I am taking a course from the wonderful Caroline Donahue called “The Next Draft Intensive.” It’s a ten week intensive to revising a novel where she shares what she’s learned while interviewing authors on her podcast as well as through the revision process of her own novel.
I’m HYPE! It’s like the nervous/excited feeling of the first day of school.
After my self-guided revision process on Magick Forest fizzled a couple of months ago, I’ve been a bit unmotivated to touch the draft again. I love my book, but there are some holes and bumps that I just didn’t want to do the mental gymnastics to fix. I know it can be great, but the work to get it there leaves me tired just thinking about it. I’m excited that I’m already energetic to get back into it.
Why am I taking a course to learn how to revise?
There are some things in writing that I don’t know how to do yet. Revision is one of those. Sure, every book needs a different process. But, revision is so hard to figure out when just starting out and having absolutely zero ideas about what works and what doesn’t. I have let so many drafts fade away because I got frustrated with the editing/revision process. I don’t want that to happen any more.
My only hope for this revision course is to find a good skeleton for a revision process that I can build off of. Even if it doesn’t get me through this revision, even if this book doesn’t get me to my final goal of publishing, I hope this course can get me toward a FINISHED book.
Finished meaning drafted, revised, and edited. Finished meaning something I would be okay sending out to potentially get representation. Finished meaning I would be okay with people reading it as a whole (I say okay because I’m sure there will always be things I could fix). Finished meaning I don’t count it as a failed draft.
My writing while I take the course
I think I’m still going to keep going with drafting of my Soccer Story at the same time. I do better when I have something that feels like “creative fidgeting.” Where I can just free-write whatever my brain wants without having to pay attention to how well it’s working beyond the current scene. I’m just getting the form and story down on paper for now.
I am excited to start this journey. I hope you all will come along with me.
How do you revise your books? Any processes that work for you?
Happy Writing!
Rachel
P.S. Thank you so much to the 50(!!!!) of you that follow this little blog! It makes my heart sing that so many people want to follow my writing journey. If you aren’t a follower but read it every once and a while, I thank you too. I write this for me to keep consistent with something. It’s my own form of a writing journal. If you ever have questions or comments for me, do not hesitate to leave a comment!
Subtle Stories 