Comments on: How Much Revision Is Normal? http://kidlit.com/2009/05/20/how-much-revision-is-normal/ A place for people who love, read and write children's literature. Tue, 07 Feb 2012 19:53:07 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.3 By: Nicole Alexander http://kidlit.com/2009/05/20/how-much-revision-is-normal/comment-page-1/#comment-43305 Nicole Alexander Sat, 17 Dec 2011 21:04:25 +0000 http://kidlit.com/?p=408#comment-43305 I found this post as a link off another one. Love it! I made the mistake of querying too early, but the feedback I received gave me the courage to lop off 25,000 words and start my story at an entirely new point, with a whole new opening section. It amazes me that what I thought was crucial to show word for word could actually be told in a few sentences. As a result, I ended up with a much tighter work. I'm going through another round of revision now (this would be round 10 if you count all of them from the first draft) and it amazes me how much I've grown as a writer in the process. I may not be at the point of liking revising yet, but I can certainly appreciate its worth. I found this post as a link off another one. Love it! I made the mistake of querying too early, but the feedback I received gave me the courage to lop off 25,000 words and start my story at an entirely new point, with a whole new opening section. It amazes me that what I thought was crucial to show word for word could actually be told in a few sentences. As a result, I ended up with a much tighter work. I’m going through another round of revision now (this would be round 10 if you count all of them from the first draft) and it amazes me how much I’ve grown as a writer in the process. I may not be at the point of liking revising yet, but I can certainly appreciate its worth.

]]> By: louise http://kidlit.com/2009/05/20/how-much-revision-is-normal/comment-page-1/#comment-1556 louise Fri, 30 Oct 2009 13:31:24 +0000 http://kidlit.com/?p=408#comment-1556 I write as if my books are going to be published as they stand. I imagine people picking it up and horror of horror spotting a typo or a major glitch. It soon has me rereading, reediting and fine tuning. If I'm editing someone's ms and see an error on the first line (and I do) I immediately groan and think "lazy bugger". Who wants to read a book written by someone who can't be bothered? Why should we be bothered to read their book? I write as if my books are going to be published as they stand. I imagine people picking it up and horror of horror spotting a typo or a major glitch. It soon has me rereading, reediting and fine tuning.
If I’m editing someone’s ms and see an error on the first line (and I do) I immediately groan and think “lazy bugger”. Who wants to read a book written by someone who can’t be bothered? Why should we be bothered to read their book?

]]> By: Mary http://kidlit.com/2009/05/20/how-much-revision-is-normal/comment-page-1/#comment-1506 Mary Wed, 28 Oct 2009 22:33:23 +0000 http://kidlit.com/?p=408#comment-1506 Emily -- Thanks! Glad I could help. :) Emily — Thanks! Glad I could help. :)

]]> By: Emily Hainsworth http://kidlit.com/2009/05/20/how-much-revision-is-normal/comment-page-1/#comment-1501 Emily Hainsworth Wed, 28 Oct 2009 20:27:44 +0000 http://kidlit.com/?p=408#comment-1501 Thank you for tweeting this archive, Mary! Couldn't be better timed. :) Thank you for tweeting this archive, Mary! Couldn’t be better timed. :)

]]> By: Michele Tennant http://kidlit.com/2009/05/20/how-much-revision-is-normal/comment-page-1/#comment-1492 Michele Tennant Wed, 28 Oct 2009 17:53:17 +0000 http://kidlit.com/?p=408#comment-1492 Thank you, Mary, I will be waiting and editing like a mad woman in the mean time.;) Thank you, Mary, I will be waiting and editing like a mad woman in the mean time.;)

]]> By: Mary http://kidlit.com/2009/05/20/how-much-revision-is-normal/comment-page-1/#comment-1479 Mary Wed, 28 Oct 2009 16:31:31 +0000 http://kidlit.com/?p=408#comment-1479 Michele -- This is, and I'm not even kidding, THE ETERNAL QUESTION. I'm planning to do a post on this within the month but, since it is, again, not kidding, THE ETERNAL QUESTION, it might take me a little while. :) Stay tuned. Michele — This is, and I’m not even kidding, THE ETERNAL QUESTION. I’m planning to do a post on this within the month but, since it is, again, not kidding, THE ETERNAL QUESTION, it might take me a little while. :) Stay tuned.

]]> By: Michele Tennant http://kidlit.com/2009/05/20/how-much-revision-is-normal/comment-page-1/#comment-1475 Michele Tennant Wed, 28 Oct 2009 14:49:57 +0000 http://kidlit.com/?p=408#comment-1475 Can rewriting become an obsession? I have this picture book I've been working on for a while. After a rewrite, I save the file version and work on something else for a while. Then I come back to the PB and edit some more. I change a phrase here, a line there, move text to another section, etc. I am a bit of a perfectionist and every time I read my work I see something that could be "fixed." It's like I will only stop editing it when it appears in an actual book and I can't mess with it anymore. Is this a common problem? When do you say, "it's a really great story, just leave it alone already?" Can rewriting become an obsession? I have this picture book I’ve been working on for a while. After a rewrite, I save the file version and work on something else for a while. Then I come back to the PB and edit some more. I change a phrase here, a line there, move text to another section, etc. I am a bit of a perfectionist and every time I read my work I see something that could be “fixed.” It’s like I will only stop editing it when it appears in an actual book and I can’t mess with it anymore. Is this a common problem? When do you say, “it’s a really great story, just leave it alone already?”

]]> By: uberVU - social comments http://kidlit.com/2009/05/20/how-much-revision-is-normal/comment-page-1/#comment-1438 uberVU - social comments Tue, 27 Oct 2009 17:44:44 +0000 http://kidlit.com/?p=408#comment-1438 <strong>Social comments and analytics for this post...</strong> This post was mentioned on Twitter by Mary Kole: From the archives: How much revision is normal? http://ow.ly/wOJM #kidlit #ya #writing... Social comments and analytics for this post…

This post was mentioned on Twitter by Mary Kole: From the archives: How much revision is normal? http://ow.ly/wOJM #kidlit #ya #writing…

]]> By: Susan James http://kidlit.com/2009/05/20/how-much-revision-is-normal/comment-page-1/#comment-1434 Susan James Tue, 27 Oct 2009 16:25:06 +0000 http://kidlit.com/?p=408#comment-1434 Thank you Mary. I really needed this reminder right now. My nemesis is backstory. I've had an agent say I had a great start but killed it with too much bs. I stripped it clean and had an agent say "great story but I'm wondering what she's been doing all this time." I know there is a balance, and I will find it, but yes, it means rewriting again. Thank you Mary. I really needed this reminder right now. My nemesis is backstory. I’ve had an agent say I had a great start but killed it with too much bs. I stripped it clean and had an agent say “great story but I’m wondering what she’s been doing all this time.” I know there is a balance, and I will find it, but yes, it means rewriting again.

]]> By: Gwenda http://kidlit.com/2009/05/20/how-much-revision-is-normal/comment-page-1/#comment-147 Gwenda Fri, 22 May 2009 17:49:27 +0000 http://kidlit.com/?p=408#comment-147 We should totally get "careful vomiter" T-shirts made. I have come to believe that any given writer's process is always shifting and we just get more secure with all that change as we get better. :) We should totally get “careful vomiter” T-shirts made. I have come to believe that any given writer’s process is always shifting and we just get more secure with all that change as we get better. :)

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