I am elbow deep in some of my last revisions on this particular novel. (hopefully) And the whole time I'm editing I'm panicking. Terrifying questions keep popping in my head with every word I change or take out.
Thankfully, I'm FINALLY confident in the story. And pleased with the new scene I added and the change to the beginning I have made. But the nagging questions about everything else keep tormenting me.
How do you know where editing ends and butchering begins?
What is to stop you from cutting up your baby in the quest to publication perfection so badly that it is unrecognizable?
And how can you tell if the carving is for the better or you have just destroyed your baby?
And what is even worse, I'm suspicious that the answers will be similar to "you just know" or some vague, unhelpful crap like that.
The panic may be over nothing. But. What if it isn't?
Ah, well. Here is another round of WV!(not to be confused with VD) I think it will become a regular thing around here, unless you guys don't like it?
So tell me, anyone seen any good word verifications of their own lately?
Author Elizabeth Spann Craig and Mike Fleming teamed up on the creation of the best writer's resources on the web, Writers Knowledge Base. It is a search for all the things writery related that you may need to search in your own journey with writing! Awesome, right!? Yes.
Happy Wednesday!
I love these word verification posts. Sadly, with editing, even "you just know" doesn't always work. If *you* love it, that means something. If deep down you're not satisfied - keep going.
ReplyDeleteSorry about your editing woes. The only answer I have is to keep all old drafts. If you feel like you're butchering instead of bettering, compare the latest draft with one of the older ones. (Or have someone else do it for you.) Being as objective as possible, decide which version you like better. If it's the old version, go back to that. (Your mileage may vary, but it's worked for me in the past.)
ReplyDeleteAnother great round of WV. (Not to be confused with West Virginia... want free gas with that? :wink:) I think I'm going to start shouting Dedger! when I get a paper cut. At the rate I've been getting them lately, the word should be part of my hourly vocab.
great (but hard) questions on editing. My advice is to take out overly used/improperly used words. Don't take out your style. Know which scenes and characters are 'absoultely essential' to moving the plot forward and any dialogue, scenes, characters that are there to fill space or to join just ONE part of the plot.
ReplyDeleteThis is a great post. Love how you included the results.
ReplyDeleteYeah, the difference between editing and butchering is one is merely less bloodier than the other. You'll have to guess which one. lol
For me, I know I'm done editing when I take a break, come back to the manuscript, and don't have any big picture things I want to change. I know that's unhelpful, but it really works for me. My mom always says about dress shopping that you'll know it when you find it, and I think it's the same with finishing edits.
ReplyDeleteWish I had editing answers. Basically, I never know when to stop!
ReplyDeleteIt's funny,
ReplyDeleteOn my first novel I seem to never stop changing it. I going through another major edit through it now. I've been working on it for two years.
My second novel, I wrote in six weeks and edited for two, and I think I'm done. Am I shocked.... You bet! But it works for me. Where as the first isn't at the moment.
Like Elena I keep ALL my edited copies.... Just in case.
Michael
I'd say keep every draft you've ever written.
ReplyDeleteIf you don't like the edits, you're safe.
:-)
These are so much fun! I came across famri, ackking and miture...
ReplyDeleteAs for knowing when you're done revising? Sometimes putting it away for a while and reading it with fresh eyes helps.
I keep forgetting to write them down! I had some doozies the other day.
ReplyDeleteFinally some more word verification that I can get all wrong! :P
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you're confident in your writing, Colene. I hope that soon you'll submit your novel. :)
Colene, you just know. :P
ReplyDeleteI love the word verifications. Just recently I saw "cuddl" which I thought was fun/cute.
Love the word verifications! You know, the editing questions seem to be the most popular at the workshops that I've been to. My favorite answer "you just know" (yes, one person said that once - and all the other panelists disagreed). That's what your critique group is for. ;-) Those super wise (and very attractive) ones will tell you - you've done as much as you can, this is solid, IT'S TIME!! But if you know without SWVACG, then it is time as well. You don't always need others to tell you. Maybe you do just know!
ReplyDeleteHa, I enjoy word verification here and when I see it on comments.
ReplyDeleteHmm, when to know where the butchering has begun...I think first you feel confident about your changes. Not necessarily 100%, but certain scenes seem to just "work." THEN, you give it to your critique partners and they tell you if it needs more work--you know by the number of comments and suggestions. Also, the more novels you write, the more you will develop an inherent "feel" of when you're approaching doneness. Good luck!
You slay me, girl - you just slay me! :) Love the word verification game! So fun! And, as someone just mentioned, and I do this too (well, started) I was freaking about cutting so many things from my wip that I saved a newer version as "Wip" edit. So, if I changed my mind - I'd still have the original version to go back to. But - I'd say you're making the right decision if you read through it and love it. And then read through it another day - and still love it. Good luck to you!
ReplyDeleteYou just, I don't know, know. :)
ReplyDeleteLove the word verifications. I'm going to start making comics with some of the ones I've collected at other sites.
Funny Colene. Jules at trying to get over the rainbow is also having a word v. day. I was just at a Christian blog and word v. said, reepent. Do you think it knows something I don't?
ReplyDeleteNancy
N. R. Williams, fantasy author
Thanks for the link! I love the landscaping hedgehog!!! Good luck with your revisions... I think the best way to know is to run it thru beta readers before and after.
ReplyDeleteYou know I love these!!! Though I must say today I was not in agreement with which one's were winning (guess I'm a sore loser), lol.
ReplyDeleteThat's a fun game. I've actually seen a lot of real words lately.
ReplyDeleteAnd the answer - you'll know. (Sorry, couldn't resist.)
I think it's important to have a firm grasp of what your story IS - what is the basic plot, the basic character arc, what is it you wanted to accomplish with your story? You have to know that to be able to know if you're butchering instead of bettering. If what you're doing is changing any of those core, fundamentals of your story, it might be butchering. Otherwise, it's probably bettering. Does that help at all? Probably was just confusing and I should have gone with, "you'll just know." ;)
ReplyDeleteah, the wv is gone... :D as for your revisions, put it away for at least a few weeks once you stop. Then go back and see what you think. Works for me~ :o) <3
ReplyDeleteThese word verification posts are a riot. Love them. I haven't started my own revisions yet, but I have the same questions. When you find out the answers can you tell me?
ReplyDeleteKari
I think it's "bad assier," er.
ReplyDeleteEditing for the past couple months ruined me. I can't write, read, or watch TV without constantly thinking how it could be better. *sigh* Good luck!!
(hope to see your mug at our blogfest tomorrow!)
erica
These are so funny!
ReplyDeleteOkay, so when you have the answer to the first part, please let me know. :D
ReplyDeleteI love these verification posts so please don't do away with them. I don't know if you just know or not. I haven't started editing and so have no helpful tips or solutions for you.
ReplyDeleteI'm really worried about that too - butchering my book instead of helping it. I guess that's one good thing about CP's, we can help each other out
Fun!
ReplyDeleteI wonder how they come up with these words.
I kept trying to post a comment on this post yesterday over my phone and it wouldn't work.... so here i am! I love the WV game. So fun! I actually got a WV the other day that said: hohum. LOL.
ReplyDelete