Read your work like someone else wrote it
Now that Christmas and cleaning-up-the-house-after-Christmas has given me ample distance from the novel I wrote in November, I'm jumping into revisions with enthusiasm and energy. (For now.)
Cheryl Klein, in her excellent book Second Sight, recommends reading through your first draft as whole before you begin revising--she says that printing it out in a different font will help you to read the story with a fresh eye. I've done this, and it really works, but as I'm trying to cut down on the paper usage in this household (and I don't want to force my girls to cut back their gorgeous drawing), I went with a different method this time. (My critique partner Paula has done this for years, but I'm behind the times.)
Last year, my mom gave me her old Kindle, which I use regularly to listen to audio books and occasionally to read e-books; I've discovered that you can also send documents to it--reading my book "as an e-book" not only lets me see it with a fresh eye, but it allows me to drag it around with me throughout the day and read it between math lessons and diaper changes. I can really read the story as if someone else had written it.
I wish I could remember now who it was who recommended: "Read your book as if it was written by your worst enemy." (Actually, it might have been my husband who said that. Sorry, Mark.) Reading on the Kindle helps me do that, too. Because it looks like "real books" that I read, it's easier to switch my brain over to reviewer mode. And if I had to review this book, I'd say it was disjointed and forced, but grudgingly admit that it has some funny moments. (I guess that's what happens when you write a book in 30 days, huh?)
What are your best revision tips? Send them my way!
Astonishing! You wrote a rough draft in 30 days? Wow! Just, wow! I admire you for that. I'm a very slow writer.
ReplyDeleteWhile I still don't have a Kindle (and I also would love to save paper) I've heard of other writers sending their manuscripts to their Kindle. Whatever works for you.
I give it time. Lots of time. Let it marinate, as one of my other writer friends says, while I go on to the next project. Doesn't always work, but usually a few major problems jump out at me, along with plenty of minor things that need fixing. And after I overhaul the whole mess, I need feedback. Because no matter what I do, I still don't see most of my own flaws.
I'm normally pretty slow myself, Joanne. I decided to participate in NaNoWriMo, because my routine needed a kick back into gear.
DeleteGreat advice! "Marinating" is definitely an apt metaphor!
I've used the kindle for that too. Truly, it feels like a different book. My best revision tip is to read it out loud. Or have someone else read it to you, then you can hear all the bumps and funny bits. If the reader stumbles, you know it needs work.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations on getting to this point!
Yes, having someone read your work helps very much. It works, but it's the revision tool I hate the most, because flaws become SO evident!
DeleteI was fully aware of this capability, but I never really thought of doing it. I might just have to email myself some stories to open on my iPad mini. I'm a bad person for revisions advice. Most of my work is short, so I don't do a huge amount of editing. The longer stories mostly get changed over a number of rounds of small to medium edits.
ReplyDeleteI need lots of rounds, too--even on the shorter things!
DeleteI find the Kindle read great for a final polish, though it's harder to mark up and have the markings carry over (if you have tips on that, I'd love to hear them).
ReplyDeleteSo much of my revision method is intuition-based, it's hard to generalize. I guess my biggest generalization is I look for scenes that bore me, feel emotionally "off" or in which the emotion escalates too quickly. Then I try to pinpoint what went wrong and whether it's part of a larger pattern of problems--like a character who is prone to melodrama, or one whose arc is incomplete or ragged or simply petering out. Most plot problems for me always stem from underlying character problems.
Great advice, Laurel. I revise rather intuitively, too, so sometimes the standard maps of revision progress simply drive me crazy. But I'm just organized enough that I usually have to start that way, regardless--and then give in to trusting my gut.
DeleteI have no idea of how to highlight or make notes in the Kindle (I am told this is possible, but as I said, I'm old-fashioned). I simply carry my notebook around with me and mark everything in there. It's working right now as I'm reading for "big picture" fixes. I'm not going to bother marking every typing error or slightly-off word choice when I'm likely going to have to re-write whole scenes. We'll see how I manage the second round of revisions!
I've heard the Kindle tip before! It sounds pretty cool. :)
ReplyDeleteI am terrified to look at my November novel. (Which made it to 50k, but is only about 2/3 complete.) I know the writing was AWFUL. It was the first I'd done since graduating from my MFA program, almost four years ago. But it felt so good to write it. :) I really want to sort what I've got a bit (I jumped around and skipped the beginning entirely) and then crank out the bones of the rest of it.
I bet it's better than you remember! Also, maybe worse than you remember, in other spots. Just wait until you know you've had enough distance. But isn't it great to have something from which you can work forward?
DeleteI used to print out each chapter when I finished writing it; now I don't because, yeah, I hate to waste all that paper. I like your idea, though, of using a Kindle! I might have to try that. :)
ReplyDeleteHi Faith. I followed you over from Caroline Starr Rose's blog. Thanks for commenting on my cover reveal! I just got a Kindle this past Christmas, and I LOVE reading my drafts on it. It really does help to see the work as if it were written by someone else. :)
ReplyDelete