 Short Stories: April 17, 2013 Issue [#5628] |
  Short Stories
This week: Tackling the Revision Monster Edited by: NanoWriMo2018 Into the Earth  
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Revise, Rewrite, Edit
“I'm writing a first draft and reminding myself that I'm simply shoveling sand into a box so that later I can build castles.”
― Shannon Hale
“So the writer who breeds more words than he needs, is making a chore for the reader who reads.”
― Dr. Seuss
“Edit your manuscript until your fingers bleed and you have memorized every last word. Then, when you are certain you are on the verge of insanity...edit one more time!”
― C.K. Webb
“When she got back from taking Cassie to school Fancy knew that she ought to be working on her wilderness romance. She had promised thirty thousand words to her editor by tomorrow, and she had only written eleven. Specifically:
His rhinoceros smelled like a poppadom: sweaty, salty, strange and strong.
Her editor would cut that line.”
― Jaclyn Moriarty, The Spell Book of Listen Taylor
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When it comes to revising short stories, don’t hesitate to slash and burn. I mean, you've got to introduce characters, develop plots, expound on setting, construct scenes, establish a conflict or crisis and work through a resolution. And… you've only got a few thousand words to get it done.
You're staring at the computer screen scanning your rough draft, picking at sentences, fixing typos, deleting sentences here, adding words there. It’s time to make revisions.
As writers, we often dread to revise and edit our own work. How do we start? Where to begin?
After your rough draft is complete and before you begin to revise, print out a copy of your story. Make sure the printed copy is double-spaced and has extra large margins—giving you plenty of room for note-taking.
Now, give it a rest. Take a break for several hours and do something unrelated to writing. Stepping away from the computer and engaging in familiar activities like folding laundry or taking a walk allows your creative brain to emerge. Scribble notes while ideas are fresh in your mind. Better yet, record your thoughts on a smartphone or digital voice recorder.
Then, sit down and rewrite, revise and edit.
A good starting spot is to confirm the Point of View you’ve chosen to narrate your story. First person provides intimate, intense, up close emotions. However, third person provides a wider scope. One trick (I read online) that can help you nail down which POV is right for your story…write your first page or two in different points of view. Read them and choose which one fits the story best.
Next, evaluate your characters. Attack these revisions one character at a time. Does the protagonist have universal appeal? Can my readers identify with a legally blind tennis player? What makes my teenage runaway drug addict unique? Would the story benefit better if my antagonist changed hobbies or occupations?
Once you've tackled the characters, move on to setting, then theme, then dialogue. Are your descriptions vivid? Does the characters’ dialogue match their background, education and personalities?
When you’ve smoothed out all your wrinkles, look at economizing your words. Make every word count. Every sentence, paragraph, scene, event, notation, action and dialogue should serve to further your plot. During each revision, asses each word, sentence, scene and ask yourself what would happen to your story if you eliminated these words, scenes, etc. You'll find solid advice on tightening up your sentences in this entry: "Invalid Entry" , written by darkin.
Wait, you’re not done yet.
Before you hit the submit/post/send button, read your story out loud. Reading out loud enables you to hear what the reader is picking up. In addition, listening to your words allows you to catch mistakes your spell/grammar checker missed. At first, reading out loud may feel awkward or embarrassing; but, think about it this way, "I'd rather catch my typos in the privacy of my own home, than once they are out there on the Internet for all to see."
For example: in this piece, instead of typing the word, ‘move’, I typed more. Spell check isn’t going to catch ‘more’ as incorrect. However, as soon as I read the sentence, ”Once you've tackled the characters, more on to setting.”, I heard my typo and immediately fixed it.
The final step to revision is reader feedback. Writing.com is an excellent place for feedback. Take suggestions in stride. Always remember…you’re the author, if you feel the feedback compromises the story, discard it and move on.
In the end, no matter how you revise your work, create a system that works for you. Utilize the methods or steps underscoring your creativity and abandon the ones hindering your productivity.
Revision doesn’t have to be an obstacle; it is a tool to better short stories.
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Feedback from my last Short Stories Newsletter
dejavu_BIG computerprobs says, "Great newsletter Robin!I'm going through the Write The Words thing too, so this topic was of particular inspiration for me. Good luck with your back to writing and I hope life calms down for you soon. Sending good thoughts out to you."
Thank you for your positive thoughts my way!
Quick-Quill  says, "My busy life gets in the way of my writing every day. 1)I do the prep-work for NANOWRIMO This got me FINDING the time to do it and follow through. 2)I keep a notebook for slow times. Lunch(between bites) or riding on the bus. 3)While I drive, the story germinates and I hope I remember it when I get to my destination. Sometimes I pull off the road and grab my notebook. If you love to write, the story will push you until you do. If not you aren't a writer, you're a thinker.  "
Awesome ways to keep writing. I once knew a NaNoWriMo writer who used Dragon Naturally Speaking to dictate his ideas while driving.
NickiD89  says, "I can relate to every word you've written here! It's good to know I'm not the only one who's struggled with striking a balance in life...and writing. Thanks for such a heartfelt and motivational newsletter!"
You're welcome. It's not always difficult, but ti's always a "juggle". Especially when you are involved with your family. .
Lunarmirror says, "You are a very strong person to go through all of that and manage it so well. You are a good person."
Aw, shucks, 
Natechia dos Reis says, "I know how life can creep in and take away your writing wings.I got fibromyalgia,lost my job and my parents aren't getting younger,helped my brother battle against cancer which is in remission.writing.com is my lifeboat."
I'm sorry to hear about your pain issues. I have ulnar nerve issues in both arms that can hinder my writing. Typos are a common, everyday occurrence when your pinky and ring fingers tingle or hurt. I know what it's like to deal with pain AND life AND family. Hugs and prayers your way.
Iva Lilly Durham  says, "Very good newsletter; life does have a way of interrupting writing time. However, if you keep faith in yourself, you can eventually return and be surprised at what turns up in your creative mind. :)"
You are sooooo 'write' .
hunny2020 says, "Regarding the letter from the editor, I am so glad to find that I am not alone. My work as a reporter for the past 12 years has seriously hindered my creative writing. After spending many hours a day interviewing then writing articles the last thing I wanted to do was go home and sit in front of a computer again. This was a slow decline that I really felt hit home more recently. Now I am trying to get the creative juices flowing again and it is a struggle. But I continue the fight to write everyday and hope it comes easy again."
Me, too!
kim says, "I love soup! And I also had a really bad stretch when I was unable to even think about writing. I was diagnosed with MS, lost both my husband and dad to cancer and fell into a pretty severe depression. Then in January I signed up for Reeling in Your Readers at New Horizons.
Now I'm back, and just completed my first story and New Horizons class in twelve months. It's not the best story in the world, but it's something. I find if I have an obligation, a commitment, or a deadline I'm more motivated.
With that in mind I've started a Flash Fiction Workshop (highlighted above.) I know this will help me stay focused, and with a procrastinator like me, the knowledge that other people are counting on me will keep me working."
I know exactly what you are talking about. When my husband was so sick, it was all I could do to get through the day, much less do laundry or clean house and forget about writing! Hugs and prayers to you. Glad you are finding ways to get back to writing!
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