tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26974492.post1048821767687753778..comments2024-03-28T12:46:20.637-04:00Comments on alien romances: Revising as You Go—Good or Bad?Rowena Cherryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11839386556697211986noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26974492.post-87797532305112364162013-10-21T14:05:08.171-04:002013-10-21T14:05:08.171-04:00Thanks for all the comments. I always find it fasc...Thanks for all the comments. I always find it fascinating to read about other authors' writing processes. I also tend to make notes in the text of things I want to go back and fix; however, I've never thought of keeping formal records of how long the process takes for me. Very organized!Margaret Carterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08293021955480708191noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26974492.post-48032596610775501602013-10-21T08:40:08.078-04:002013-10-21T08:40:08.078-04:00I do wish I was a good outliner. Every time I'...I do wish I was a good outliner. Every time I've ever tried using thorough outlines, though, it doesn't work for me at all. And trust me, I've tried! But it works for many writers. I do have a general, non-detailed outline in my head, though. I'm more of the power-on school, but I do go back and make revisions when the plot's starting to derail, or when I think of a better way to get to the ending, or when I think of things that need to be added for later parts to carry through appropriately. For "minor" things that don't affect the plot, like changing POV, though, I just go on in the new POV and don't fix the first section until the rewrite.Rebekkah Nileshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06684711663696588263noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26974492.post-44351831822953333772013-10-20T11:52:30.198-04:002013-10-20T11:52:30.198-04:00Great post. I agree fiddling saves work later and ...Great post. I agree fiddling saves work later and keeps the mind into the writing space.Amber Polohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07750025353402230624noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26974492.post-57586630878569272802013-10-19T19:09:26.848-04:002013-10-19T19:09:26.848-04:00I revise every chapter before I move forward but t...I revise every chapter before I move forward but then I still consisder what I have a very very rough draft as I revise and layer in emotions, descriptions, humor hits I see an opportunity for. Really I would say I go through about 7 revisions before I consider I have a rough draft - But that's how I work, I need to write the skeleton, flesh it out, then layer in other elements. Cassandra L Shawhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06105282740430300754noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26974492.post-5542620116856005602013-10-18T13:49:23.988-04:002013-10-18T13:49:23.988-04:00I revise as I go along. I may sometimes make a not...I revise as I go along. I may sometimes make a note to change something later rather than actually change it at the time, but I've timed myself while working.<br /><br />From those records, I know for a fact that I write far faster if I revise as I go. If I force myself to continue, I keep getting distracted by the things that need fixing, and my end timing is far slower.<br /><br />I also know that I can't outline in the conventional sense. My standard process is to start with a situation and characters, figure out the plot points or themes I <strong>must</strong> hit. I then write until it no longer flows easily (which will usually end up being about 10% in).<br /><br />That's when I sit down and make sure I consciously know the protagonist, the antagonist, their respective goals, and how those conflict. I'll also plan a bit more, often even write the blurb.<br /><br />Then I jump in and keep writing. Rinse & repeat to end.<br /><br />If I try to plan everything in advance, it wastes time—again, I've kept records—because the plan stymies me <em>and</em> ends up missing something. I'll have the motivation right and screw up the action, or I'll have the action write and screw up the motivation—that sort of thing.<br /><br />(Why, yes, I do like em dashes. How'd you guess?)<br /><br />So I plan as little as possible for me to jump back into the writing again. I'm also getting practiced at identifying types of "writer's block"—which is always my subconscious telling me something's wrong. Sometimes it can be fixed by cleaning up typos in what's gone before; sometimes someone's acting OOC two scenes up. Once I identify and fix the problem, I'm good to continue.<br /><br />(I also work very well with having beta readers on a work-in-progress, but that seems even rarer than the rest of my process.)<br /><br />Again: I know the best process for me <em>because I've kept records</em>. And that's the only real way to verify the best process for you.Carradeehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05431561739001270522noreply@blogger.com