As some of you may know from my previous rambles I have at least five and a half 'works in progress' sat around my desk. I hesitate to call them novels, because they aren't, but they could be. Perhaps. They are all in first raw draft. Some written for the NaNo challenge, others, particularly the first painfully scribbled over the first few years of my serious writing endeavours and probably the one that should be sent to the writing refuse bin in the fire.
I have written about editing (what I call rewriting) before, but as you can see I waffle on about it to my hearts content but actually getting down to the task has proved really difficult. I don't think this is because I can't do it from a skills point of view, I think it's more psychological. I'm not sure why it should be but I have a sneaking feeling it's to do with confidence.
So following a recommendation I purchased a copy of 'Revision and Self-Editing' by James Scott Bell. The person recommending this book has written real novels, and ones that have been published so it was based on good experience. But I didn't buy a hard copy - with the dreadful weather at the time not even efficient Amazon could have got the book here in time to sieze the moment. I downloaded a... Kindle Edition. What! I hear you say - but you don't have a Kindle. No, I don't but I do have the Kindle App for my PC. I shall report on that particular experience later.
Anyway the recommendation was sound, it has bitten through my fears of approaching what seems an impossible task and has helped me understand my 'stories' at a deeper level. So much so I now can't stop thinking about the rewriting - of all of them! But one step at a time. I'm starting with the most recent and have committed to submitting chapters to my faithful gang of writing supporters over at Writers Abroad. So I have to get on with it. And the polishing? Well that can always wait, can't it?
Until Later...
So would you recommend this book then? I've told myself I'm not allowed to write another first draft until I've revised at least one project and it's coming, slowly, but it's a bit daunting!
ReplyDeleteI found it useful, he makes lots of references to well known films and books to illustrate what he's saying. He's American I think so the style of writing is a little informal but it has a good checklist and an organised approach. I suppose the proof will be if and when I get my rewriting done! The kindle edition wasn't any cheaper than the hard copy but at the time we had loads of snow and no chance of a delivery...I have just got to get one piece polished...
ReplyDeleteRob, it worked technically but I didn't like the experience, much prefer my book which I can shove in a bag or pick up and leaf through. Once a Luddite always a Luddite...
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