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I finally, finally, finished my first draft of my current project. Now I'm in edit mode. Reading a printed copy works better for me during this round rather than editing on the screen, and true to the saying, "all first drafts are awful," most of mine looks like this. I'd like to say I'm powering through the edits, but other life-distractions are holding things up some. Once I get through these changes and into a resting phase, I'm toying with going back to the manuscript I've been submitting for the last year. Apparently, I have a good query letter, because there's been some nice response, but it's all rejection or dead silence once I submit a full or partial. But, I've been, well,
judicious about sending it out, and since I haven't given it a good look for over a year, I'm thinking perhaps there's some tweaking to be done, before giving it another try out there in the world. I worked so hard on that one, it makes me sick to think it may end up in the proverbial drawer.
And so, on I go. How about you?
17 comments:
Congratulations on finishing the first draft. I have to print it out on paper to edit as well.
You've grown in the past year as a writer. Go back over that manuscript, polish it even more, and send it out again.
Yeh on finishing the first draft!
I've heard that when printing your ms to edit, use different spacing and/or fonts and/or font size to make your eyes see things differently.
I know how you fee about something that you've worked hard on and for whatever reason the interest doesn't pan out. I'm almost done with draft #1 of my current wip so will soon be in revision land...Good luck with yours!
keep powering on. Every day, every edit shall erase doubts. And you can't take the rejections to heart - throw that spaghetti on the wall until it sticks. Blog world has faith in your work!
It seems by your italics on "judicious" that you have some feelings about how picking you're being with your markets. Maybe it's time to be less judicious? Like Joanne says above, keep throwing that spaghetti!
IWSG March
Yes, congrats on finishing your first draft AND for writing a great query. Last week agent Janet Reid, aka the Query Shark, wrote in one of her posts that rejection (or silence) doesn't mean not good writing, but many other things like - the agent has more on their plate than they can handle, they're representing another similar story, it's not their favorite genre, etc. It did help (at least me) to read her post because rejection (or silence) can feel crappy. Keep on submitting!
I write but other than shorts I have never submitted. I wouldn't even know where to begin.
Congratulations.
Oh what goodness to have your first draft. It must be a more finished first draft than I finish because I could never work from a hardcopy that early. I typically change point of view and do so much rehauling that I need my computer. I love how we all work so individually and assuredly in our own style. I have about 25 thousand more words to get down to have my first draft. I have another ms still with my mentor but I think this will be the last look see and all I'll need is a polish and then I'll be sending it out. cannot wait!!!
Hi Lisa - I agree I have to have the printed version .. it's a struggle otherwise ... good luck with those edits - cheers Hilary
I always feel so good after finishing that first draft! Hurray for you.
Congratulations on getting through the first draft and good luck with the editing process. I have quite a few things sitting in the proverbial drawer, so I know what that feels like.
My editing looks like that too. Lots of crossouts and entire scenes hand written on the back and along the margins. Whatever works.
I really should do more things by hand. It can help you think more clearly sometimes. I have a file for each draft, a file for notes, one for the timeline, etc. I'm too used to it! Good luck on your edits, I'm sure you'll get it in great shape and hope success comes your way for the manuscript you've submitted. Silence might mean they're thinking really hard about it.
I do most of my editing on the computer, but print it out in the last phase. I catch more that way. I have a manuscript that sounds like yours. I got a lot of requests, but then a lot of rejections off the full. I think I might know what the problem is, but I'm not sure if I'm up for a total overhaul. Good luck with yours whatever you decide!
Well done on the first draft! Editing and revision seems to be a theme at the moment. Good luck with it.
Congrats on getting through that first draft. Now, the fun part. (Gotta keep a positive attitude!) I agree that it would be easier to edit from a printed version, but I'm too, uh, cheap to go that route. After exhausting my editing and rewriting on the computer, I send the file to my Kindle to read it there for fine-tuning. It's surprising how many things I overlooked on the computer that became obvious when reading on the Kindle. Go figure.
After dragging my feet for entirely too long, I've finally started working on a book that's been simmering in my brain for the past few years. The research is done, which is always my favorite part, but it's time to get 'er done. Time's a-wastin'!
Liza, do you have a kindle? If so, depending on what kind you have, you can send it from your email to your kindle. Mine allows me to highlight and make notes for revisions. Like you, that first edit needs to be on paper, but after that it's easier to work on the kindle. You might try that if you haven't already.
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