I rewrote the ending of FOSSEGRIM this morning. After my cold finally cleared up, I reread the first ending- written under the haze of a stuffy nose and cold meds and said ‘what the hell?’. I forgot to tie up one of the major plot points and it still lacked filling out. Which leads me to today’s ‘Revision Haters Club’ session.
I love my new ms and I think the idea and story has a lot of potential. But it is a first draft and needs to be edited and revised in a big nasty way.
Revison + Editing = My weakness.
I’ve been slowly picking through the rough draft on my computer, changing words and phrasing here and there, and trying to figure out if the pacing is right or not before I hit ‘print’. But the real editing won’t begin for a couple weeks once its marinated for a while. One of my biggest problems is I know the right way to revise and edit but I’m either too lazy or impatient to put it into practice.
‘The first step towards solution is admitting you have a problem.’
So what do I do for motivation? I go shopping. Duh.
Hubby: ‘Are you taking a picture of your office supplies?’
Me: *camera up to one eye* ‘Yip.’
Hubby: ‘Why?’
Me: ‘To show my blogging friends my new paper and pens…’ ** I don’t need to explain much. With the word ‘blogging’ his eyes glaze over and I know he’s tuned out.**
That’s right people! Crisp new paper for printing out the my ms, post-it notes and multicolored ball point pens! Woohoo! We got ourselves a party up in heah! I don’t know about you, but buying new stuff can pump me up for just about anything.
Do you have any other ways for getting pumped up and motivated about the dreaded revision / editing process? Please share!
35 comments:
Yay!!! A hundred points for motivating yourself (or at least attempting!)
Buying new things always helps! I buy a binder when I complete the first draft and make a character collage for the front while I let the paper marinate. I buy pens and post-its just like you and then the day before I open that binder I grab my favorite snack and a soda... along with one more important piece of material...
A timer. That's right. I set the time by me and allow myself an hour, I must work for an hour on the MS, even if I just stare at it, I'm glued for the hour... proving to myself I can do it.
Good luck!
Ooh, I love it. What is it about fresh new office supplies? That nostalgic Back to School smell? In any case, it is motivating, and I applaud you. Revisions can be so daunting, especially when you know they're going to be a helluva lot of work. Good luck!
I love it that you bought eco-friendly items!!! Office supply stores are some of the best places on earth! I love buying new stuff; it really does pump me up because I can't wait to use it! Enjoy and good luck revising. I hope you feel better soon, too!
Your book is called Fossegrim? Is it about the mythical creature? Does it teach people to play the violin? I'm all sorts of intrigued right now - tell me more, tell me more!
(and yeah - good luck with the revisions)
I like Jen's advice on the timer... But I was wondering about your title - Fossegrim? That sounds almost Norwgian:)
I feel your pain, sista. I'm doing the same thing... right in the middle of a major revision/revamp... not just tweaking sentences, but adding to the plot.
Anyway, I treat myslef to a LARGE coffee and zone out. Good luck! :)
oooo- pretty new things. I do the same- when I have to go to classes or am writing a new story or revising I buy new stuff to go with it. I'm so glad I'm not the only one who does that! my friends here in town always look at me funny- but they don't get it. Good luck with revising!
I take a 6 week break and don't even look at it! Good luck! You can do it! Shiny new stuff helps too.
This great! You can add me to the edit/rewrite Blues Club. I feel like I'm drowning at times!
It's funny, because a few weeks back I bought some of those giant PostIt notes and started outlining, etc. My wife came home to see I'd wallpapered my office in PostIt pads. She knows better than to even ask what I'm up to ...
I forget about it for a month before looking at it again...and by then I'm raring to go. I do almost all my revision on the comp, so no shiny new stuff for me *wail*
All the best, and may you have a shiny new second draft soon!
The picture totally put a smile on my face--I LOVE new pens, especially fun-colored ones that I hide in a special place so my toddler can't find them. The amount of happiness that $5.99 can buy me is just silly.
And lo, someone said 'if you are revising manuscripts, do so in a new top whilst eating a cupcake.'
It's the only way forward. Good luck!
I LOVE new supplies!!!! And I love revising. It's my favourite part because the balls of the story has been written and then all I have to do is make sure it has all of the 'elements' and pretty it up :o) See I take like, a YEAR to write a first draft ... that's why that is the worst part for me.
"** I don’t need to explain much. With the word ‘blogging’ his eyes glaze over and I know he’s tuned out.**"
heh. : )
-- Tom
Count me in on your Revision Haters Club... I'm on the third draft of my WIP. I've nearly finished, but it has been a long, tiring, drawn out process.
On the plus side, there is something about French stationery that is better than any other kind!
Oh no! I've been writing through my cold. I'd better go check out what I've put down. Yikes.
I get motivated by visiting my crit buddies/writing peeps. They so motivate me. =)
Motivation is key when it comes to revising. Motivation by way of shopping is even better. Good luck with your revisions!
OMG, I love this. I'd rather shop at a stationary store than a shoe store. LOVE new writing stuff - I have drawers of unused notebooks simply because I love the way they look!
Mr. Revision and his associate Mr. Editing and I are not on the best of terms. The only thing I do to get myself going is to get some multi-colored pens, but you've already done that :) Sadly, my excitement for them does not last as long as I wish it would. Good luck!
I need to try the shopping thing to get motivated. I LOVE office supplies!
I usually just guilt myself into getting started on revisions. That works but I can't say I'm still not a little bitter.
Great idea! Good luck on your revisions!
One word: Caffeine -- usually in the form of a Frappuccino.
Chocolate.
And a stash of fashion mags. :-)
I love your new stationery!!! GOOD LUCK with your revision process - I'm sending you waves and waves and waves of support hugs!
Take care
x
Thank you for giving me permission to buy new stuff. Actually I'm going to buy books. Writing books. maybe I'll feel smarter when I try and revise.
HA! I get it! I mean, I take pics of my computer, random cups, my arm, etc. All for the love of the blog:)
And shopping ALWAYS helps!
I love buying new things, too. (Software, paper, pens, post its, flags, whatever I can convince myself will help).
But after I'm done with this revision, I've decided I'm not going to do them any more. I'm just going to write amazingly clean first drafts.
Yeah right :)
Procrastination is my best weapon in the war against revision. Oh wait. That means I'm losing, right?
ooo... that looks like some good stuff you got there! I like to go to the office supply store and browse. I also like to run around everybody's blogs and leave comments. Then I bounce over to FB... oh, wait.
were we supposted to be writing/revising today??? first must send msg to Matt... ;p
Ironically a good argument with my critique partner (and husband) David makes me mad enough to rip apart the bad parts of my novel and get to work....very motivating. Oh, and chocolate doesn't hurt.
Edge of Your Seat Romance
Glad you're excited now. I enjoy rereading my work, so the revision is fun to me.
Oh, yes! Shopping can make all things seem better. I need some early feedback from my CP to get me motivated and ready. Then, I just take it one paragraph/page at a time. :-)
I think it's hilarious how writers get excited about new paper and pens! :)
Good luck with your edits!
*eying those Post Its enviously*
I love office supplies! I could spend a fortune in Staples!
Eek, I don't feel like I belong here. I loooove revisions. Good thing, too, since I've just finished MAJOR revisions on my ms after receiving some brilliant feedback. This involved writing 8 new scenes and deleting tons of stuff (because it didn't work with the new scenes). And despite all the work (and let's not forgot the change from past tense to present tense) I still loved doing it.
At least until it comes time to query it and it goes nowhere. ;)
*rushes in* Am I late?!
ACK! Editing is KILLING ME! (okay, maybe not death, but it is INJURING ME--quite literally)
I am meant to be READING the damn thing, but CAN'T without marking it all to hell...
baby steps, baby steps, baby steps.
LOVE your new office supplies! (we are really a bunch of dorks, aren't we?)
My last rewrite, I color coded the post-its. Yep. Blue, maroon and green. Blue was the new storyline, the maroon was character (spicing up my villian, strengthening other characters) and the green was plot. It looked really pretty when I was done, but I'm not sure that was such a good thing - lots of color meant loads of rewriting!
The Hubster tunes me out when I talk blog as well. I laughed when I read that!
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