the beginning to the end again to smooth it out.

[Forbidden Snowflake]

I have to make sure I don't start re-drafting everytime I take a WIP into my hands to continue writing. I could start re-drafting after I've written the first paragraph. It's one of my biggest problems and my biggest struggle. So, I do try and put it away for a whole month.

[mirrorkisses]

Sorry we just posted at the same time where you clarified your question-
I write a REALLYSHITTY first draft and revise to a somewhat less shitty second draft.

ha! Sounds A LOT like me.

My story is pretty much in the shitty stage right now, but the first scene of the first chapter is immaculate. The reason is that I wrote it last spring and didn't really have time to write a story with my classes going on, so I just kept polishing it. It's really great... I just hope I can get the rest of the work as good as the first scene is.

[mirrorkisses]

I have to make sure I don't start re-drafting everytime I take a WIP into my hands to continue writing. I could start re-drafting after I've written the first paragraph. It's one of my biggest problems and my biggest struggle. So, I do try and put it away for a whole month.

If I find myself out of ideas (I don't really get writer's block, just lapses sometimes), I just say to myself "I'll won't touch it for a week," and quit messing with it. Usually I have an idea by the next day. I think it's that putting it to rest in my mind that gives me some time to relax.

[joyce]

Every time I pick up my WIP I generally go back over the last thing I wrote first, just to get a feel again of where I was going. If I see something that I feel needs changing I will do it at that time. I guess I'm always editing a little bit while I'm writing. When it's finished I go through it again for a massive fix. I then give it to a friend who reads it and points out things they might see. Then it's back to the editing table again. Sometimes I think I'm editing more than I'm writing.

[scarletpeaches]

What I do is speed-type the first draft, aiming for 50k words. I stole the idea from NaNo. :D

For the second draft, I handwrite, and take as long as I need to get the story 'right'.

Thirdly, I type back onto the laptop in manuscript format and if I've done the 2nd draft well, I only have to correct minor details and typos (or should that be writos)?

I don't edit as I go, especially with the speed-typed first draft, as that's all about speed over substance. While I'm writing the second draft I try to get things perfected as I go, or as near as dammit, so the third draft will be a simple matter of transcribing.

[Scrawler]

I write in layers and move around to different parts of my story. For example, today I'm not feeling chapter 3 and am working on chapter 12. I've already developed a very clear and expansive outline and synopsis, so I can pick up and write or rewrite where I feel it. I might rewrite chapter 16 twice before I finish chapter 6.
This works for me.

[Jamesaritchie]

I rewrite the page I'm working on as I go, nothing before. I don't like "re-draft" because this suggest doing multiple drafts, and I really do only one. My second "draft" is just a polish draft.

[Elodie-Caroline]

That's how I do it too. I find that I come up with other ideas and even enough of them for extra chapters doing it this way.
I have days where I don't want to write and/or don't feel very creative, so I use these days to flip to a chapter that I feel might need some work doing and just edit or fill in that particular one.


Elodie

I write in layers and move around to different parts of my story. For example, today I'm not feeling chapter 3 and am working on chapter 12. I've already developed a very clear and expansive outline and synopsis, so I can pick up and write or rewrite where I feel it. I might rewrite chapter 16 twice before I finish chapter 6.
This works for me.

[a_sharp]

It's gratifying to see so many others writing as I do--edit as I go, rewrite as needed, keep pressing on--but I'm not sure what it proves other than "I've got company."

The reason I write that way is that I've done front-to-back drafts in the past and found that my rewrite was a wholesale overhaul ("did I really write that junk? What was I thinking? That doesn't work anymore. I changed her name. The villain is taking over my story!).

So I try to follow a rough outline, which itself gets revised from time to time because for me writing is a discovery process. I discover new plot directions, conflicts, character nuances, that improve the story, and this requires going back for changes, sometimes scrapping whole scenes or chapters, shuffling same, etc. This is how I write, and eventually the whole thing comes together.

For one book, I was about half-way through when I conceived a better ending. So I jumped ahead and wrote the last chapter, then with that as a target, the remainder of the book came together almost in one draft.

[Prawn]

I don't edit, or even spell check as I write. If I forget something, I might go back and write "Have him meet Mr. Clean here" By the time I finish, I am ready to look at the beginning with fresh eyes.

[Shadow_Ferret]

My first few attempts at novels, I only made it 4 chapters in and I started to rewrite and edit those 4 chapters until they were perfect. I became obsessed with making those chapters perfect and I think I did it because I was afraid to continue. I had something like 4 or 5 novels all stuck at chapter 4.

It wasn't until I allowed myself to just keep writing, to let it not be perfect, that I finally finished a novel.

[AJ Clare]

I rewrite a lot as I go. I have a bad habit of writing entire paragraphs, looking at them sideways, squinting, writing them off as crap, deleting them and starting all over again. I can't face anything that's TOO messy in a second edit because I'm a very lazy editor. If I just kind of put everything down on the page as it comes and then know I have to go back and face it then the mere thought of doing so just defeats me.

Every year I try and break this habit by doing NaNo and every year I fail after about twenty thousand words. Seat of the pants scribbling and redrafting later just doesn't seem to be my style.

[mirrorkisses]

My first few attempts at novels, I only made it 4 chapters in and I started to rewrite and edit those 4 chapters until they were perfect. I became obsessed with making those chapters perfect and I think I did it because I was afraid to continue. I had something like 4 or 5 novels all stuck at chapter 4.

It wasn't until I allowed myself to just keep writing, to let it not be perfect, that I finally finished a novel.

I don't know what perfect is when it comes to my work... I just keep working on it until I don't have anything else to add, and I know it's good when I can go back after writing a few chapters, read it, and say, "whoah, I wrote that?!"

[Voyager]

"I don't do a written draft. I work only on the computer and I do one page at a time. I work on a page 20, 30, 40 drafts, whatever it takes, before I move on to the next page. That way I feel that I've done as much as I can on that page and have left nothing to correct later. So that when I get a draft done, it has had so much reworking during the course of it that I don't need to go back and revisit things. I do this because I operate with a lot of self doubt and my way of handling the self doubt is to rework a page until I've got it as smooth as I can get it and then to move on. Then the self doubt starts up again on the very next page, but I deal with that page as a separate unit." Dean Koontz
http://www.amazon.com/Good-Guy-Dean-Koontz/dp/0553804812/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/103-5513520-0194233?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1191822376&sr=8-1

While this would drive me nuts, I do go over each chapter until I feel it's decent before I move on to the next one. Just goes to show, though, everyone has their own way of doing stuff.

[jodiodi]

I write and edit as I go until I've finished the first draft. Then I go back and read to make sure it flows and make additions, corrections, deletions and other editorial decisions on the way through the read. I may do a third draft, just to mke certain everything works and to look for plot holes, but I seldom rewrite more than that. I only have one file for my novel as far as drafts go, and edit within that one file. I keep a file of cut scenes in case I need to go back and pull something out.

[ccarver30]

I finished mine after a lot of years then realized it was crap. I basically started over with a new version of my plot. I am SO much happier with this draft!!!

[maestrowork]

Personally, I have done the "re-drafting" as you put it, and I've forged on as well. I find moving on is the best approach for me because I have a tendency to obsess over the rewrite to make it perfect. Right now, if I have changed my mind or if something didn't work, I would just go back and put a note (in bold red) and then later put another note in the new material such as "X is not blind anymore; I've changed my mind" and just keep moving. I try not to obsess over the first draft -- it's meant to be jumbled and incomplete, and that's what notes and comments and bookmarks in Word are for. :)

[maestrowork]

I became obsessed with making those chapters perfect and I think I did it because I was afraid to continue. I had something like 4 or 5 novels all stuck at chapter 4.

I think that's a very fair statement, at least for me. Usually when I start to obsess over rewrite while working on a first draft is when I "don't want to continue."

[laffarsmith]

I don't read or revise as I go. During the writing stage, I write. Before the writing stage I spend days, sometimes weeks getting to know my characters and coming to understand what I want from the story and where the plot goes. I outline. Then when I write I tend to outline more as I'm writing, solidify the skeleton. If ideas change in sections I've already written I'll make annotations on those scenes but leave the actual changes for the rewrite.

Of course, when the editing stage begins I'll read over parts and go "Wow! I wrote that? D*@$ I'm good!" ;-) Then of course there is the hair pulling out moments that are more like, "OMG! This is terrible! What was I thinking? This doesn't make any sense at all, it's absolute rubbish. How could I ever think I could be a writer? I'm obviously a no-talent hack and this whole draft deserves a funeral pyre." Hopefully these moments are swiftly followed by more good bits.

[scarletpeaches]

I honestly don't understand the Koontz method. If you plant something in chapter seventeen that would have to be foreshadowed in chapter nine, you'd have to go back and edit anyway. That's why I think it makes more sense to edit once you have the whole novel in your hands. You can look at it as a complete entity.

[maestrowork]

I honestly don't understand the Koontz method. If you plant something in chapter seventeen that would have to be foreshadowed in chapter nine, you'd have to go back and edit anyway. That's why I think it makes more sense to edit once you have the whole novel in your hands. You can look at it as a complete entity.

If it's just a small thing (like planting a gun strategically) I could see myself just going to page 9 and put it in. Done. So I don't have to think about it anymore.

but if it's something bigger, such as as plot change, character change, etc. then I'd write in a note, and wait until rewrite.

[Shadow_Ferret]

I think those are different situations from just reediting as you go along.

There have been several times where I've been writing and an idea popped into my head in chapter 14 about a character, or about the relationship a certain event has in the story and that will force me to go back and either foreshadow as scarlet said or to rewrite a certain actions a character did.

To me, that's still part of the initial writing process and doesn't truly constitute re-drafting. Ya know?

[Jamesaritchie]

I honestly don't understand the Koontz method. If you plant something in chapter seventeen that would have to be foreshadowed in chapter nine, you'd have to go back and edit anyway. That's why I think it makes more sense to edit once you have the whole novel in your hands. You can look at it as a complete entity.


I never do something in chapter seventeen that hasn't already been foreshadowed. I suspect Koontz works the same way. You foreshadow first, plant second.

For me, foreshadowing, like subplot, is never planned. I just write, and one thing or another that I write will be used as foreshadowing later in the novel, even though I didn't think of it as foreshadowing when I put it in.

I get to chapter seventeen, or wherever, and I realize I'm writing something that was foreshadowed in a much earlier chapter. But it wasn't written as foreshadowing, I turn it into foreshadowing by writing a later scene that reflects the earlier item or event.

Edit later, yes, but for me, editing means cleaning up clunky sentences, tightening, etc. It doesn't mean rewriting. What matters is that I know everything that has already happened, and I use this to write what happens next. If what I already have is good, and complete, and I make sure it is, there's never a need to go backward in the novel to add foreshadowing.

[J. R. Tomlin]

I re-write as I go. Part of that is that I re-read the previous few pages each day to get ready to start writing and if I notice changes that need to be made, I make them. Also if there are changes such as foreshadowing that need to be made, I prefer to make them while they are fresh in my mind rather than wait.

Then after completing the work, I print it and read it out loud and do additional editing. I have seen some authors say they do eight or more editing passes, I would go nuts.

I think this is a personal preference. It shouldn't be discussed, in my opinion, as though there is a right and wrong way to do it. If it works for you, then it's good. If it doesn't, then change it.

[scarletpeaches]

I never do something in chapter seventeen that hasn't already been foreshadowed. I suspect Koontz works the same way. You foreshadow first, plant second.

For me, foreshadowing, like subplot, is never planned. I just write, and one thing or another that I write will be used as foreshadowing later in the novel, even though I didn't think of it as foreshadowing when I put it in.

I get to chapter seventeen, or wherever, and I realize I'm writing something that was foreshadowed in a much earlier chapter. But it wasn't written as foreshadowing, I turn it into foreshadowing by writing a later scene that reflects the earlier item or event.

Edit later, yes, but for me, editing means cleaning up clunky sentences, tightening, etc. It doesn't mean rewriting. What matters is that I know everything that has already happened, and I use this to write what happens next. If what I already have is good, and complete, and I make sure it is, there's never a need to go backward in the novel to add foreshadowing.

I can see your point there, JAR - I've often foreshadowed things without realising it. I'll get to chapter twelve, for instance, and think, "Oh - I could tie this in to something which occurred ten pages back."

But still, I much prefer editing a finished product. As I progress as a writer, I need to rewrite less and less, so I know my writing's much tighter than it used to be, but I still prefer looking at it, and editing, as a whole product rather than individual pages or chapters.

[Jamesaritchie]

I can see your point there, JAR - I've often foreshadowed things without realising it. I'll get to chapter twelve, for instance, and think, "Oh - I could tie this in to something which occurred ten pages back."

But still, I much prefer editing a finished product. As I progress as a writer, I need to rewrite less and less, so I know my writing's much tighter than it used to be, but I still prefer looking at it, and editing, as a whole product rather than individual pages or chapters.

Both ways work, so it's just a choice of method.

I sort of do see it as a whole product, even though I don't know what comes next. I do know what's already been, though, so when I add a chapter, I'm seeing it whole up to that point. This continues until the final chapter, and when I write it I'm seeing the whole novel. Each chapter I add must fit the previous "whole."

Easier done than explained, I think.

[RickN]

My first draft is all about getting the story onto paper. I keep a notepad of "things to remember" when it comes time to edit.

For example, in my current WiP, I think my antagonist gets introduced too late, so I have a note on my pad to bring him into the sotry earlier. Now, I could have stopped my first draft, gone back and rewritten Chapter 2 to make sure he's introduced early, but if I did that then I'd also want to look at chapters 1, 3, 4, etc for other things. So, I keep a list and keep going.

Draft 2 is all about the plot. I print a copy to read and markup. I dig for plot holes, character issues (red hair in chapter 4 has become blonde in chapter 10), and extra/missing scenes.

After I get the plot the way I like it, I edit again from my editing cheatsheet for adverbs, passive sentences, and the other two pages of items I keep on my sheet.

Then, I let other people see it. This inevitably spawns another edit.

When that's done, I take my well-worn paper editing copy from draft 2, dowse it with lighter fluid, and dance naked around the flaming manuscript in the backyard. After my wife bails me out, I get to work on the next book.

[Judg]

LOL. Well, up until the last paragraph, I kept nodding and saying, "Yeah, that's how I do it too."

[ishtar'sgate]

I really obsess over my opening paragraphs. I rewrite them and rewrite them until I'm reasonably satisfied and then I feel free to go on. From there I edit as I go, rereading the previous day's work and making any changes before starting the current day's writing. Editing as I go works best for me, then once the manuscript is completed I set it aside for a few months then do my final rewrites.
Linnea

[ishtar'sgate]

For example, in my current WiP, I think my antagonist gets introduced too late, so I have a note on my pad to bring him into the sotry earlier. Now, I could have stopped my first draft, gone back and rewritten Chapter 2 to make sure he's introduced early, but if I did that then I'd also want to look at chapters 1, 3, 4, etc for other things. So, I keep a list and keep going.

.
You're lucky you can do that. If I don't stop and fix things right there and then I can't write the rest. Mostly because I'm never really sure how I'll bring the antag into the story so I have no idea how that will impact the rest of the book and I may be left with a real mess to clean up!
Linnea

[Jamesaritchie]

I really obsess over my opening paragraphs. I rewrite them and rewrite them until I'm reasonably satisfied and then I feel free to go on. From there I edit as I go, rereading the previous day's work and making any changes before starting the current day's writing. Editing as I go works best for me, then once the manuscript is completed I set it aside for a few months then do my final rewrites.
Linnea

I do this, as well. The opening of a novel is more work for me than the entire rest of the novel, and often takes as much time to get right, and to write.

[Julie Worth]

I don't know what perfect is when it comes to my work...

I don't either. So I keep giving it to people, and when they stop asking questions or marking it up, then it's done.

[RickN]

You're lucky you can do that. If I don't stop and fix things right there and then I can't write the rest. Mostly because I'm never really sure how I'll bring the antag into the story so I have no idea how that will impact the rest of the book and I may be left with a real mess to clean up!
Linnea

I feel your pain. When I started novel writing, I kept thrashing and thrashing to get the first few pages 'perfect'. I ended up with many abandoned 50-page efforts. I followed some advice and bought an Alphasmart. It's screen is so tiny that editing is impossible, so I had no choice but to write notes down for later. That had a huge effect on my ability to finish a book. So, I found out through years of experience that I can't go back and edit as I write -- I never reach the finish line. If you can -- more power to you, I'm jealous.

As I say this, I do remember some exceptions. I changed one novel from third to first person about 50 pages in. I did go back and restart that -- the change was too big and distracting.

I also changed one protagonist from a college-educated middle-class white guy to an albino midget tranvestive with a limp. That had several ripple effects, especially in the love scenes. Anytime you can work "what the hell is that doing there?" into your dialogue, you know you've written magic.

[vfury]

I'm one of those people who try not to make drastic changes to a manuscript as they go through the first draft, mostly because I'm superstitious and fear that I won't finish it. :) I generally make notes of things that I have to add in or change, which becomes my 1.5 draft, and then I set it aside until it's time to do the big second one.