Red pencil time?

In his book Plot & Structure James Scott Bell suggests we tell ourselves the following before we slash our first draft with a red pencil:

• Rewriting strategically is only going to strengthen my book.
• Rewriting strategically is fun because I know what to do for each step.
• Rewriting is what separates the real pros from the wannabes.
• I don't wannabe a wannabe. I wanna be a pro. (I love this one! Must be said while stomping your feet.)

Bell suggests we print the manuscript on paper, then find a quiet place to power through the book. He marks up his manuscripts using the following symbols:

• A checkmark for pages where he feels the story is dragging.
• Parentheses around incomprehensible sentences. (Huh? I have those? Yep.)
• A circle in the margin where he thinks material needs to be added.
• A question mark for material he thinks might need to be cut. (My poor darlings!)

My manuscript is still in cool-down mode, but I've sharpened my red pencil & I'm ready to make the book better.

How about you? What revision tips can you share?

photo credit: flickr

Celebrating "The End"

Only those that dare to fail greatly can ever achieve greatly - Robert F. Kennedy

A few days ago I finished the first draft of my novel. It's time to set it aside for awhile and let it cool, while I collect comments and suggestions from my amazing critique group.

As you all know, finishing a novel is a monumental task. The moment should be savored and appreciated. How did I celebrate this accomplishment? I cleaned my neglected house. Yes, that's how I roll.

How ugly will my revisions be? I don't know yet. I never looked back while I was writing, so draft #2 will be interesting. But as James Michener said, "I'm not a very good writer, but I'm an excellent rewriter."

How do you celebrate once you've finished a manuscript? Do you open a bottle of bubbly? Do you dine at a fancy restaurant? Do you imagine the millions you'll earn from the movie rights? Please share so I can live vicariously through my exciting blogger buddies.

Did you read Tahereh's guest post about The Nine Stages of Dating a Novel? From lust to infidelity to love, it's all in there!

photo credit: google images

Look Back...No, Don't Look Back

The first draft of my work in progress is coming along nicely. Well, that's what I'm thinking, anyway.

I won't really know until I look back. For now, I'm resisting that urge. If I look back, will it paralyze me? Maybe I'd want to change everything, edit as I go, insist that it's horrible, weak, boring.

I'm jotting down notes on characters and scene details, as well as additional plot ideas. But that's about it. With structure in mind, I'm moving forward.

Some questions for you:

1. Do you ever look back while you're writing your first draft?
2. If you do, at what point do you allow this?
3. Do you show your first drafts to your critique group?

When my critique group reads this for the first time, perhaps I'll pass out barf bags. Will they kick me out of the group forever? I'll keep you posted.

photo credit: flickr.com

Clean it up!

Ahhhhh...

I love a freshly scrubbed home, a sparkling car, and an empty hamper. Unfortunately, my “Men Who Stare at Goats” look will not erase the work. Believe me, I’ve tried. My only solution? To steal a line from Nike, I “Just do it!”

It’s the same with a first draft. We have permission to write an awful first draft, one that deserves to be scraped from the bottom of our shoe. We can clean it up in revision, and feel proud of our smooth and shiny manuscript.

Once our polished beauties are ready to leave their hard-drive home and test the real world, we’d be wise to avoid errors that make us look silly. Jenny Bent blogged about rookie mistakes here.

Do you have trouble with organization? On Write it Sideways, Suzannah posted “6 Organization Tips for Disorganized Writers.”

How do you feel about first drafts and revision? Do you have a love/hate relationship? Love/love? Like/like?

And I’m curious, how long does your hamper stay empty? (btw, mine is bottomless, like Mary Poppins’ bag)