First Draft vs. Revision: which do you prefer? by Susan Calder

 

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After my first novel was published, I participated in several group readings. At one event, an audience member asked each author which we preferred: writing first drafts or revision? I answered, "First drafts because I love the exploration." If I were asked this question today, I would say, "Revision."

What changed during the past fifteen years?

Novel writers tend to divide themselves into plotters, who outline stories before they start to write, and pantsers, who write by the seat of their pants. I'm a pantser. When I start a novel, I typically know some basics about my main characters, the book's genre, the setting, and the inciting incident but not much more than that. I develop the characters and story in the process of writing and discover such matters as "whodunnit" along with my protagonist. Like all exploration, this is a tad unsettling -- I never know if the story will hang together until I near the end of the first draft.     

With my first novel, I let the story go wherever it wanted. Each day, I continued writing from where I'd left off the previous time without a backward glance. Not surprisingly, my characters and plot went all over the place and became mired in extraneous details, but the work went quickly with this free approach. During my second draft revision, I cut large chunks of writing and made major changes, like adding and then deleting a significant character.   

While I was struggling with the third draft, I attended a speaker session on three-act novel structure, which is based on the screenwriting principle that certain types of happenings must occur at specific points in the story to make it a satisfying tale. During the first quarter, the protagonist dithers on whether or not to accept the challenge posed at the start until she finally commits to the quest, however the story defines this. Midway, there's a reversal that changes the story's direction. Then the action nosedives to the black moment at the 3/4 point. In movies, the protagonist typically wallows through moody music until she summons the strength to push to the story's climax. Even classic novels, written long before movies, follow this structure. The speaker opened her copy of Pride and Prejudice to reveal the reversal in the middle of the book. Jane Austen had an instinct for story that is hardwired into the human brain.  

This talk was a lightbulb moment for me. I instantly saw how and why three-act structure works and where I had naturally applied it to my messy draft and where I'd fallen terribly short. The opening quarter was way too long. My story had a reversal but skipped too quickly to the black moment. This led me to cut tons of stuff from the first quarter, add a completely new chapter after the black moment, and make numerous other changes. This third draft took longer to write than the first one, but it was better than it would have been had I not discovered three-act structure.  

I started my second novel with structure in mind. Since I knew the book would be roughly 100,000 words, I created a structure outline that divided it into quarters of 25,000 words each. I still didn't know what would happen in the story, but I wrote to the three major turning points - commitment, reversal, black moment. If I felt events were moving too quickly toward a turning point, I added another development to enrich the story. If events moved slowly, I eliminated something unimportant that I'd planned. For instance, I initially wanted a wedding to take place in the first quarter. When there was no space for it, I postponed the wedding to the second quarter, and then the third, and finally never. This saved me the work of extricating the wedding and its offshoots during revision. 

My first draft of this second novel was less messy than the first, and I continued the process with subsequent books. Along the way, I added new things I'd learned to create a more detailed structure outline. I still didn't know what would happen in the story or how everything would resolve, but my first drafts required increasingly less revision. For my latest novel, A Killer Whisky, each draft became quicker and more enjoyable to write than the previous one as I developed and polished the existing material.

Last month, I finished the first draft of my current novel-in-progress - yay! I realized that I've become far more attentive to the writing than I was for my earlier novels. Whenever scenes fell flat or veered off in a wrong direction, I went back and rewrote them before moving on. This increased my time spent on the draft, and yet I still didn't know if the story would work or how it would end until the last few chapters. So, my first drafts now combine the worst of both parts of the process - the uncertainty of pantsing a first draft and the attention to writing that I used to reserve for revision. It's exhausting.

But the toughest job is done (I hope), and I look forward to my new favourite part of writing novels - revision.         

 

Tiramisu for Breakfast by Barbara Wackerle Baker

 

 

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I feel the tug. The finish line is within reach. In 7,000ish words I will write The End on the last page of Jillian’s story. I know how the final scene unfolds and I have a few ideas on how to play out the tale before it closes to ensure reader (and writer) satisfaction. It’s just a matter of getting there. As long as a bird doesn’t fly by the window. Or the sunrise isn't as dramatic as yesterday’s. I fight the distractions. But often lose. 

 

Possibly my reasoning for running away to a writer's retreat so I can focus on finishing the novel has a few flaws:

• the landscape is different. And stunning. Where’s my camera?
• the writer camaraderie is infectious and interrupts getting the words down with intense conversations on the writing topic
• the running-down-my-face tears of laughter is hard to pull away from to get back at it – the writing
• there's a lot of temptation to eavesdrop and offer another author assistance with their scene's dilemma. It’s obvious I can solve their issues faster than deal with my own.
• and the food - so much food. There's no rule anywhere that says you can’t have tiramisu and eclairs for breakfast, correct?

     

Before I finish the first draft, I put up this concrete wall so I can't see what comes after I type The End. And so I don’t get sidelined with revisions before giving the draft its due process. 

I will admit I'm looking forward to picking a cool voice for WORD to read Jillian's adventures to me. During the reread my focus will be to listen, follow along on the screen and catch glaring typos or punctuation errors. I promise myself I won’t get into the nitty gritty of fixing scenes. Not yet. But I will make notes in the margins to remind myself to stop at specific spots that need some love and/or wordsmithing. 

Once that’s complete, I will climb over that daunting wall to fix flaws, patch plotholes, find Beta readers (try not to breathe down their necks), review and tackle their suggestions, complete another read through, get an editor on board (be patient waiting for their return of my MS), review and manage the editor(s) comments and suggestions, another read through (possibly with a new voice) and then return the finished piece back to the editor for a final critique. Before I submit it to the publisher, I will proofread it one more time. 

Getting to The End of the first draft never gets old regardless of the process it has taken to get there. 

Maybe that’s why I keep coming back to write – the tug, the chaos, the tiramisu for breakfast, the whole messiness of turning a story into an escape for the reader. I revel in the angst, the excitement, the frustration, the tears, and the satisfaction of completing the project.

Here’s what a few authors think about finishing a first draft:

Ernest Hemingway - "The first draft of anything is shit"

Anne Lamott - "Incredibly shitty, self-indulgent, whiny, mewling first draft"

Shannon Hale - "I remind myself that I'm simply shoveling sand into a box, so that later, I can build castles"

None of their thoughts seem overly encouraging and yet here I am…

When you read a story, do you ever wonder what process the author went through to write it? 

Baker, Barbara - BWL Publishing Inc. (bookswelove.net)

Barbara Baker Author Page Facebook 

 Summer of Lies by Barbara Baker — BWL Publishing

What About Me? by Barbara Baker — BWL Publishing

Jillian of Banff XO — BWL Publishing

 

The Essence of Judo by Naguib Kerba

 https://www.nkerba.com/new-blog-1/u0h0a6j5hoh8qpqxyih1v7px4huii9

https://www.nkerba.com/ordinary-people-extraordinary-lives

Airport Security by J. S. Marlo

 

Wide of the Mark

(Click here to buy)

   

 

  

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Over the weekend, I flew to Victoria to visit my two little granddaughters. When I fly, I usually beep walking through security. I'm usually a "random" pick, though I seem to be "random" quite often.

In my northern neck of the woods, it's still that season between winter and spring, but it was supposed to be a hot weekend in Victoria, unusually hot at 26C - 27C, so I left in my Birkenstock sandals. There was still snow on the ground (there is still snow, and my tulips are trying to peek through it), but my toes were happy to feel the breeze.

I got to the airport and went through security. Like usual, I beeped. No surprise, except it wasn't random. I'd triggered the metal detector. The lady agent eyed me from head to toes then asked if these were "genuine" Birkenstock. When I said yes, she told me to take them off and go through the metal detector again. That time I was good. She then proceeded to tell me that only the genuine Birkenstock beep, but not the replica or counterfeit. So, when I flew back, I put my sandals in the tray, walked through barefoot, and beeped again! That time I was a random pick. I swear I can't win!

A few months back, as I was flying back from Victoria (yes, I try to visit my granddaughters every six to eights weeks), I beeped again going through security. Again it was random. The lady agent patted me, then swiped my hands and my laptop with a little piece of fabric. She then placed that fabric into a scanner. Usually, that's the end of it. Well, that time it wasn't. The scanner lit up and the agent eyed me suspiciously as she told me that I tested positive for explosive residues. That one was a first! So, she started asking if I handled explosive recently. The only thing I'd done was to clean my hand with hand sanitizers. So she asked what I was doing for a living. I told her I was a murder-mystery author, and there was a bomb in my last book. She burst out laughing. Loud! That was quite unsettling to see her laugh. Those agents are usually so serious. By then, everyone was looking at her and at me.

Once she stopped laughing, she waved me through and wished me a good flight.

So, I learned two things recently.

1- If you wonder whether you bought genuine or fake Birkenstock sandals, go through airport security. If you beep, they're genuine.

2- Don't wash your hands with hand sanitizers just before going through airport security, or they may mistake you for a bomber.

Happy Reading! 

Hugs!

JS

 

 

J. S. Marlo's Website

Having a Home Library by Eileen O'Finlan

 

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A few years ago I converted one of the rooms in my house to a home library. It's something I've always wanted. The table in the center of the room gets good use when I'm doing research for a novel I want to write. It's helpful to spread out books, maps, documents and notebooks. Having shelves of history books is also handy as I often have a book or two (or more) on the subject I'm researching.

Recently, while looking around my library, I realized that I have a multitude of books I've yet to read. There is no question that I acquire books much faster than I can read them. I'm fine with that. I probably couldn't stop if I wanted to. And while I do enjoy gazing at my shelves full of books, I don't buy them for looks. I buy them because I actually want to read them. Many of the books on my shelves have been in my possession for years and have yet to be read - a disservice to both their authors and to myself. So, I've decided to do something about it.

It is not a lack of interest that prevents me from reading them. It's a lack of time. I still work a full-time job, teach online courses for the University of Dayton anywhere from once to three times a year, run a household on my own, and, of course, research and write novels and still attempt to have a life outside of work and home. 

I also spend as much time reading as possible. I am never not in the middle of a book, usually several books. For example, at the time of my writing this, I am reading one book and listening to another audiobook on my Kindle. I bring a book to work with me so I can read on my lunch break. There is another book I keep in my bedroom to read before going to sleep. Add to those any books I'm reading for research and any other books I'm reading for unexpected circumstances (like the one I'm currently reading on clicker training cats in an attempt to keep one of my cats from strolling across my kitchen counters and stovetop.) Books are my life. Well, books, cats, and writing to be exact. They top the list of things that bring me joy. 

Also on that list is learning. I love to learn about almost anything. If I could be a professional student, I would. While I enjoy various methods of learning, reading is undoubtedly my favorite. This is reflected in the variety of books I own on many subjects. What a shame to have them and never find the time to read them.

I decided to do something about that. I am now mindfully carving out time to snuggle into the rocking chair in my library and start reading my way through my book collection. Since history is my greatest love, I've begun with the bookcase that holds my books on American history. I am more than halfway through Mayflower by Nathaniel Philbrick. This bookcase will take me through the Salem Witchcraft Trials, the American Revolution and into the American Civil War. 

Other bookcases include biographies, early-mid 20th century history, books on art, music, and photography, theology and eco-theology, women's history, European and Non-Western history, folklore, material culture, poetry, classics of literature, crafts, gardening, and, of course, plenty of novels.

  

One of the best things about the time I spend reading in my library is that I am almost always accompanied by one or both of my cats. 

So, books and cats, my two favorites. What more could I ask?

 

    Zach in the window                              Josette on my lap