On Jan 14, 2012, at 9:15 AM, Nat Russo wrote: > More writing questions for Ray :) > > Well, actually I'm not sure if this is a question or statement...or statement > hidden within a question...mystery wrapped in an enigma or some such. But I > digress already. > > While writing my first draft was a relatively fast-paced activity, I'm > finding the revision process to be exactly the opposite. I began by reading > through the entire book, cover to cover, and making shorthand notes on what I > wanted to change/tweak. Now I'm beginning the revision in earnest and > finding that this is a far more detail-oriented operation than the original > writing process was. When I was writing the first draft I had a very simple > goal...get it written! > > Now, after going back over it, it feels like I did a good job of throwing > some modeling clay down on paper, but there's still a lot of sculpting to do. > Is this the case in your experience as well? Or have you found that as you > grew in experience you were more likely to get closer to hitting the mark the > first time around? > > I thought I would have mixed feelings about going back and rewriting, but I'm > finding that it's sort of like getting to take a test a second time before > turning it in to the teacher :) > > Nat > > -- > Sent from my Crappy Laptop (tm) using a poor excuse for a web browser. >
Everyone experiences the writing process differently, so whatever works for you is just fine. Harlan Ellison loves to claim he never rewrites, which is true up to a point, but he'll pause as he's typing (and he still uses a typewriter) cross things out and handwrite changes on the page before he's even pulled it out of the patten. Others make several pass throughs until it's "just so." I tend to tweak once, but sometimes more if I have a problem scene in my head, and that's my litmus test, if I remember a scene back chapters earlier that I know doesn't feel right, I go back to it. If there's nothing bothering me I figure it's done. Best, R.E.F. ---- www.crydee.com Never attribute to malice what can satisfactorily be explained away by stupidity.
