Comments on: I am a revisionist

By: Jamie Grove - How Not To Write

Jamie Grove - How Not To Write — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 21:11:12 +0000

I’ve learned to love the process of revision a little too much. I end up doing exactly what you say above and tear and tear at a piece until it’s nothing but pile of toilet paper the cat’s unwound from the roll.

This usually leads me off to the land of writing notes, trying to get at the heart of what I’m trying to say instead of just saying it.

That said, when I keep myself under control, I really do love revision. I think distance and time are keys to knowing where, when, and how to trim or modify a piece. This is something that doesn’t always work out, but I try my best.

By: James P. Davis

James P. Davis — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 08:57:52 +0000

I like both. With the first draft I feel drunk with power, just pounding out the scene with every description and bit of action I can imagine, the raw translation of what I see in my head with the closest words that can describe that vision. In revision, I sober up, start cutting, rearranging, changing when necessary, adding new ideas, etc. Just fun stuff all the way through.

By: Mike

Mike — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 12:51:59 +0000

I actually love most of writing a first draft. I think it’s exciting to have nothing but blank pages. Because, you know, you can make them say anything.

The hard part of the first draft – for me – is what I call writing connective tissue. I’ll have an idea for a scene in a chapter, and I know what the following scene should be … but writing the transition between those scenes can be difficult.

For me, revision’s far less fun. It usually means streamlining, getting extremely nit-picking with my word choices, and rewriting those transitions over and over until I can live with them. The end result is rewarding, but it’s work, not fun.

By: Ravyn

Ravyn — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 23:07:16 +0000

My favorite is the first draft, interestingly enough. I never pre-outline; I know what a scene might be, but it’s usually just as much a surprise to me as anyone else what goes on when I write a scene. On the plus side, that gives me the immersion necessary to carry it. It’s never near as strong as when I’ve got decent momentum and am just pounding my way through.

By: Kameron

Kameron — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 17:37:31 +0000

Doh. Good catch. Fixed.

By: Jeff

Jeff — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 16:37:56 +0000

Oh, I’m with you on all this. Blank pages are hard. Pages filled with my words, even if they’re not that great, are much more enjoyable to work with.

And I think you meant to spell your post title Revisionist.