NaNoWriMo Day 7: The End of Week One

One week down, just over four more to go. It's an hour until the end of Week One of NaNoWriMo, and I am resting comfortably at nearly 12000 words. A quarter of my novel is done, or just about. 

Between school, our fall musical, and NaNo I have been working nonstop. Most of my classes are so mind numbingly easy that I just sit and write through most of them. So, most nights I hit my word goal before 10 PM. 

Week One has been the beginning of a whirlwind adventure. I found a novel idea and went with it, letting it take me where ever it pleases. Sure, my characters need a little more oomph, and the plot is slowly (but surely) unfolding, but, hey, I'm writing my butt off. I know where I want to go and I'm getting there. My main character, Rowan, the name sake of the book, still isn't sure exactly what she wants, and some of her opinions aren't clear, but the sass is strong with her. 

And from that we segue directly into the main topic of this post: Books on Fiction Writing. 

I avoid "How To" books about writing like they are ebola and I am America. Sorry, too soon? Most books about writing are so bad that they are not even worth cutting down the trees used to make them. I would rather eat razor blades than read some of the books about writing that are out there. 

Some people say, "Those who can't, teach."

Writing Magic
 By Gail Carson Levine

I say, "Those who can't, write books about how to." 

The first book about writing that I ever purchased was by Gail Carson Levine, the lovely author of Ella Enchanted. Her book on writing was titled Writing Magic, and I bought it because I thought it was an actual novel. To this day, it is one of the most well used books that I own. What I loved about it most was the way she talked about how she wrote and the fact that she didn't try to shove her way down your throat. To middle school me, it was a godsend. 

No Plot? No Problem!
By Chris Baty

A few years later, after two or three years of doing NaNoWriMo, I asked for No Plot? No Problem! A Low Stress, High-Velocity Guide to Writing a Novel in 30 Days by Chris Baty, the founder of NaNoWriMo. Even though I wasn't in the middle of NaNo, I read it anyway. The book is specific to NaNo, but offers tons of helpful tips and trick for any kind of writing. 

On Writing
By Stephen King

Probably the best book about writing that I have ever read is On Writing by Stephen King. On Writing is half-memoir, half-writing advise and completely and utterly fascinating. I've never been a huge reader of Stephen King, but I heard that On Writing was a must read. When I found it randomly at a Barnes and Nobel, I knew I had to take it home. I consumed the book in a matter of days. King tells his story beginning to middle (because he's not dead), describing how he became a writer and the events in his life that influenced his choice. In the second part, King tells how he writes, some rules of thumb for drafts and editing, and advise on writing and showing your work. On Writing is a little more strict about how writing should be done, but at the same time King understands that not every story will follow every rule and not every writer is the same. King is intelligent, witty, and downright hilarious at times. Read it. Read it now. 

So, moral of the story is: There are some good books on writing out there, they are just hard to find. Watch out for imposing bastards who try to shove their "correct ways of writing" down your throat. 

I hope you guys take a look at some of these. And, if you read them, comment below about what you think about them! I'd love to hear more. 

~snowie

NaNoWriMo Day One: Diving In

It's just past 11 P.M. where I live, and the great first day of NaNoWriMo is drawing to a close. The only reason I'm writing this post instead of my novel is because I'm exhausted and I put 2033 words in already. So, why not blog about it?

Last night, I decided to scrap the "first" idea that I had for my story. Something about it just felt off. However, I kept at least two of the characters, the title, and one character description: Rowan and Petra; Rowan; and Thief, respectively. I made myself go to sleep after fretting for an hour about not having a plot. I told myself that I would find one today, and I have.

I'm diving in. Nothing planned. Just an inkling of an idea. And, it's scary. It's nothing I've ever written before. It's something I know very little about. I have complete control and no control at the same time. And, it also makes me say this: take the phrase "write what you know" and set it on fire.

Writers who say "write what you know" are just afraid of the unknown. They don't have the guts to take an idea and jump right in. Nope, they prefer to stay in the safe zone, perhaps poking a toe outside the line when absolutely necessary.

Do you think that J.K. Rowling knew everything about Wizardry when she wrote Harry Potter? No. Did James Patterson know anything about human-avian hybrids when he wrote Maximum Ride? No, probably not.

I guess what I trying to say is that writing is an art. Art is what gives life meaning. When you write about something you don't know, you are helping yourself as a writer and a person, and you are adding your own little twist to something that might have been written a thousand times before.

Experiment. Expand your mind. Expand the mind of your readers. Write what you don't know.


Have a Happy NaNoWriMo!

~snowie

Biting the Bullet: NaNoWriMo Begins in 3… 2… 1...

People often ask me why there's a picture of a bird as the header for my blog about writing. Actually, no, they don't. I ask myself that, and then I tell myself it looks badass. But really, I'm too lazy to change it.

It's been a while since I have posted anything, and for that there is no excuse. However, as November 1st draws near, and I get more excited and nervous, all I want to do is blog about it.

For those of you who don't know, this is my sixth year of National Novel Writing Month. By the end of the month, hopefully it will be my sixth year of winning. Unlike the last two years, this year I had no clue what to write about. This scared me a little. Last year, I wrote City of Stone, a dystopian tale that I am pretty proud of. The year before that I rewrote my baby, The Night Stalker. This year, I feel that I have some high expectations which is intimidating. This NaNoWriMo will be my last NaNo in high school. Next year in college, everything will be different.

So far, I know my novel will follow a girl named Rowan. I had something planned out, but now that I look at it, I'm not sure if what I had is Rowan's story. Yes, a buddhist futuristic Robin Hood-type character sounds awesome, but since the day I first thought of that idea something always felt off.

There are two types of writers: the ones who have to plan every single detail out and the ones who don't. I fall into the later category. I have always believed that there is no write or wrong when it comes to writing. Writing is the one place where the rules of language can be twisted until they are unrecognizable, as long as it is done well. What works for one writer may not work well for another. This is no different.

Both types of writers have their pros and cons, just like everything else. Detail oriented authors have less writer's block because they know exactly what happens next and how to get there. However, this type of writing can be very restrictive.

I prefer to not plan out what I write. When I write, I feel like I am reporter watching the action and writing it down in vivid detail. I have an idea where the story will lead, but I'm not quite sure. Characters, scenes, and plot develop and often have surprising and amazing outcomes. I like to use the analogy of an archeologist. I'm digging up bits and pieces, uncovering them, and I sort of know what will be there, but there's always a surprise or two. I found that the more I plan out a story, the faster I get bored with a story. I don't want to write a story where I already know what's going to happen. That's why I can't read the same book twice.

But, like I said, just because I do it doesn't mean you have to. Every writer is different. Every mind works in a different way. It's taken me years to figure out how I write, and even now I'm still not sure. It's all about experimentation. Don't let "experts" tell you what to do. Find your own way.

There is no write way to write. You just have to write.

Happy Halloween and Happy NaNoWriMo!
Let me know how your novel is going in the comments…

~snowie

Are You Tired And Unmotivated? Check This Out!

For the low, low price of nothing at all, I bring you the Ultimate Guide to Getting Over Writer's Block and Procrastination (UGGOWBP)!

It's fun! It's sparkly! And it's not guaranteed to help you in any way, but, hey, we'll try!

Drumroll, please...

Close enough.

Step One
Stop staring at that blank page. It's not going to move. It's not going to fill itself with beautiful, crappy writing. And that blinking bar (also know as the insertion point) will just drive you into a deeper form of insanity.

That's right. Stand up. Walk out that door. Continue walking for... I don't know... An hour. Or until people start staring at you because you haven't bothered to change out of your pajamas. 

Step Two

While walking, acknowledge this simple fact–

Writing is hard!! And not all people are cut out for it. You, however, are a mighty warrior who will fill all sheets of paper with drama and tension and death. Ok. Maybe not death. 

Step Three

Once you've returned home, shut the computer off. Yes, you heard what I said. SHUT IT OFF. NOW.

Good. 

Now pick up a pen/cil and some paper. That's right. We're going old school.

Step Four
Write. About anything, anyone, anywhere. Write about a memory of yours or a distant land. Write about a girl you've never met. Good, bad, disgusting, I don't care. Just write something. You don't have to finish it. You don't even have to like it. Challenge yourself to write one page, then two, then three.

If you still have Writer's Block at this point, return to Step One. If you still have Procrastination, well, you probably haven't made it this far yet. 

Step Five

Now that you have successfully reached Step Five, repeat Step Four for a couple of days until all is right in your world. At that point, you may return to the computer and fill that blank sheet of paper with joy and sadness. Should Writer's Block ever strike again, just return to step one. 

Now, may the force be ever in your favor, Mr. Potter. 

Love, 

Gandalf

That's pretty much it. I hope UGGOWBP really helped you because I know it helped me! Just follow these steps and you'll go from this:

To this:

In very little time!

The Best of Writing,

~Snowie

P.S. Sorry for the long vacation. I guess I needed a break. I couldn't think of anything to write about.

Nothing Worth Saying

For the past week or so, I have been racking my brain for ideas for blog posts. So far, my ideas are nonexistent. I also thought about talking about my new typewriter.
I don't want to do an update or a rant or anything that doesn't help and interest you in some way.

I've been reading the Writer's Digest, hoping to discover some information that I could use in the publishing field. I read twenty or thirty articles from authors who had gone through revision, editing, and, eventually publishing. Many of them have multiple books published and are full-time writers. You could probably fit every article into 3 categories: Publishing, Platforming, and Editing. Editing articles contained lots of helpful tips to make your plot and characters more enjoyable and publishable. Platforming explained ways you could expand your audience. Publishing articles tried to explain how to get published. And, failed.

The Publishing articles commanded the reader to find an agent, not how or where; to ask questions about things, but not what questions to ask; to be involved, but at the same time stay out of the publication team's way. Reading them, I came back more confused than ever.

For "rounded" writing minds, both analytical and creative, Editing articles are rather enjoyable. Usually, the author explains the problem, what to look for, and how he/she fixes it. Nice, simple, easy. Although, most of the tips can be taken with a grain of salt, because not everything will work for all writers and writing styles.

Platforming, or rather an Author's Platform, is one of the greatest assets any author can have. For example, this blog is considered a part of my platform. It is where I reach out and contact people. A good author platform includes, but is not limited to book readings, blogs, websites, social media (Facebook, Twitter, ect.), and tours. It's an author's fan base. The majority of John Green's author platform has evolved from his and his brother's youtube channel, Vlogbrothers. In a sense, Vlogbrothers is the reason for John Green's success in the writing world.

As an aspiring writer myself, this need to have a huge author's platform is quite scary. Social media has never been my thing. Writing novels is easier than writing a Facebook status or a Tweet on Twitter. One of my newest goals is to work on self promotion. Just this morning, I woke up my Twitter account that I never used and started following writers and editors. I'm planning on making another Youtube video soon, and start commenting on other people's videos. Perhaps I'll get back on Figment. I'll contact real, living authors and ask them questions. I would contact Shakespeare if I could, but unfortunately a time machine hasn't been sent to me yet. This blog has been around for four or five years, and I want to help it thrive and grow.

I have to get over this fear of social networking and find something worth while to say.

Live long and write prosperously,

~Em

The Life and Times of the Undefined
Instagram
Tumblr
Figment
Twitter

28 Things I Wish I Knew Before Becoming A Writer

28 Things I Wish I Knew Before Becoming A Writer...

1. Nothing will ever be perfect... Ever.

2. Even if you don't outline the plot, have a rough idea what you're writing about. 

3. Words are messy things...

4. And you won't always make sense. 

5. Find someone who loves writing as much as you.

6. There is no set way to do anything... Only Suggestions.

7. You will try and fail, try and fail, try and fail, try and fail.... Then maybe succeed. 

8. 3 AM is the best and the worst time to write. 

9. NO ONE (Unless they, too, are a writer) will understand why you write.

10. Friends and family will be the most and least supportive of you. 

11. If anyone asks you what you are writing, the easiest answer is to lie and say, "I'm writing an essay."

12. Coffee, Coffee, COFFEE followed by copious amounts of tea. 

13. Good music is the key. I recommend anything not written by Nicki Minaj, Justin Beiber, or anyone who has been featured in Seventeen Magazine.

14. Putting words on paper is easy. Making them make sense is not.

15. Don't procrastinate. In fact, procrastinate on procrastination.

16. You're still going to procrastinate.

17. When Writer's Block hits, try writing in a different room, house, or city.

18. Cafés are, in fact, one of the best places to write and edit. This is not just something Hollywood made up.

19. Writing is like exercising, you have to make time for it.

20. Writing everyday is the only way you get better.

21. Writing is like air- unpredictable, but constant, and without all of the calories. 

22. Read. Read, read, read, readreadreadreadreadreadreadread. Read as many bestsellers as you can get your hands on. Read bad books. Read good books. Read short books. Read long books. Just read!

23. Sooner or later, finish everything you write.

24. Nothing you write is crap. Ever. Even the bad stuff. The bad stuff teaches you what not to do.

25. Tell the truth when you are writing, and never write what you don't believe, even if it's not what everyone else thinks. 

26. In one way or another, little pieces of you are going to weave themselves into your work.

27. Never be afraid to say what you need to say. Sometimes words are better said on paper than from lips. 

28. Finishing something feels like this....

~Snowie

P.S. Love my use of gifs?

The Importance of Being Public

If you are anything like me (unpublished and afraid to let ANYONE read what you have written), here is a little knowledge. You are probably doing the whole writing thing all wrong. I bet you keep a journal. It might be a writing journal, daily journal, or a when-ever-you-feel-like-it journal. Point is it is a journal. Journals are a GREAT thing to keep. I have been writing in one for nearly one year now. I have filled up two and a half journals with little musings and my day to day activities and encounters. Not only do they help someone with a terrible memory like mine, they also make you write something everyday wether you like it or not. Journals can also teach you a valuable lesson.

There are two types of writing- personal and public. Personal writing would count as the journal on you desk or the writing you never let anyone read.  Public writing would be published novels, newspaper articles, your English essay you should currently be writing, basically, anything you read that is not written by you.

If you are constantly writing personal writing, you are writing for yourself and only yourself. The only feedback you have to go on is the feedback you give yourself. That my friends can be a very bad thing indeed. You are one in seven billion. I am sorry to tell you this, but not everyone thinks like you and is entertained by the things that amuse you.

So, now is the time to stop writing for yourself and start writing for others. think about what they might like instead of what you might like. But, be sure to include things that you like. After all, this is your book and you should to love it. People want to hear what you have to say. They just don't want to be bored to death while reading it.

Let's say you do try to start writing for others. You pick up a pen or open a word document and start putting down the first words of what could be your best work yet. Everything is going fine until you realize, hey, I suck at this. A lot. Public writing won't come easy right away. Granted, there are a few talented people who might pick it up right away. You have heard it before, but I will tell you again. The only way to get better is to keep writing. Write, write, write!

Good writing!

~Snowie

Some of My Favorite Writing Resources Part Two

Why hello. Might I say that you look fabulous today.

Wasn't July Amazing? I had so much fun Writing Something Everyday in July that I almost decided to give August a try. Just kidding. That would be a lot of work.

So, today I went to volleyball, but after that I came home and sat down at my computer. I stared at the screen and told myself that I should probably do something productive. After checking my e-mail and Facebook, I rechecked my e-mail because I had an idea. Don't you love ideas? One e-mail had caught my eye. The message was from a blog that I follow called The Flourishing Abode. April Starr, the lady who writes the blog, titled the post 10 things you shouldn't miss. In the post, Starr writes about 10 websites. Two of these websites caught my eye and looking at the post also reminded me of a Part Two post I never did.

Some of you might remember my post titled Some of My Favorite Writing Resources Part One. If you don't, click the hyperlink and a new window will open with the post. All of the sites are really fun and helpful in writing.

I did promise a Part Two post with seven more sites. So, here they are.

Daily Writing Tips

This site does exactly what someone would think the site would do. It gives you writing tips on a near daily basis. The writers cover everything from Yiddish Words to using Artist or Artisan. Some of the posts require a higher than freshman level of english knowledge to understand, but all posts contain useful information as all posts should. 

The NaNoWriMo Young Writers Program, NaNoWriMo, and Script Frenzy

I know, I talk about these sites way too much. I find it hard to stop talking about awesome things. In a nutshell, the Young Writers Program and NaNoWriMo are the same thing. Both are about writing 50,000 words in one month and both are managed by The Office of Letters and Light. There is one big difference. NaNoWriMo is for people thirteen and older while YWP is for the youngsters. Cool right?Script Frenzy starts in April. Basically, you write a 100 page script in one month. I have yet to complete a single Script Frenzy. 

Writer's Digest

Writer's Digest is all about the writer's digestive system. I'm just kidding with you. A writer's digestive system is a very scary place full of adverbs, replacements for said like gasped and exclaimed, and tons upon tons of coffee. Or tea. Whatever floats your boat. If you are a subscriber, to Writer's Digest, then I envy you. Not only do you get great writing content, you get awesome advise on everything to do with writing. If you are running a little short on cash, you can always subscribe to the free weekly newsletter. The newsletter includes writing prompts, advise on getting published, news from the writing world, latest blogs from WD bloggers, and more. 

And finally, the last two sites are the eye catching sites from the Flourishing Abode post. 

Rainymood.com

If you are anything like me, nothing gets you more in the writing mood like a good rainy day. Rainymood.com does exactly that. Just plug in your nice comfy headphones, grab a cup of Joe or that tea you have been wanting to try, and type away to the sound of a never ending rainstorm. 

43 Things

Ever have trouble setting, remembering, and following through with goals? Just sign up on 43 Things and enter all of your goals. People using the website can cheer you on. If you have a goal that requires more than one person, a team can be created. 43 Things let you set reminders for goals and write a diary entry about the progress made on the goal.

To finish things off, I love hearing from the people who read what I write. Don't be afraid to comment. I have never been a fan of saying that, which is why I made this...

~Snowie

Breakups, Makeups, and Anniversaries

A Cactus Patch... At Night... Sort of.
By smackbabe on Deviant

April 26th, 2012 marked the First Anniversary of finishing the first draft of the Night Stalker. Can I get a what, what?! Okay... Maybe not. And, since I cannot remember when I actually started writing the Night Stalker, I am also calling April 26th the day I started writing TNS. So, April 26th is both a First Anniversary and an Eighth Anniversary for me. Since April 26th, 2012, I have rewritten the Night Stalker once and I am working on my Third Draft. I think that the Third Draft might be the one! In this year, I have learned that there is no one way to revise 400 pages of awesomeness, that revising is a messy and complicated process, and that revising is like trying to find your way through a cactus patch... In the dark... Without a flashlight. 

This whole thing has gotten me thinking about breakups and makeups.

My Plot Board
The Whole Plot for the Night Stalker Laid
Out On Pretty Notecards

Eight years ago, roughly, I sat down and wrote the first fifty pages of the Night Stalker. Everything was going great until I hit page fifty. Things started falling apart and all of the excitement from starting out vanished. The Night Stalker and I happily broke up. I respectfully put the Night Stalker behind me in a dusty drawer for five years. In May of 2009, if I remember correctly, I went searching through my thirty plus notebooks of old, unfinished stories, just looking for something to work on. Something that might be salvageable. What I found was the Night Stalker. And, TNS was brilliant. The Night Stalker and I made up and started racing for The End. Over the next two years (Minus two NaNoWriMos) I scratched out 408 more pages of glorious crap. This crap ended with: "Yes," Hamilton watched the flames leap below in the courtyard, hungry for more. The charred skull of his father smiled at him. Hamilton smiled, "Yes... We'll kill them all." THE END 4/26/11 Oh, the drama.

You see? Sometimes breaking up and making up can be a good thing. Sometimes, writers have to put things away for a while, or in other words, break up with their work. In the time that the writer and the work are separated, both mature a little, the brilliance comes back, and the passion and excitement start to return. New ideas sneak forward and a stronger story that demands to be written rises out of the depths of imagination.

There is a piece of advise from Gail Carson Levine that she puts into her book Writing Magic. Levine gives the advise to keep everything you ever write for at least fifteen years. Once fifteen years passes, you have the choice to throw out that writing or to keep it. Following this advise keeps potentially amazing writing from being thrown out and lost forever.

“A novel rough draft is like bread dough; you need to beat the crap out of it for it to rise.” -Chris Baty


~Snowfire

Writing Plots and Subplots

???

Writing plots, subplots, suspense, problems, and a majority of other things are just some of the things that I have trouble with. Every writer goes through that time where they discover that they really aren't that good, despite what they think, were told, or use to think. Some writers can get though this slowed learning curve and eventually become great writers. Others put down their pens and never pick them up again. That story is for a whole other post.

I think I've gone through a learning curve where I realized that, no, I am not better than anyone else and if I want to be better, I have to work for it. I figured that I had to start somewhere and that somewhere is plots and subplots. Plots and subplots are perhaps, at least to me, the most complicated thing about novels. There can be anywhere from one plot to one plot and an infinity of subplots. For me, keeping track of all those layers is a hard task and finding a way to make sure they all are ended or resolved by the end of the book is nearly impossible.

So I did some research. And I found one thing to help me.

The ABC Tracker

The ABC tracker by C.S. Lakin is really easy and helps make things much less complicated. 'A' is the main plot, the over-arcing plot. Usually the main plot, or Plot A, is the protagonist's main goal. In Harry Plotter, the main plot was Harry and Voldemort battling to the death. Most of the time, a story with just plot A is really boring. You don't just want to see Harry battle Voldemort. You want to live through all of the adventure and tension it takes to get to that battle. Plot B is the first subplot. Plot B should strengthen A and make Plot A interesting. This subplot is the second most important subplot in your story. A Plot B of Harry Potter could be Harry finding and destroying the Horcruxes.  From there is goes on in order of letter C, D, E...Z, AA, AB, AC, and into infinity.

Links 
Plot Outlines By Darcy Pattison
Fiction Factor
The Bookshelf Muse- Where I got the idea from C.S. Lakin. I tried the ABC Tracker and I liked it, so I wanted to blog about it.

~Snowfire

Writing Challenge One

00900 by brujo

Tomorrow (or everyday if you would like) pick a character from any of your stories. As you go through your day, keep them in mind. Every time you have a situation or problem to react to or solve, try and imagine what your character would do. Not only will this help understand and build your character more, but it will also help to write out your story in your own writing voice. This challenge is also helpful in editing and revising when a scene doesn't feel write or a character is out of character. Try this exercise if you have writer's block or if you can't figure out how your character would react.


DFTBA!

Snowie 

Real Life Characters: Obsessions

Every single person has hobby or obsession. In fact, most people have more then a few. All to many times we see characters that are kind of dull and lifeless. Most of the time it is because they have no or very few hobbies. They can be flat and one sided, not very interesting.

Let's compare who sounds more interesting.

Matthew lives in Kansas City. He works for an agency that sells copyright licenses and in his free time likes to watch T.V. He doesn't do much else or like much else for that matter.

V.S.

Kaycee lives in San Francisco. She works at a local coffee shop and is currently attending a college of art and design. In her free time she plays volleyball at the beach and hangs out with her friends. She is obsessed with Van Gogh and Pretty Little Liars on ABC Family even though she's not much of a T.V. person. Kaycee has written a little poetry, but doesn't think it is very good. Before she goes to work in the morning, she likes to practice yoga in her living room.


See what I mean? Who would you rather hang out with- Matthew or Kaycee. Giving your characters personalities, obsessions, hobbies, the little tidbits that make their lives different from everyone else's can make a person's writing so much more interesting. You never know. You may find something out about your character that you never knew before. Or, your story may come to life in ways you never imagined.

I wrote this because I am needing to pass the time. One of my obsessions is Harry Potter and I still haven't gotten into Pottermore yet. Wish me luck!!

~Snowie

P.S. While I'm waiting, I'll get some book reviews up on my book review page... =)

Trying to Upload Once Every Week (Is a hassle)

I'm not complaining, uploading once a week is hard especially when the week goes by so fast that you've barely made sense out of it and have nothing to blog about. Now I know what the "famous pro's" feel like and why Charlie McDonnell hasn't uploaded anything in a while (Come on, Charlie!). Let's see, the last post was about that little rat called procrastination. I admit, I do procrastinate sometimes (okay, a lot). Usually homework and writing are the procrastinatees and I am, of course, the procrastinator. I did in fact procrastinate on the Night Stalker. I waited a good two and a half weeks before I started revising when I only planned to wait one. My excuse is that I had two and a half weeks of school left and I wanted to go out strong and without any stress. So, to de-stress and go out with a big summer-y bang, I arrived home at 6 o'clock most nights, ate, showered, did an hour of homework, and was asleep by nine-thirty. Lucky me, because I had no homework for the last week, unlike some of my poor stressed out friends. It's a believable excuse, I know.

That brings us to our topic of the day: Revision or Rewriting.

On the 21st of May, I sat down in a three hour car ride, pulled out my new grey notebook and started writing the first chapter of the Night Stalker.... Again. I can hear those British, "WHOTS!" From the invisible people in the back. Yes, I started writing it again. Almost nearly never is a first draft the perfect draft. The first draft is all about getting your ideas on the paper, forming characters, and a very, very experimental, rough plot. With me, the farther I get into a book, the better my writing gets. I fall into the actions, my characters grow, I start thinking that this is the best book ever! Then a couple of months later, I'll read through it again and think,"Wow. That's really terrible." I think the first great writers were just like that. And enter Shakespeare with a sign that reads "Revision". Yes, this is where the great thing that is called revision comes in.

Hundreds of years ago, there was no such thing as revision. Writer's wrote one draft and called it good. Well, this one little writer, Freddy, was terribly smart. One day he was sifting through his animal skins looking at and reading his earlier works and he realized that all of these writings were really, really bad. So he said to himself," Hmmm... All of these things that I have written could be extremely amazing if I rewrote somethings here and took out this part here then maybe added some detail here. And hey! I'm going to call this process revision!"

You get my point.

I often think that this is the one thing that most teachers leave out of their teachings. They have you do all these silly things like making up three plots then picking one out. If you like doing that it's fine, but I can't stand it. After you pick out one, they usually make you write out the events, characters, plot, setting and then you can write your draft. Once you have a draft they say,"Read through and edit and proofread, dearies!" Though it's probably not that creepily said.


AND STOP!!

Key words: Edit and Proofread.

The teacher should have said," Read through then revise. Revision is an important step that shouldn't be missed. Every draft needs revision at sometime or another. Take the Night Stalker for example. The first chapter is very poorly written with a lot of info filler, LONG paragraphs of information having to do with the story, and poor plotting. I couldn't fix those things with editing!

Believe it or not, revision and editing and proofreading are completely different things. According to dictionary.com revision is: to alter something already written or printed, in order to make corrections, improve, or update: to revise a manuscript. Whereas editing is: to prepare (text) for publication by checking and improving its accuracy, clarity, etc. 


Revision has nothing to do with spelling or grammar correction. It pertains to removing unwanted words, paragraphs, chapters, and characters. It involves reworking the plot, characters, and settings to make the story flow smoothly and to make it more believable. That is why revision is also called rewriting. Usually you are changing so much in your story that you have to basically rewrite it. Also, you may rewrite a story hundreds of times (That was a hyperbole, an extreme exaggeration) before you ever start editing. 


When and Where?

When and where do you edit? When is simple and the answer is right before editing. Always revise before editing is more appropriate. Think about it. Why would you take the time to proofread and fix all of the grammar first only to delete it entirely from the story later? Where is in you manuscript where ever it needs rearranging, retelling, strengthening, and structuring.   

P.S. Editing is a term I sometimes use loosely. Usually when I say edit I am referring to revision, editing, and proofreading. In this post when I say edit I mean the process of correcting grammar. Also, editing and proofreading are very, very closely related. They are so close that they could be, and sometimes are, counted, together, as a single step.




I hope that this post was helpful to you and if you have any questions about writing, just comment or message me. 

Happy Writings, 
Snowie