Nov
More revisions
So where was I? Revisions.
For me, writing is a fluid process. I never feel that the words I put on the page are etched in stone. Yet many writers do. Stephen King calls it killing your babies (or something like that) when you have to throw out words or sentences or even entire scenes that you love. Sometimes it feels that way and I must confess that I have spent pointless hours trying to wedge the “perfect sentence” back into a new scene before finally giving up. The thing is, there are other perfect sentences and they will come. What’s the saying from field of dreams? If you build it, they will come?
(which reminds me–Kevin Costner should be on my list. There is something about him that has ALWAYS rang my bells. Anyone remember the movie Revenge with Madeline Stowe? Hated the ending, but oh so loved Kevin)
Boy, am I easily distracted this morning. Anyway, writing. Not men, Erin, W-R-I-T-I-N-G.
Writing. Fluid process. Nothing I write is unchangeable. In fact, I write it with the assumption that it will change. There are occasional moments of brilliance when I capture a description and I think, damn, that’s exactly what I wanted to say. But most of the time I’m slogging through it until the rewrites. When I don’t have to think of the construction of my story, then I can focus on the decoration.
I heard Leonard (Damn, I can’t remember his last name right now but it will come to me). Anyway, he spoke at the SDSU conference one year and gave this wonderful metaphor of writing. I’m going to try to say it here, but will probably mess it up.
He said, Writing a novel is like buying a fixer upper house. If you drive-by, take a look at the rat-trap of broken windows, torn up floors, cupboards missing doors, etc, you’d be too overwhelmed by all the work to ever actually purchase it. But if you break it down, look at it piece by piece, it’s a completely different perspective. Can you fix a window? Sure. Replace hinges on a door? No problem. Have new carpet laid? Piece of cake. And before you know it, you have a beautiful house.
New writers, he said, will try to look at a book the same way. They get so overwhelmed by trying to make it perfect all at once–by trying to hang pictures on walls they haven’t even painted yet–that they lose sight of the end. They need to break it down–can I write a scene. Sure. Can I link it to another? No problem. Can I add people I care about? Absolutely.
I often think of this when writing. Am I hanging pictures on walls I haven’t painted? Whenever the going is rough and the words aren’t coming out, I find this is my problem. That’s when I add little notes to myself like, “Describe the city here” and move on.
Move on is so important, because many times, once I’ve finished the book, I discover there is no need to “describe city here” because I’ve moved the whole damn scene to the country or the ocean or taken it out completely.
Okay, enough of me. Thoughts?
I think you’re so right, Erin. It’s hard to tear apart something we love, but sometimes it has to be done in order to make it a stronger story. My St. Martin’s editor just lets me have it with both barrells, and I’m very thankful to her because she helps me make it a far stronger story. I don’t feel married to what I write. Well, there are some things. I was determined to keep the beginning of CHOSEN PREY. To me it was the perfect beginning. Not necessarily the wording, and the scene got expanded. But the first few sentences and the scene were exactly what I wanted. The book will be St. Martin’s spotlight title in March, so there’s one place I did good. Of course, she had me revise the rest of it . . .
November 28th, 2006 at 12:17 pmHey, Chey, thanks for stopping by. Spotlight in March–you are hot, girlfriend. (almost as hot as your books.
)
So tell me, if you could pick, who would be the hero of the new book? I’ve already got dibs on Clive Owen, I think. Or Gerard. Or… Okay, okay, I know I can’t have them all. But a girl can dream.
November 28th, 2006 at 12:31 pmI like that analogy about a fixer upper house - but when writing something (for me, just school papers) it’s so hard to forget that!! LOL
November 28th, 2006 at 2:25 pmLois
Erin, I love how you’ve described your panter process! I also love the painting on a wall thing…
The first MS I wrote ended up being awful bc I just wanted it to be done, and a blockbuster @ that! lol…. Anyway, I really love this blog.
I’m taking notes….
November 28th, 2006 at 3:33 pm*panster
November 28th, 2006 at 3:33 pmTesting…blogger… couldn’t post earlier.
Isabel
November 28th, 2006 at 8:41 pmThank you, Erin, for the “Am I hanging pictures on walls I haven’t painted?” advice. I’m guilty, guilty, guilty. I can even edit and agonize over the 4-line screen of my Alphasmart, attempting to craft perfect sentences and losing sight of the big picture.
November 28th, 2006 at 10:56 pmWriting a novel is like buying a fixer upper house.
I love this analogy, too! So true!
Thanks so much for this blog, Erin. I’m taking notes as well.
Andrea
November 29th, 2006 at 7:05 amI just finished writing my first fixer-uppper and it looks
s c a r y, but you’re absolutely right, Erin, nothing is written in stone and I have an open mind about this project. I’m keeping your blogs for future reference because I know they’ll be times (and again) when I’ll need this inspiration and encouragement.
I have a specific question on revisions and I hope I make sense, so pls, bear with me *g*:
So, say you’ve completed your fixer-upper and you’re ready to take it apart piece by piece to start working on it, do you start revisions on the original document and start writing and deleting or do you start a new document while looking at the old as you write? Make sense?
At this point I feel like I need to write ANOTHER completely new draft just because first is SO bad.
Thanks, Erin!
November 29th, 2006 at 8:21 amHi everyone. So glad the fixer upper was helpful. I’m late posting this morning, but will have more soon. And answer questions!
November 29th, 2006 at 9:50 am