tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9078064962090919088.post4016581140100284676..comments2024-03-30T03:18:41.125-04:00Comments on Focused on Story: Insecure Writers Support Group: Writer's Re-writing TipsJ.Q. Rosehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04710790553616621103noreply@blogger.comBlogger18125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9078064962090919088.post-53878070508848638182014-08-07T10:43:14.948-04:002014-08-07T10:43:14.948-04:00I'm still considering Scrivener, but I haven&#...I'm still considering Scrivener, but I haven't taken the plunge yet. <br /><br />I re-write in chunks. Sometimes I just make notes as I read, then go back and focus on the issues I've noticed in my read-through. It just depends on what that particular manuscript needs. cleemckenziehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15456109243453726483noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9078064962090919088.post-9651710214974753472014-08-07T08:04:40.302-04:002014-08-07T08:04:40.302-04:00Rhonda--Good to hear about your use of Scrivener. ...Rhonda--Good to hear about your use of Scrivener. My CP uses it and loves it. Hope it works out well for you.<br /><br />Beverly--good to know you keep it in separate chapters. I have to do it that way too. Thanks for sharing your re-writing process. I understand how you can't ignore those punctuation and grammar errors. Me too! Yes, it must be the teacher in us! J.Q. Rosehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04710790553616621103noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9078064962090919088.post-36629932062857152542014-08-07T08:01:09.371-04:002014-08-07T08:01:09.371-04:00Anna--this is the first book I have written scenes...Anna--this is the first book I have written scenes I knew should be in the story first. But, it was so hard to for me to keep track of the scenes and where to put them, so I finally decided to just write straight through. I like the idea of writing the scenes to help with story structure. At this point I am breaking down the whole story into scenes to do that. We'll see. So interesting to J.Q. Rosehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04710790553616621103noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9078064962090919088.post-57080610686646326982014-08-07T07:57:38.109-04:002014-08-07T07:57:38.109-04:00Jeff-I know what you mean about short stories and ...Jeff-I know what you mean about short stories and novellas. My first mystery was a novella and so much easier to tweak. This 44000 word WIP is so big and clumsy, trying to work everything out in it, main plot and sub-plots, is a lot to handle! Thanks for stopping in. You'll work up to the bigger novel. Each one I write gets longer, but not sure that's a good thing!J.Q. Rosehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04710790553616621103noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9078064962090919088.post-78133010569549545742014-08-07T07:55:10.476-04:002014-08-07T07:55:10.476-04:00Elizabeth--oh yes, the all important clues. Thanks...Elizabeth--oh yes, the all important clues. Thanks for stopping in.<br /><br />Joylene--I know. Finding those dumb mistakes is definitely a "slap-your-forehead- moment.<br /><br />Alex--I agree. The typos, etc drive me crazy too. I can't not fix them. Thanks for commenting.J.Q. Rosehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04710790553616621103noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9078064962090919088.post-79200526529585663902014-08-07T07:52:26.818-04:002014-08-07T07:52:26.818-04:00Loni--When I sit down to begin writing the story, ...Loni--When I sit down to begin writing the story, the creation is fun. It's the middle that I hate! LOL..but in re-writing I enjoy clearing up the muddle in the middle and making things smooth. <br /><br />Sarah--I know exactly what you mean about the epiphanies when re-writing. Great explanation. Thanks.J.Q. Rosehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04710790553616621103noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9078064962090919088.post-48606081752109395272014-08-07T07:50:01.073-04:002014-08-07T07:50:01.073-04:00Roseanne-True, the editing is never-ending. When I...Roseanne-True, the editing is never-ending. When I read my first mystery after it was published, I went aargghhh, why didn't we catch that? or why didn't I do this?<br /><br />Matthew--Thanks for sharing your re-writing process. I know it is hard to finally put the last period on it and send "my baby" off to a publisher for acceptance or, shudder, rejection.J.Q. Rosehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04710790553616621103noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9078064962090919088.post-40667782008610031202014-08-06T18:51:22.235-04:002014-08-06T18:51:22.235-04:00Great topic. My editing varies from story to story...Great topic. My editing varies from story to story. I usually write chapters separately then put them together when the rough draft is finished. I try to look at character development first but cannot ignore punctuation and other grammar mistakes. (The teacher in me.) So I end up editing everything. And then again. And then again. :)Beverly Stowe McClurehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02176195451841801819noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9078064962090919088.post-24187908102260543402014-08-06T18:40:59.438-04:002014-08-06T18:40:59.438-04:00I am only on my first manuscript. I am using Scri...I am only on my first manuscript. I am using Scrivener and set it up for draft plus 3 revisions and I hope that is enough. I am early on my first revision, so for now going through and editing for everything at once, but that might change as it's not working so well. Rhonda Albomhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17455873487349816911noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9078064962090919088.post-82178372670870565862014-08-06T18:11:30.409-04:002014-08-06T18:11:30.409-04:00When I write I keep all the scenes separate becaus...When I write I keep all the scenes separate because my first step to revising is looking at structure. When I'm done I read my work as a whole and then, when appropriate, swap my scenes around for best tension. From there add scenes, then I go to the paragraphs and finally the sentences.<br /><br />And somehow I have fun with it :-)<br /><br /><a href="http://emaginette.wordpress.com/2014/08/emaginettehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03324981140248692448noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9078064962090919088.post-91718772815607594642014-08-06T18:02:36.236-04:002014-08-06T18:02:36.236-04:00I haven't written a novel yet, only novellas. ...I haven't written a novel yet, only novellas. It's no so hard to keep track of the details when you're dealing with 10 to 20 thousand words. With the last novella I finished, I tried graphing the "intensity" of scenes. A scene in which a character has a fight with someone is more intense than one in which he's mulling over what to do. The graph gave me a sense of where IJeff Chapmanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08374806472853391788noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9078064962090919088.post-85607626714406556152014-08-06T17:36:39.147-04:002014-08-06T17:36:39.147-04:00Editing and revising - my favorite step!
First tim...Editing and revising - my favorite step!<br />First time through, I look at everything. I usually print out my manuscript and start looking for everything from grammar mistakes to plot holes to places that need more. (More description or more scene.) I know they say don't edit the typos until the end, but that stuff drives me so bonkers. I can't ignore it.Alex J. Cavanaughhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09770065693345181702noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9078064962090919088.post-3446422028344878772014-08-06T12:06:20.081-04:002014-08-06T12:06:20.081-04:00I'm bad for not reading thru without changing ...I'm bad for not reading thru without changing something. I think I'm afraid I'll miss it next time. I often misread common words. You for He. Was for Are. Screwy mistakes that are so embarrassing. Joylene Nowell Butlerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04497637513532136615noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9078064962090919088.post-66519775600971355612014-08-06T11:47:03.277-04:002014-08-06T11:47:03.277-04:00When working on a mystery, the first thing I would...When working on a mystery, the first thing I would do is read the whole thing through and make sure you have left subtle clues for the reader, made the mystery unfold in a logical way, and explained how the sleuth figured out the crime. From there, I would go chapter by chapter and use the red pen liberally.<br /><br /><a href="http://scribblinginthestorageroom.wordpress.com" rel="nofollow">Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05697412264806977992noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9078064962090919088.post-67002616658840886072014-08-06T10:43:28.483-04:002014-08-06T10:43:28.483-04:00I usually read through the whole manuscript, marki...I usually read through the whole manuscript, marking it up with a red pen for pretty much anything--typos, cutting sentences, jotting down ideas on how to fix scenes. The thing I love about editing/rewriting is having all those little epiphanies when you figure something out. The more I figure out, the closer I feel to being done. <br /><br />Sarah Foster<br />August IWSG Co-hostSarah Fosterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09481750127533816819noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9078064962090919088.post-18463095323205841712014-08-06T09:29:22.473-04:002014-08-06T09:29:22.473-04:00I typically take it chapter by chapter when I'...I typically take it chapter by chapter when I'm rewriting. I'll read through it, tweak sentence structure where I feel it needs it, cut lines, reword lines, add lines, and fix grammar if I'm aware of it being wrong. <br /><br />Rewriting is okay for me, but I love the creation better.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.lonitownsend.com" rel="nofollow">Loni</a>Loni Townsendhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05126958230703180761noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9078064962090919088.post-1182539267915269802014-08-06T08:36:18.624-04:002014-08-06T08:36:18.624-04:00After I write the first draft I let it cool for a ...After I write the first draft I let it cool for a few weeks. When I come back to it, I try to read it straight through, not worrying about anything except how it all hangs together (or doesn't). I then try to fix the big stuff to make it tighter. Here is where the elimination/addition of scenes happens for me. After this revision, then I focus on all the other elements you mention (verb usageAnonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16001130426012612881noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9078064962090919088.post-51063968578691835752014-08-06T08:22:42.188-04:002014-08-06T08:22:42.188-04:00Rewrite in one sitting? I wish. I always read at l...Rewrite in one sitting? I wish. I always read at least one previous chapter each time I sit down to write. Of course, I make changes, edit as I go. When I finally finish the first draft, I go back and rewrite, revise, edit, as much as it takes. Seldom before three even four times. In fact, I can pick up any of my finished stories, read them and still make changes. It's never ending. The Roseanne Dowellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15473329969019245459noreply@blogger.com