tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post1206132466268421600..comments2024-03-27T10:02:56.747-04:00Comments on Fiction University: The Difference Between a Revision, a Rewrite, and a Redraft Janice Hardyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02356672149097741248noreply@blogger.comBlogger18125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-84844490337394326392019-02-24T09:26:08.026-05:002019-02-24T09:26:08.026-05:00Most welcome! And kudos for identifying the issue ...Most welcome! And kudos for identifying the issue and being able to fix it. I'm sure that was a lot of work, but well worth it I bet :)Janice Hardyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02356672149097741248noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-60482147796256876772019-02-19T22:04:35.201-05:002019-02-19T22:04:35.201-05:00You are so right! At 110pp of c.385pp, I was tryin...You are so right! At 110pp of c.385pp, I was trying to wrangle six different subplots; one for each major character, and I could not for the life of me understand why I felt like the work was evaporating off the page as quickly as I laid the words down. I went back to the eight core elements and re-wrote their summary. I spent a few weeks revising the first hundred pages and now I'm back in the rising action less so much neat stuff(I might have to save it for another story) the piece has momentum again. Thank you. Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18025235774289078225noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-64318691136918920082018-09-06T11:07:53.468-04:002018-09-06T11:07:53.468-04:00You're supposed to do whatever works for you :...You're supposed to do whatever works for you :) The "don't edit until you're done" advice really applies more to the polishing side, such as don't worry about the perfect word or commas when you're still getting the story worked out. But reworking the scene to get the story worked out is totally fine if that's how your process works. Janice Hardyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02356672149097741248noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-66701275456636036202018-09-04T14:52:28.675-04:002018-09-04T14:52:28.675-04:00I’ve struggled with the advice- don’t edit while w...I’ve struggled with the advice- don’t edit while writing your first draft. I’m realizing now that I haven’t been editing. I’ve been rewriting and redrafting, trying to get the right scenes. I’d imagine or let someone tell me how it should go, write it and have it fall flat. Then I have to write it all over again and then suddenly people are in the wrong places, characters fade in and out, and I have no idea how I’m getting to my anchor scene. And I’ve felt guilty the whole time as I keep thinking you’re just supposed to keep writing even when the story doesn’t make sense any more. I think it’s time to stop, get my anchor sequence right, and see what flows out from there. Angelica Fiorinoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-17706205664666121782018-04-13T09:49:31.549-04:002018-04-13T09:49:31.549-04:00It's odd how changing the way we describe thin...It's odd how changing the way we describe things changes how we think about them. But I do it, and I see it work all the time. Hmm...maybe I need a post about this? Thanks! Janice Hardyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02356672149097741248noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-45801220629990585402018-03-08T13:04:14.047-05:002018-03-08T13:04:14.047-05:00Before I got sick last month, I thought I was work...Before I got sick last month, I thought I was working on a rewrite of a novel I'd love to publish eventually. However, reading this post, I, now, realize what I want to do is a redraft. For some unknown reason, the task doesn't seem as daunting.Glynis Jollyhttps://ascriptedmaze.wordpress.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-73964951016196832872018-03-03T11:38:43.554-05:002018-03-03T11:38:43.554-05:00Most welcomeMost welcomeJanice Hardyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02356672149097741248noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-22153494457932814122018-03-03T11:38:23.281-05:002018-03-03T11:38:23.281-05:00I think a lot of us do. It's part of the proce...I think a lot of us do. It's part of the process, really. Janice Hardyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02356672149097741248noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-15889216629316879712018-02-25T18:55:05.954-05:002018-02-25T18:55:05.954-05:00Thanks for much for the clarification! @sheilamg...Thanks for much for the clarification! @sheilamgood at <a href="http://cowpasturechronicles.com" rel="nofollow"> Cow Pasture Chronicles</a>Sheila Goodhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01399493893026314102noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-61701510952422930682018-02-23T09:48:22.548-05:002018-02-23T09:48:22.548-05:00I'm going back to a novel I wrote a couple of ...I'm going back to a novel I wrote a couple of years ago. In a nutshell the protagonist was poorly drawn out. This opinion did not just come from me but other writers as well. On the other hand the foundation, the bare bones, of the story is solid which will make it a lot easier once the problem with the protagonist is fixed. It's nice to see I am not the only one who has faced this problem. <br /><br />Great stuff as always. Thank you.Bryan J. Faganhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00439364121405747213noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-90851345077354018822018-02-20T16:09:53.721-05:002018-02-20T16:09:53.721-05:00They really do. I think my average is 3-5 drafts, ...They really do. I think my average is 3-5 drafts, but I've had more and less depending on the book. Janice Hardyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02356672149097741248noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-79140511707636793752018-02-20T16:08:59.809-05:002018-02-20T16:08:59.809-05:00It's a silly thing, but I've found that ju...It's a silly thing, but I've found that just specifying the terms changes perspective and can make all the difference. I see it happen all the time. Janice Hardyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02356672149097741248noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-56883908600076255602018-02-20T16:08:09.069-05:002018-02-20T16:08:09.069-05:00Aw, thanks! Fun title for writing software. Best o...Aw, thanks! Fun title for writing software. Best of luck on your revisions Janice Hardyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02356672149097741248noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-22838658433979278372018-02-20T16:07:27.243-05:002018-02-20T16:07:27.243-05:00Sounds like we have the same type of manuscript :)...Sounds like we have the same type of manuscript :) I hope this is the final draft for both of us (baring normal revising of course, lol) Janice Hardyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02356672149097741248noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-50073205058133105942018-02-19T20:56:11.530-05:002018-02-19T20:56:11.530-05:00Timely advice as always. My draft is somewhere bet...Timely advice as always. My draft is somewhere between a rewrite and a revision with the occasional new scene needed. I had this idea that after four drafts it would be done... I see now that each novel takes as many drafts/revisions as it needs to be the story in your head!Vahlaeityhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18038892372374001592noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-40767220844381098802018-02-19T18:32:35.424-05:002018-02-19T18:32:35.424-05:00I like how you clarified the differences because I...I like how you clarified the differences because I thought I was doing a re-write, when I'm actually doing the dreaded re-draft. But re-drafting is a must, for the reasons you specified. Plus, I had to up the age of my protag.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-13088825920905195092018-02-19T15:57:00.617-05:002018-02-19T15:57:00.617-05:00Thanks, Janice, for shedding some light on the str...Thanks, Janice, for shedding some light on the strange phase my novel is going through. I'm at 'draft 5' and now realise that involves revising some scenes - mainly in the first half - rewriting some key scenes with a new POV as my protagonist has change, and finally re-drafting the climax-related scenes. This post has shed light on that process. 'Revising Your Novel' is my go-to guide on my desk, although I'm also using some editing software called Fictionary.Roland Clarkehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03302133565980901397noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-39705095596666113492018-02-19T13:43:47.885-05:002018-02-19T13:43:47.885-05:00This is my life right now. I've finally return...This is my life right now. I've finally returned to the novel I drafted during NaNo 2016 when I became sick about a third of the way through the month. To the first plot point is solid and has only required revising. I love it. After that, though, it's a Franken-mess, but with exceptions. There are what I'll call "anchor scenes." It was as if my clouded, wandering mind occasionally crossed paths with where I needed to be. Those scenes only need rewritten. I'm thankful there are many of them clustered in the last quarter of the novel and enough sprinkled elsewhere to act as a framework. I just scrapped four scenes in a row. They served no purpose. Today I'm going to start drafting what I should have written. It took awhile to come up with a plan, but I'm finally there. So, yeah, as always, you're exactly right.Christina Anne Hawthornehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11469200451589333014noreply@blogger.com