4 Ways to Revise as You Write

Hi All,

This week’s blog is all about revision.

I often post short excerpts from my first novel, Gracie’s Girls, on my facebook page and almost every time I do this, I end up changing something.

Revision for writers is definitely an ongoing thing. For some it’s fun and for others it’s an ordeal. I’m in the fun category. I love seeing my writing tighten and improve. For me, it takes a minimum of 7 thorough re-writes and tons of mini revisions as I go along.

I often visit www.writersdigest.com for tips and general information. Recently I dug out an older article titled, 4 Ways to Revise as You Write. The article described my revision MO down to a tee:

1. Revise Your Previous Pages: I always read/revise the previous days writing before starting that days session.

2. Try the 20,000-Word Step Back: For Gracie’s Girls, I would go back and do a mini revision every 5 chapters.

3. Keep a Journal: I have a document titled, My Thoughts. Anytime I have an idea or need to remember something for the purpose of continuity, I type a brief note then look over this document prior to all major revisions.

4. Take Advantage of All Your Tools: I use every tool available to me from chapter summaries, timelines, Google, library and my much needed critique readers (wish I had more critique readers!).

I thought it might be fun to find a paragraph from one of the first drafts of my novel and compare it to the final manuscript.

* * *

1. Original Draft: The original paragraph felt a little stilted and clumsy.

Jay and Katie have been best friends since kindergarten. I know they are in love, even if they don’t. He is a good looking young man. Tonight he is sporting the latest hairstyle. Short at the back and sides, his dark brown hair is spiked every which way on top. I’m sure he has enough gel in it to keep Fructis in business for the next ten years. Jay is dating Katie’s best friend, Brandi, an odd union destined for trouble.

2. Current Manuscript: Most times my revision will shorten the word count, however this time I felt more explanation was needed and breaking it up into three short paragraphs helped with the clumsiness.

Jay has loved Katie since kindergarten. I know this because he’s been a regular, after school, visitor to my kitchen for many years. But it wasn’t just my food Jay loved. Many a time I would watch him go out of his way to tease Katie, push her buttons, make her mad – all surefire signs of a young boy in love.

Tonight Jay is sporting the latest hairstyle, a shadowy buzz cut at the back and sides with longer, spiked hair facing every which way on top. I swear he has enough gel in it to keep Fructis in business for the next ten years.

Strangely, Jay is dating Katie’s best friend, Brandi, an odd union destined for trouble.

* * *

That’s if for this week. You can like/share my facebook page here or follow me on twitter here.

Take care all, Viv x