i don't wanna hear your griping about revision and rewriting, either. learn to love revision and make it as immersive a writing experience as your first draft.
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I actually prefer revision over first draft.
First draft: "every single sentence I write is the worst sentence anyone in the world has ever written in all of human history"
Revision: *making cute kitten noises as I can see improvement happening in real time*
I recently went back to some of my old writing from 12-ish years ago and while reading it just naturally started revising it as I went and it was *fun*. the whole experience was reinvigorating!
Amen to that. Probably 95% of the “writing” on my books is the editing. I read the same pages over and over and over, seeking out any alterable quality, right down to the phonetics, that brings the text closer to my vision for the novel. I love it.
Editing (and being edited) is actually one of my favorite aspects of the process. Every angle and snippet of undiscovered country. Stories evolve with an editor who believes, just my opinion :) 🤷🏻♀️
Fuck. Yes. My editor for my regular column has only ever made my work a million times better. It's incredible to have an insightful person look at your stuff in a way that you can't. Also check out Birdy magazine online or, if you live in the Denver area, find a free print version.
As someone who writes for discovery, and moves linearly through, revision is about making the beginning and middle be part of the same work as the end, and I find it really rewarding.
Also, I sort of had never heard or your work until recently. But because you've become something of a tether connecting me to home lately, I am starting the southern reach trilogy with Annihilation as soon as it arrives. Please be a good writer. ;)
That first draft can feel like pulling teeth, but by revision time it’s become clear what you actually want the story to be! The hard part is over, now you get to have fun with it.
A poet friend who rapturously watches me work has the two words conflated in my head, into "refining." That's a fan, there. Someone who swells one's heart to turn back to the page, just with the stuff out of their mouth
I just reminded myself about this, as I set out on my 4th novel, worried about getting it wrong this time. Of course I will! Then I'll revise it and get it closer to being right, one pass at a time.
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First draft: "every single sentence I write is the worst sentence anyone in the world has ever written in all of human history"
Revision: *making cute kitten noises as I can see improvement happening in real time*
Also, I sort of had never heard or your work until recently. But because you've become something of a tether connecting me to home lately, I am starting the southern reach trilogy with Annihilation as soon as it arrives. Please be a good writer. ;)