'Books are not written, they are rewritten' - the 2013 revising and editing thread

[TunipTheVegedude]

Anyone who already has a draft (NaNo veterans and others?) want to join me for a rewriting thread?

I am working on my draft from NaNoWriMo 2012.

I've never successfully edited a novel before - I've written first drafts and attempted to edit them but never managed to either be ruthless enough, or to really understand what I had to do. This time is different because it's clear that it needs very major work at all levels; the NaNo draft feels like a zero draft rather than a first draft. I've been reading 'how to write' stuff manically over the last month (something I've never really done before) and have a lot to go on. Starting by plotting it again from the ground up, then will work through scene by scene using relevant bits from my first draft but basically starting with a blank page, which I hope means I will not be too attached to any of my previous words. My target for Easter is to get it to a stage where other people can read it and tell me how to change it so I can write it all over again

Grendelsmum if you have a .doc you can right click the file and "send to kindle". You might need to download free software from the kindle site to do it, but it's easy, and means you can put your books-in-progress on your kindle where it's easier to spot errors.

I have one review from an actual reader, 5 stars too

Several people have said they'll read it once it's the holidays, the end of term is quite a busy time, so I'm hoping for a surge in sales in a week or two.
Today I'm going on my local library website to request that they stock my book, as they have an ebook collection in my area.

GrendelsMum, I've sent you the mobi file - hope you got it ok.

I'm glad you're finding the Maas useful. I found it quite inspirational. Once upon a time people would have written quite unselfconsciously about the purpose of literature being to show us noble deeds so we could emulate them, but since then naturalism has happened so we're kind of embarrassed about this urge to make our heroes heroic, I think. The Maas book kind of gives you permission to do that.

I'd be fascinated to hear any thoughts you have about mine in relation to it (though I only read it after my first draft).

Looking forward very much to seeing what the impact is on your book.

So, one beta has replied so far and another has given me some sort of interim comments.
What is freaking me out a bit is that it's the same issues coming up again - but they're either things I thought I had fixed and apparently I STILL haven't, or else they're the opposite of my previous feedback and it seems I've gone too far in fixing the problems the last betas raised.

Those of you who've been through many drafts - how do you stay sane when this happens?

What's everyone up to here?
It's gone a bit quiet.
I've now sold 15 copies, uploaded the book to Smashwords, Amazon, Google Books and Goodreads (who of course all wanted the book in different formats).
I have made a start on the next book, but I'm not really "feeling it" and don't want to force it and have a rubbish story.
I've been approached about writing a book with 100 stories, all exactly 100 words long. It seems exciting, I may write a few for that this afternoon.

Well done, InMySpareTime!
The book of 100 word stories sounds like a brilliant idea and also fantastic discipline to write in so few words. Go for it!

I'm still waiting for Godot, I mean for my betas.

In the meantime I'm madly researching and plotting my next one and getting stupidly excited.

I am very happy about the fact that it is set at exactly the same time as the last (main character is daughter of someone who was a minor character in my last) so the research is building on everything I did for the other.

The best thing, though, is that I'm really feeling the results of the work I did on craft as I worked on my last. I am starting from a much, much higher baseline this time. I understand the processes of writing much better now and I will be able to sketch out character and story arcs before I start. All very satisfying.

School hols have started here, though, so I'm not going to have a huge number of uninterrupted hours.

Hello all - Godot here! Lovely to hear that Tunip is finding this second novel is building so much on the hard work she's put into the first one. It really gives me hope for the future.

After a lot of cogitating and musing on Donald Maas's works, I've just been sitting down to try to re-write my opening chapters. Which went better than I thought it would. I was feeling really nervous and reluctant about it, and instead it went absolutely fine. Not a polished work, by any means, but suddenly with the characters better defined, more sympathetic (I hope), and the tension and moral pressures they're under much more clearly defined.

Godot was worth the wait! Thank you. (I'll reply properly by email.)

Really looking forward to seeing how your novel turns out when it is all Maased up.

I'm itching to get back to my old one. Early stages of research and planning are fun but it feels weird to be working on that when there's still work to do on the first. Like painting a room and moving onto another when you've still left one wall unpainted.

How are sales going, InMySpareTime?

Sold 20 now, steady 4 or 5 each week.
I need to focus on getting back into my writing. It's the summer holidays, and while the DCs are around, quite frankly, I'd rather be out with them having fun than stuck in writing. I'll prioritise the Drabble stories, they're relatively simple to write, then make a decent stab at the Tailor's Curse.
Those of you who have published with US companies, how did you sort ID to get your ITIN for form W-8BEN? It seems the IRS want me to post my passport to the US. I'm asking round for a local notary to certify a copy instead.

Well done re sales! It must be amazing to be at the point of actually selling things rather than constant revision

Have you asked the passport question on the threads about kindle publishing? I remember it being discussed before on here - perhaps you could do a search? Seem to remember MmeGuillotine mentioning it (and she always seems to be hugely helpful about self-publishing issues).

I'll go ask now, thanks.

It's really complicated! Either I need to post my passport to the US for up to 8 weeks, or I need to find a notary to sign a copy to send, or I need to get to London to get a tax number from the embassy.
Alternatively I can get an employer tax number over the phone (but I need to phone the US).
Seems a lot given the tax withholding is currently around £5, but once I have the number, it's good for all future US tax dealings.

Oh what a nuisance!
The phoning America sounds like it's probably the easiest, as long as they don't keep you hanging on for ages.

It was about half an hour on hold (£££!), but about 5 minutes talking after that, and I now have an Employer Identification Number (oddly, you don't need any ID for that ).
Anyway, that's all done now, i have put the number on my W8-BEN forms so I won't get taxed 30% in the US any more! Hooray!
On the plus side, I used my hold time wisely, writing 3 more 100-word stories while I waited.

Good for you - it's lovely to think of 4 or 5 new people picking up your book every week.

I've been inspired to look at Donald Maass, too, thanks for the mention. Would you recommend the book, or the workbook? I am rewriting two thirds of a manuscript with the aim of resubmitting some time before Christmas and I like the way he talks about tension because that's what I am supposed to be adding (mops brow).

I haven't seen the workbook. I think the book itself is pretty clear - you can probably figure out how it applies to you without needing to be led through the process.

Good luck with the big rewrite!

Thanks so much! I need all the help I can get, this came at a v good time.

I hope it's useful.

I've just returned to my draft.

I need to find some grit and determination from somewhere as I seem to be lacking it at the moment - all I can see is the utter appalling crapness of my writing and it's taking all my self-control not to go down the road of 'I am useless! I'm deluding myself! I'm wasting my time!'

Anyone know any good inspirational quotes?!

Tunip not a quote, but an observation from a seasoned pro: I have never been able to, and will never be able to assess whether my work is good or not.

I simply cannot get the necessary distance/objectivity.

Or if I can, it's at the writing/ideas stage. By the second draft stage I have lost all ability to be a useful self editor.

My advice is to stop questioning 'is this any good' of yourself. Get it out there and find out!

Thanks Wordfactory.
The idea that it may be impossible for me to tell is oddly comforting!

In the beginning I was anxious about not being able to tell.

You'd hear folk talking about their editing and saying their work was better now, or improved etc...and I'd think how do you know?

Now I just do the work, content in the knowledge I'm doing the best work I can. Or trying somehting new. Not my job to say if I've pulled it off or not ...

There are certain things I did that I know improved it, and others where I think I went too far so may need to go back and nuance it a bit.

But otherwise I sent it off to a few friends who'd read the previous draft genuinely wondering if they were going to come back and say 'You've spoilt it, I liked it better as it was before.'

Anyhow, just one more draft now before I try subbing it, I hope!

Turnip - hang on, I'm on hols with your draft and will send full notes on return!

Don't worry, I'm very slow at the moment due to summer hols. I have a day to myself on Sunday and am going to go and read my draft in a coffeeshop.