Has anyone else substantially revised a work you thought was finished? That's what I've been doing, and I have to tell you it isn't easy. Not only did I write an almost entirely new part two, but I also had to completely re-arrange the last third of the book, add all the necessary transitions, adjust for time and the new route my characters are taking, AND write a new ending. All in the hopes of making this story better than just good. Sometimes I ask myself why I spend so much time on one story, one set of characters? But I don't have a good answer, unless it's that I believe in them - for now.
How do you feel about revisions?
Oh, and for anyone who's interested, my new header is courtesy of my son, picture taker extraordinaire. He took the lighthouse, too :)
He did a nice job!
ReplyDeleteI've never had to revise something that much. Small adjustments but nothing major. I guess that's why I still like the editing phase so much.
Keep revising - it will come together!
I think totally re-writing a book is a badge of honor! It shows your commitment to making a story be the best it can be and understanding that the original version of the story might be just the caterpillar before it goes into a cocoon.
ReplyDeleteI love revising. And yes, I have had to do a major one sometimes. But I have to admit my story is better with all the revisions.
ReplyDeleteIt's a beautiful pic!!! Very inspiring!
ReplyDeleteI detest revisions - my current wip is a completed story but silly me - I go and start re-reading, found myself re-writing, then totally lost the plot of the original and am now back to square one with it! LOL!! Mind you - with mine, the story was crappy to begin with anyway so maybe this is a good thing! LOL!
Good luck with yours!! Take care
x
just make sure those revisions aren't impulsive :)
ReplyDeleteWell, when I'm done with this current WIP it will change some things in the novel that comes after it, the one I already wrote (!). Yeah, I'll have to do a complete revision on that novel, though I'm hoping it won't require as many major changes as you've had to make. Just some tweaks here and there. And, yep, I do it because I love the setting and the characters and I want them to be in the best story I can make for them. :)
ReplyDeleteOh, yes, definitely - I had to rewrite a YA book into an MG book after many people (including agents and editors) suggested that I do so. It was so hard to rip apart the book that I spent so much time finishing and working on, but it turned out to be much, much better. I guess that's what we have to do sometimes, however painful and difficult it is! Good luck on your revisions!
ReplyDeleteI love your new picture heading. Wish I could take such a picture. And my current WIP is going to need some major reworking.
ReplyDeleteI recently had to do something similar, and it wasn't easy! My publishers requested changes which meant rearranging 2/3 of the manuscript, which I definitely didn't expect to have to do at this stage (having already revised the manuscript twice!). I'm not a major fan of revisions but I feel the finished story is stronger - fingers crossed my publishers agree!
ReplyDeleteOh yeah. That's the life of a writer. Revise until we hate our story and then send it out.
ReplyDeleteOh gosh, yes. But you know I have. I rewrote the entire thing, which brought about unexpected changes--good changes, though, that brought the story to a new level.
ReplyDeleteI am not there yet, but I can already see LARGE parts of my current WIP needing to be rewritten.
ReplyDeleteNice picture. Revisions...oh yeah. I had a story I loved but it tipped the word scales at a whopping 150K. I had to strip out a couple subplots and shed quite a few characters.
ReplyDeleteYep, I'm in the process of rewriting my first novel. I figured out why it wasn't working before. So, now I'm chipping away at it.
ReplyDeleteThe pic is extraordinary - and so is your son! I hope these revisions are for a new WIP and not the one you sold to Wido. I like working at my own pace when revising. Knowing I was under a deadline would be miserable as solutions to literary problems rarely present themselves when you need them. :P
ReplyDeleteMy first novel went through so many overhauls. The two major ones was timeline and changing it from third person to first. I don't regret any of the revisions I made (but I save the old versions nonetheless).
ReplyDeleteLove the photo! Your son is a great photographer.
ReplyDeleteGreat photo! My son just finished a photography class, and you've got me thinking of all his amazing projects.
ReplyDeleteBack on topic... Revisions? I may be the least sane writer on this post, but I LOVE revisions. Yes, I adore rearranging the story, tightening prose, building in new and stellar twists, etc. I think it's much more fun than the first draft. MUCH.
Really nice photo. What a talented young man.
ReplyDeleteI've do this with past manuscripts. I'm doing it now while writing a new story. But I tend to like revisions better than first drafts.
Wow, your son is becoming a fantastic photographer. That picture is stunning.
ReplyDeleteRevisions are a pain in the patootie while you're doing them, but the results are usually worth it. Eventually.
First of all, your son is incredibly talented and the header is gorgeous.
ReplyDeleteSecond of all, OUCH. Revisions are painful, difficult, and sometimes wrenching. At yet at the end, we come out with something better. Yes, I can really appreciate what you're doing. I've been there. Hang in there, and believe in the story!
Your son has a photographic talent. Very impressive and your header creates a special ambience.
ReplyDeleteI never do revisions. I leave any revisions up to Penny the Jack Russell dog and modest internet superstar!
Gary :)
Your lad does take a nice piccie, composes beautifully!
ReplyDeleteI generally like revisions, but I am stuck in the middle of a massive one at the moment (turning one novel into two) and I just haven't had time to progress for literally months . Frustrating!
Your son did an excellent job. Fantastic shot.
ReplyDeleteGreat interview ladies. Isn't interesting how some of the best things start with a dream?
ReplyDelete