Revision No. 5: The Journey Continues
I must make my post short today. I've taken on quite a few major tasks for the duration of the summer. While I continue to work on Ripples, i will also be teaching two friends how to sew, heading up a writers workshop, and planning the next school year for my girls. Learning how to juggle all the things I want to devote time to is a constant work in progress. (The photo above is one of my own original creations and is copyrighted.)
I'm at the point in the evolution of Ripples where, for the most part, I'm confident in the content. There are only a few niggling doubts as to its reception once it's out on the market. No matter what happens after publication, I am determined to continue writing. And I am determined to write in the way that fits best for me. My major concern is just doing it -- putting the words in my heart down on paper in a construction that pleases me. The monetary gains are far outweighed by the spiritual ones.
How do I revise? Well, I just read through it and fix what doesn't seem right. For three revisions, I read it through, tackling at least one chapter a day, from beginning to end. For the last revision, I read it backwards, taking the advice of Joan Dempsey who offers writing courses and some free advice for authors through her blog and newsletters. (I've learned a lot from her. You should definitely check her out.) This time I'm reading it from start to finish once again. I also found that taking a break in between each revision helped me see my story with clearer vision. I didn't burn out.
Something else I've had to iron out was exactly what kind of fantasy book is flowing out of me. There are no dragons, no magicians/mages/sorcerers, no unicorns... When I posted the first revision of my prologue on Scribophile, one of my fellow authors told me I had the start of a wonderful sci-fi novel. I have to admit to facepalm-ing and groaning. The prologue no longer exists in the current manuscript but the effort I put into creating my fantasy world may still lead to misunderstandings by the readers. I really just wanted to create a world in which fantastical things were possible and where I had room to create new creatures and plants. To be completely honest, it's rare for me to take the path well-trodden. While the uncut path scares me, it's still the one I usually end up taking. I happen to be much in love with the world of my heart. I hope I'll be able to convey that love in the words between the covers.
Did I say I was going to keep it short? Oh, well. So many words cannot be contained in so small a structure. They must eventually spill out.
How do I revise? Well, I just read through it and fix what doesn't seem right. For three revisions, I read it through, tackling at least one chapter a day, from beginning to end. For the last revision, I read it backwards, taking the advice of Joan Dempsey who offers writing courses and some free advice for authors through her blog and newsletters. (I've learned a lot from her. You should definitely check her out.) This time I'm reading it from start to finish once again. I also found that taking a break in between each revision helped me see my story with clearer vision. I didn't burn out.
Something else I've had to iron out was exactly what kind of fantasy book is flowing out of me. There are no dragons, no magicians/mages/sorcerers, no unicorns... When I posted the first revision of my prologue on Scribophile, one of my fellow authors told me I had the start of a wonderful sci-fi novel. I have to admit to facepalm-ing and groaning. The prologue no longer exists in the current manuscript but the effort I put into creating my fantasy world may still lead to misunderstandings by the readers. I really just wanted to create a world in which fantastical things were possible and where I had room to create new creatures and plants. To be completely honest, it's rare for me to take the path well-trodden. While the uncut path scares me, it's still the one I usually end up taking. I happen to be much in love with the world of my heart. I hope I'll be able to convey that love in the words between the covers.
Did I say I was going to keep it short? Oh, well. So many words cannot be contained in so small a structure. They must eventually spill out.
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