Monday, August 30, 2010

Revision Heaven?

The first week of fall semester has started, and here I am giddy to delve into revisions instead! There's a common saying around the writer circles, usually consisting of "Revisions" and "Hell" in the same sentence. I have to wonder if I'm mentally insane, or if there are other writers out there who also enjoy revising? There's just something about delving deeper into a project, lacing up the boots of your characters tight around your own feet, continually investigating each plot point and subplot that gives me a sort of school girl giddy high about whatever project it is I'm working on. Don't get me wrong, there are some days when it's grammatical editing I have to work on that I grumble, but most of the time, I really enjoy revising my work...it's another excuse to immerse myself in my self-made fictional world.

What about you? Is it revision hell, or revision heaven? Whatever the case, good luck to those in the tweaking process!

9 comments:

  1. You know, I also like revising. The story is there, or at least a story is there--playing with it, expanding it, pruning it, changing it, putting it back the way it was--all that is fun and satisfying and often surprising. That's probably why I revise as I go--playing with a chapter is my reward for writing the chapter in the first place. :)

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  2. I love revisions...not as much as that part of the story between creating the characters and starting the first draft, but I still really like fixing the stuff that I bungled my way through on the first draft.

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  3. I'm not keen on revising...It's a little overwhelming! I do love to write query letters though...which everyone else hates to do!

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  4. Love revising! First drafts are painful, but revising is where you get to see the payoff.

    But I also love writing query letters, so I'm weird.

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  5. I love revising too. It's not the rush of new writing, but it's like you can relax a little. Enjoy the story and like you said, delve into making it better. I like playing with word choice and thinking more on body language as I visualize it like a movie. And you don't have to stress over how many words you write per day! That alone is wonderful!

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  6. Revision Heaven:) I love plowing through plot holes. It's the best part of writing for me!

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  7. I'll let you know when I get there. I'm still about three chapters from the end of my novel and then the revision shall begin. Guess I don't have a real point of reference at this point, but I have heard, as you say, the worlds revision and hell in the same sentence so many times, that I feel ambivalent abut the process, but it's nice to hear there's a possibility I might actually enjoy it, so thanks for the encouragement!

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  8. Both. I love tightening up the writing - slashing away the stuff I don't want is great. Rewriting entire sections on the other hand... not my favourite thing to do :)

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  9. Love everyone's take on revisions! Elizabeth, I also revise as I go. Takes me a little longer to write than usual, but it's an OCD thing. By the time I've finished my first draft, every chapter is really a third or fourth or more draft hah!

    Melanie, good luck!

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