Hatrack River Writers Workshop: Q:What procedures did the great masters use for rewrites? PS I'm in tears over this??

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Topic: Q:What procedures did the great masters use for rewrites? PS I'm in tears over this??

muogin
Member
Member # 1963

posted

Buhwaaaaaaah!

I want to cry like a baby.

I must have this rewrite done and ready to record the audio book by Aug 1st 2005.

How do I do this?

I sit and obsess over each sentence of the initial draft and am moving slower than molasses on its completion?

How is this done!

I've finished so many stories but never gone all the way with a ready for the public rewritten, fixed up dressed up baby.

This story to me is magic but how do I frikkin finish it.

Buwahhhh, Buwaahhhh!

Are there any books that outline how the great masters did a rewrite? By the numbers? as in...

1. William sat down.
2. Counted paragraphs.
3. Chanted secret song.
4. spun around three times throwing salt over shoulder...

How is it done?

I've got to finish this well before Aug 1.

Help me....

Buwaaaaaahh... buwahhhhh....

:| Muogin

Posts: 25 | Registered: Mar 2004 |

MaryRobinette
Member
Member # 1680

posted

Well. None of the great masters do it the same.

Here's what I would do if I were you. Read it outloud. If you stumble over a word, stop and fix it because that's a signal that a sentence is awkward. Otherwise leave it alone! You are over-thinking this.

Posts: 2022 | Registered: Jul 2003 |

Kickle
Member
Member # 1934

posted

"Revising Fiction" by David Madden is a great book which uses revisions done by masters as examples. The book shows that each writer has to find not only his own style of writing, but revision as well. By the way, many master writers ended up revising their stories after publication.
I do agree with Mary Robinette, don't over-think --give it a break and then go back with a clear mind. I just totally ruined a draft by over-thinking and it was not only a waste of time, but also emotionally draining.

[This message has been edited by Kickle (edited July 02, 2005).]

Posts: 397 | Registered: Mar 2004 |

wbriggs
Member
Member # 2267

posted

Mary's right. Obsessing over each line will, I think, make each line wooden.

Congratulations on getting this opportunity! Wow!

Posts: 2830 | Registered: Dec 2004 |

calavari
Member
Member # 2631

posted

Stephen King also wrote a book titled "On Writing" and there's a section for revising.
He basically just says to put it down for a long time, and then just read it. Course, you don't have the time he took. He takes 2 months, which is long enough to forget that you wrote it yourself and to be able to read it like a reader. Then take out the things you stumble on, like Mary Robinette said to do. Some advice that he gives is to 'kill your children' those precious sequences that you loved to write but just do nothing for the story except slow it down.
It's a really good book, very helpful.

Posts: 10 | Registered: Jun 2005 |

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