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 
Whether you enjoy writing sci-fi, fantasy or fiction, join our Creative Writing forum to meet others who love to write.
Creative writing
'Books are not written, they are rewritten' - the 2013 revising and editing thread
TunipTheVegedude · 10/01/2013 09:17
You should just go for it Starsandunicorns It's so much fun.
No Plot, No Problem is supposed to be a good book about how to get going though I haven't read it myself.
Becoming a Writer is a very much loved book (from 1934!) that says a lot of sensible things, not least, a writer is just someone who writes; if you want to do it, you need to organise your life so that you will have time and space to write in.
There's a 'starting to write a novel' thread you could join, too.
Hello! Stars I would just crack on with it, a little at a time - a hundred words here, a hundred there. Set a timer and say you'll just write for 10 mins - you'll most likely find yourself writing for longer. When I was stuck a few years ago I joined the 2011/12 writing a novel threads and made myself accountable by posting daily word counts.
Anyway, I won't get much if any writing done this week because we've got building work going on in the house. Half term's my best bet as DD is booked into a week long drama club 
. So will post back at half term.
Happy writing and editing both of you (and lurkers).0
I don't know if it was someone here who recommended it but I'm half way through Stephen Kings "On Writing". It's a tremendous book and it's giving me much more of a clue about what I actually need to do in editing - also helpful for writing too, he has a very workman like approach.
I had a thorough review in the car on the way home from Center Parcs ( and made myself car sick in the process) and based on his advice have been doing a lot of cutting out.Good job I'm actively trying to reduce the numbers rather than increase
Hello Rookie
How was Centreparks?
It was me that recommended the Stephen King book. I loved it. I like the bit where he says actually it wouldn't be that great to be in a writer's retreat with no distractions because you'd just get blocked and it's better to have real life impinging from time to time because it reminds you writing isn't the be all and end all.
Very reassuring when you are trying to write with 3 kids in the house....
Right, must finally read that Stephen King writing book. It's been queued in my Kindle for over a year! I'll read it in lieu of getting any editing done to keep my hand in . sob, my house is a mess of builders' dust
You could skip the biographical section and just read the craft bit.
Glad it was fun Rookie! I wouldn't give a manuscript to a friend to read unless they were really keen.
Half term today so no writing time 
Otherwise it's been going well; the second half needs a lot less reorganisation than the first and there aren't any more bits to fill in from scratch, just existing scenes to improve, so I'm hopeful it will be a lot faster than the first half.
His attitude to rejections was great wasn't it?
With these people who've had massive success apparently quite early on, it's reassuring (as well as inspiring) to see how long and hard they've been working before they get to that point. He was evidently taking a very hardheaded and professional approach to submitting work when he was still a teenager.
I like the bit where he meets his wife and realises they have a similar attitude to crafting their writing, even though he writes horror and she writes poetry.
Actually maybe you shouldn't skip the autobiographical bits!
The computer area is fine, we have a study but I just find that I work better on paper. I think typing in front of a computer makes it too easy for me to be in constant edit mode whereas with actual writing it flows more readily iyswim. The time spent typing isn't truly wasted as I use it to do a small amount of editing.
Even when editing it only started to make sense when I followed the Stephen King instructions and printed out the manuscripts to make amends. I'm probably an old luddite, I must admit I don't enjoy reading books on my kindle as much as a paperback, particularly the new Kindle Fire that DH kindly got me for Christmas. It's just another outlet for mumsnetting, like I needed another one of those to distract me 
!
I know what you mean about reading other authors and worrying if I am any good. The difference between us Tunip is that you have confirmation that you can write. You have had two sets of agents/publishers interested in what you have written - so keep going I'm sure your book will be excellent.
Do you think you will meet your aim to have a version ready for viewing by Easter?
Don’t want to miss threads like this?
Weekly
Sign up to our weekly round up and get all the best threads sent straight to your inbox!
Log in to update your newsletter preferences.
You've subscribed!
Well done Absy, I'm sure the re-editing will have been worth the effort.
Has anyone read it apart from your dh?
I'm nearly at 50k and it's gone better today and I've added a shiny new scene as well as rewriting another one for the 1000000th (well, 4th or 5th) time.
I've cheered myself up by googling agent wishlists and also joining the Absolute Write forum and observing that:
- lots of agents are looking for straight historical YA
- hardly anyone else seems to be writing it.
As long as they're still looking for it in the 6 months or so it will take me to finish this....
To comment on this thread you need to create a Mumsnet account.