I just became a full member of your Substack, and this post really speaks to me. I'm in the revision stage and I need all the guidance I can get. Thank you; glad to be part of this community. I will have questions!
In the software development world, an expression programmers often use is “write one to throw away.” By this they mean writing a piece of software that works, solves the problem, and has been tested and debugged, but through that labor they’ve discovered how to write it so it would also be fast, efficient, elegant, extensible, etc. But only if they basically start over.
Obviously recognizing and acknowledging that something is good but not great can be hard on the ego too and can have an expensive outcome. Probably this is the second most difficult part of writing anything, where actually finishing a first draft is maybe the hardest (at least that part’s over).
Deciding on whether to start over, “re-draft,” or even just rewrite a chapter or an essay is probably best done with as few other distractions in the text as possible. I usually do what might be called continuous editing. Every time through, fix anything that’s obviously wrong: typos, misspellings, misused words, unintended rhymes or repeated words in a sentence or paragraph, errors of fact (even fiction has its own “facts”). Get rid of these distractions; you need your full attention for the big decisions that lie ahead.
Also, read it aloud or let your computer do it. This can be tedious with a long text and probably benefits poetry the most since poetry must sound good or have an auditory effect (or else it’s probably not poetry), but it works with prose too. There’s nothing like hearing your own words out loud to identify fatuous or ridiculous things, or passages that readers are likely to stumble over.
This is cool and i relate to it about just writing the writing some more: “I then “chance” upon passages and thoughts from others that directly connect, and wrench open learning channels; it feels like a mysterious process.”
I find it very effective to print the entire book out and retype it. The result often ends up being much richer paragraphs and dialogue in a way I just don't get by rereading and tinkering. It's not as effective though if you need structural rewrites.
Definitely take a break after draft 1 is completed. I usually wait 6 months. Objectivity--or something close to it--is crucial. Distance, perspective. I tell my book editing clients this often; they usually want to start draft 2 immediately and I always convince them to hold off and wait.
I just became a full member of your Substack, and this post really speaks to me. I'm in the revision stage and I need all the guidance I can get. Thank you; glad to be part of this community. I will have questions!
In the software development world, an expression programmers often use is “write one to throw away.” By this they mean writing a piece of software that works, solves the problem, and has been tested and debugged, but through that labor they’ve discovered how to write it so it would also be fast, efficient, elegant, extensible, etc. But only if they basically start over.
Obviously recognizing and acknowledging that something is good but not great can be hard on the ego too and can have an expensive outcome. Probably this is the second most difficult part of writing anything, where actually finishing a first draft is maybe the hardest (at least that part’s over).
Deciding on whether to start over, “re-draft,” or even just rewrite a chapter or an essay is probably best done with as few other distractions in the text as possible. I usually do what might be called continuous editing. Every time through, fix anything that’s obviously wrong: typos, misspellings, misused words, unintended rhymes or repeated words in a sentence or paragraph, errors of fact (even fiction has its own “facts”). Get rid of these distractions; you need your full attention for the big decisions that lie ahead.
Also, read it aloud or let your computer do it. This can be tedious with a long text and probably benefits poetry the most since poetry must sound good or have an auditory effect (or else it’s probably not poetry), but it works with prose too. There’s nothing like hearing your own words out loud to identify fatuous or ridiculous things, or passages that readers are likely to stumble over.
This is cool and i relate to it about just writing the writing some more: “I then “chance” upon passages and thoughts from others that directly connect, and wrench open learning channels; it feels like a mysterious process.”
I find it very effective to print the entire book out and retype it. The result often ends up being much richer paragraphs and dialogue in a way I just don't get by rereading and tinkering. It's not as effective though if you need structural rewrites.
Definitely take a break after draft 1 is completed. I usually wait 6 months. Objectivity--or something close to it--is crucial. Distance, perspective. I tell my book editing clients this often; they usually want to start draft 2 immediately and I always convince them to hold off and wait.
Here’s a piece I wrote on the book editing process: https://michaelmohr.substack.com/p/how-to-get-the-most-from-your-book-281
Michael Mohr
‘Sincere American Writing’
https://michaelmohr.substack.com/