tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3945626570622121439.post3029210309986357567..comments2024-03-27T12:41:31.596-06:00Comments on Book Dreaming: Do You Need to File for Divorce?Shannon O'Donnellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17299313309059235876noreply@blogger.comBlogger44125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3945626570622121439.post-62960290261718325132010-06-23T15:58:52.778-06:002010-06-23T15:58:52.778-06:00I have to have distance from that loverly first dr...I have to have distance from that loverly first draft before I can do a proper edit. More distance=easier time. <br /><br />"write it fast" - I love that! ;)Susan Kaye Quinnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07348197999397141067noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3945626570622121439.post-88557785783444998022010-06-23T09:39:35.347-06:002010-06-23T09:39:35.347-06:00This was a brilliant article that I may copy mysel...This was a brilliant article that I may copy myself.<br /><br />Wow.<br /><br />My agent makes it, um, essential re the divorce from Draft one. There is no arguing with her. And that's a good thing, at least for a stubborn thing like me.Patti Lacyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00687666130404407814noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3945626570622121439.post-82255747845475663252010-06-22T23:52:24.629-06:002010-06-22T23:52:24.629-06:00I print it out, slash it up, and start in a new do...I print it out, slash it up, and start in a new document with cutting and pasting via Word and my hard copy.<br /><br />It is a nasty, messy, often confusing process...but its the only way I know how.Raquel Byrneshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12870113745683162915noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3945626570622121439.post-47452328613815679552010-06-22T23:46:31.705-06:002010-06-22T23:46:31.705-06:00Yes yes! I found it hard until I did NaNoWriMo las...Yes yes! I found it hard until I did NaNoWriMo last year. I wrote fast and no find it easier to pull appart!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3945626570622121439.post-52409895122400808202010-06-22T22:24:29.233-06:002010-06-22T22:24:29.233-06:00I'm weird, but I love to pick apart my first d...I'm weird, but I love to pick apart my first draft. But somehow it always holds a very special place in my heart, riddled with plot holes and a plethora of other problems as it may be.Heather Zundelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16621649337908358313noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3945626570622121439.post-58026004384160561612010-06-22T22:05:15.293-06:002010-06-22T22:05:15.293-06:00Shannon, here's something a wise author told m...Shannon, here's something a wise author told me early on in my writing journey when I was having trouble parting with an initial draft. She said, "You can always come back to the first one. It will still be there." Funny how the mind works. Thinking of it this way freed me to mess with the manuscript, and what an improvement. Yes, the other draft still did exist, but I'd moved on. Like an old boyfriend, though, you can always look back and think, "Well, he had some good qualities about him, but he just wasn't my type in the end." :)Roxane B. Salonenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01459456545891720716noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3945626570622121439.post-12871535371912792522010-06-22T19:59:50.787-06:002010-06-22T19:59:50.787-06:00A little of both. I want to get to the best finish...A little of both. I want to get to the best finished part:)Karen Langehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18177923284595298347noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3945626570622121439.post-24880647629613607552010-06-22T19:51:10.782-06:002010-06-22T19:51:10.782-06:00I'm not usually a big fan of divorce (think of...I'm not usually a big fan of divorce (think of the children!), but in this case, I'm all for it. :)Tracy Loewerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03597464294035968706noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3945626570622121439.post-34638901131794376232010-06-22T19:42:19.877-06:002010-06-22T19:42:19.877-06:00I love the write quickly bit. I need to do a bett...I love the write quickly bit. I need to do a better jo at that. I toil over an idea, jot down notes and slowly write scene by scene. (I'm doing my first novel...) The largest piece I wrote before was about 20,000 words. It know is two seperate pieces. I had another story that was about 4,000 words and is now 1400. That was hard, but the story is so much better now. I think giving myself a word count after I write the story works for me. Then I can cut until it is a tighter better story.Sharon K. Mayhewhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07799235347319851345noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3945626570622121439.post-23394917632198052862010-06-22T19:32:11.953-06:002010-06-22T19:32:11.953-06:00Out of sight. Out of mind. That is why it helps to...Out of sight. Out of mind. That is why it helps to walk away from your first draft for a bit. Start work on the next novel for a week or so.<br /><br />Then, go back to your first draft. Read the first chapter aloud. You'll hear flaws. In fact, in revising it is wise to read each chapter aloud to yourself as if to a good friend hearing it for the first time. You'll spot flaws then.<br /><br />And you'll rush to polish them away. It works for me. <br /><br />Thanks for leaving such a nice comment on my blog, RolandRoland D. Yeomanshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00338410857990551352noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3945626570622121439.post-53651709237817205232010-06-22T19:00:54.311-06:002010-06-22T19:00:54.311-06:00I'm dealing with this in my current revision! ...I'm dealing with this in my current revision! And I'm actually trying the slice and dice method. I find it's helping a lot! Great quotes!Jamie Greyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07504892632149036762noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3945626570622121439.post-25833249555369133102010-06-22T17:35:54.171-06:002010-06-22T17:35:54.171-06:00I'm getting better at this. It's not an ea...I'm getting better at this. It's not an easy thing to learn - I feel disloyal :)Jemi Fraserhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02214408467456320167noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3945626570622121439.post-31252528261360651372010-06-22T17:34:33.017-06:002010-06-22T17:34:33.017-06:00I don't get married to scenes persay, but to t...I don't get married to scenes persay, but to the idea of how I think some plot point or character should be. I've had to revamp the beginning of HATSHEPSUT so many times and one of the side effects was that a character had to do a complete 180. That was really hard for me to swallow- I liked him better the other way!Stephanie Thorntonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17437077559099315853noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3945626570622121439.post-8624475206785968732010-06-22T16:02:56.303-06:002010-06-22T16:02:56.303-06:00Some of it I'm ok with slicing and dicing away...Some of it I'm ok with slicing and dicing away. Some things I wish I could keep, but I can't. I do save it in another file for later, though. Just in case!<br /><br />I have something for you at my blog!Julie Musilhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02150454913885915017noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3945626570622121439.post-44280388892880005812010-06-22T13:53:57.644-06:002010-06-22T13:53:57.644-06:00What a great way to explain it! :)What a great way to explain it! :)CMOM Productionshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04595915747223847421noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3945626570622121439.post-17953710119906536742010-06-22T13:29:56.338-06:002010-06-22T13:29:56.338-06:00As harsh as this sounds, that's exactly how I ...As harsh as this sounds, that's exactly how I write. I pump out the first draft then attack it as if I were the aquisition editor, not the author. It works out really well!Heatherhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05130733681254163610noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3945626570622121439.post-5402496581240796032010-06-22T13:12:50.692-06:002010-06-22T13:12:50.692-06:00Love this analogy :)Love this analogy :)Sherrie Petersenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11670339498152684137noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3945626570622121439.post-3007630651773298062010-06-22T12:57:00.518-06:002010-06-22T12:57:00.518-06:00Dude--I'm on draft 16! I think I might set the...Dude--I'm on draft 16! I think I might set the record for most divorces ever. Eat your heart out Liz Taylor. :)Shannon Messengerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08003607156860716462noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3945626570622121439.post-11152065308857273272010-06-22T12:51:14.414-06:002010-06-22T12:51:14.414-06:00I don't mind tearing into it. With the last on...I don't mind tearing into it. With the last one, I think I added as much as I cut.Alex J. Cavanaughhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09770065693345181702noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3945626570622121439.post-83790650846257268192010-06-22T12:37:32.567-06:002010-06-22T12:37:32.567-06:00I'd say both. There are things I can't let...I'd say both. There are things I can't let go of, but I'm pretty open to revise and make it better.<br /><br />We're like that one divorced couple that obvs still has feelings for each other, but can't be in the same room together.<br /><br />It's complicated.Candylandhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08956196611348299424noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3945626570622121439.post-89890873259279473452010-06-22T12:15:43.531-06:002010-06-22T12:15:43.531-06:00It's hard and usually I try everything else fi...It's hard and usually I try everything else first, then I take the drastic divorce action. Funny--it's always better and I wind up wishing I hadn't wasted time trying to save that section.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3945626570622121439.post-14462730576497929302010-06-22T12:14:57.710-06:002010-06-22T12:14:57.710-06:00Interesting blog post. Never thought of divorcing ...Interesting blog post. Never thought of divorcing my first draft. Lots of interesting comments shared.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3945626570622121439.post-23186923354310710202010-06-22T11:43:18.840-06:002010-06-22T11:43:18.840-06:00Ditto what Tahereh said. I'm definitely in the...Ditto what Tahereh said. I'm definitely in the camp of spending loads of time on my first draft.Joshua McCunehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17367262185912463258noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3945626570622121439.post-61416837880652632172010-06-22T11:25:11.536-06:002010-06-22T11:25:11.536-06:00this is such excellent advice. i love your posts.
...this is such excellent advice. i love your posts.<br /><br />thank you!Taherehhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03111022596822176769noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3945626570622121439.post-39650469065593447132010-06-22T10:52:39.627-06:002010-06-22T10:52:39.627-06:00I'm not attached. In fact, by the time I finis...I'm not attached. In fact, by the time I finish my draft, I'm more than ready to set the thing aside because I'm tired of looking at it. LOL That applies even for NaNo drafts finished in a month - it's hard for me to stay interested even in my own story once I know how it ends. <br /><br />Revisions are different, because instead of focusing on the story, I'm focusing on technical details...whole different frame of mind for me. <br /><br />Excellent advice, as usual. :-)Jamie D.https://www.blogger.com/profile/05486427517423813962noreply@blogger.com