I'm also putting out a call for beta readers, which I'll be needing shortly. You'll probably want to of read one of the other Sary books, as this is "true" sequel, but I'd love for anyone willing to give it a read!
Anyhow, today, I thought I'd talk a little about this first big set of revisions. I'm no expert, but there are several things that I tend to look for at this point that absolutely have to be in working order before I can start the next stage, which is polishing. This first serious dig through a manuscript is vital, as it shapes the course of the whole thing, and allows for ensuring the "big" issues are more settled. So, in general I tend to focus on:
-Does it all make sense? In other words, where are the plot-holes? Did I leave a character hanging? Did I forget to tie in that loose end? That kind of stuff, if not fixed instantly, goes onto a sticky-note for future reference.
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| The time-line from Hades :) I have also started crossing the lines, which is even more fun. (And if you didn't catch that Ghostbusters reference, well, you need to go see that movie, post haste!) |
-Names and details. I've accidentally changed a few things here and there and then not changed it consistently, so I make a bunch of notes and make sure it sticks throughout.
-Character arcs. First thing: is there one? If yes, yay! If no, well, what am I going to do about it?
-Back-story. Do I need more? Do I need less? Basically, how fleshed out are the characters, and do I need to layer in some, or start cutting.
-Voice. Are the characters sounding discrete? I worry about them sounding consistent and strong, so I keep an eye on this quite a bit, and do what I can to keep wording/sayings/idiosyncrasies separate for them all. I write each character's piece as a whole, then weave them together, which helps, but sometimes I need to do more.
Basically, the first pass is a big muddle of attempting to knock off a lot of the really rough edges. I really do my best to avoid sitting there for an hour trying to get a certain sentence just right, or worrying excessively over passive voice or comma usage. That comes later, and admittedly, is not exactly my favorite part. I've mentioned my issues with commas, right? :)
What about you? What sorts of things do you look for in your first pass through a recently finished novel?
Hey Mer,
ReplyDeleteAs if you didn't know already...I'm up for Beta-ing. Always, always, always.
I'll be putting out a call for the revised "Unspeakable" in a week or so. It's always a nail biting time for me waiting to get feedback. I've changed the story a lot, but the original idea is still the same (and the tent scene with Brody is still in there.) :)
Anyway, email me. I have someone who would probably love to beta for you but is just starting out and doesn't know where to "look" for leads.
About editing, I do mostly the same as you. Actually, almost exactly. I had to laugh about the time zone thing--I do the same thing. I even have days of the week written in my MS and (since it's young adult) I have character's school day schedules written down and who has which class with whom. Sometimes it gets crazy trying to remember it all.
Another thing I do is run a search for over used words, such as "smiled," "looked," "chuckled," and other words that I know I use too much. Each author has their own "favorite" words. Also, I look for "ly" words. But this step I usually do in the polishing stage, I guess. rather than the big picture rewrites.
Oh! I know one. I make sure my characters don't magically transport from one place to another. In one scene a character was leaning against the kitchen counter. Two sentences later he was sitting in the living room and I hadn't made any transition from one place to the other. I guess Scotty beamed him to the living room. (Star Trek...yeah, geeky.) :)
Michelle :)
Email will be forthcoming soon :) And oh my gosh, I love the Scotty beaming thing--definitely something I have to watch out for!!
DeleteSounds like you're a lot more organized than I am. One thing I try to look out for is the overuse of a word, phrase, or action. For example, one book I read described something as being the color of a new penny. I really liked that, but evidently, so did he. He used the same description umpteen more times in the book, until it got to the point of me groaning every time I saw it. Same for characters continually flipping their hair, wrinkling their nose, etc. It is soooo easy to fall into an overuse habit, though.
ReplyDeleteOveruse of words is a biggie for me, plus if I've changed a name, as I've done, I have to be careful about that.
ReplyDeleteUgh, time zones! I feel for you there. This last book sounds like it's going to be a humdinger to keep track of- but often the best ones are like that! Wishing you only revision bliss!
ReplyDeleteYou all have such awesome comments!! And the repeating thing--it never fails to amaze me how much I do that!!
ReplyDeleteGood advice Meradeth. I'm not a writer, but the first draft is probably the most important. Have an awesome weekend.
ReplyDeleteThank goodness you are so organized. Keeping track of the different time zones sounds a little tricky and definitely a good thing to write out and double check. Sounds like the book is really coming together. So excited for you!
ReplyDeleteI always track the passing of time when I revise to make sure everything is happening when it's supposed to. I track what day of the week it is, what time of day, and what day it is in the book (day 1, etc).
ReplyDeleteOoo, knowing that the lines in the above post might be from Marcus makes me want to read this even more!
ReplyDeleteI love your revision process. It's always fascinating to get a peek inside a writer's head through all of the different stages leading to publication. Thanks for sharing! :-)