Jeri Smith-Ready is one smart cookie.
A while ago, something she said sparked an epiphany for me. She was talking about how first drafts give her trouble. She likened it to “shaping the air.”
To my mind, she’s right in that the first draft is the hardest part of the book. I had never thought about it because I’m not prone to such self-examination, but when I got to contemplating my method, I realized Jeri was spot on when she said it’s “like shaping air”. I realize she and I are probably in the minority, but we both prefer rewrites. Because the framework is already in place. When I revise, I’m just fixing what’s already there, not creating something out of nothing. That takes an incredible amount of mental energy (at least for me).
What’s your favorite part of the process?
Rewrites, definitely. It’s when you take the blob of words you wrote to figure out where the thing ends, and then craft it into beauty.
by Susan Helene Gottfried August 15th, 2008 at 7:33 pmRewrites….I’m so much better at taking something that is already there and completely adding, subtracting, or just fixing it. As long as it’s not my work. :) For my own work (when I’m not proofing anyone elses), getting to the rewrite stage is hard because I always want to go back and start the rewrite process before I even finish the first draft.
by Jackie August 15th, 2008 at 7:58 pmI like that part where you’re almost on the downhill slide, not quite, but close enough that you can all but feel the wind on your face and you know exactly where you need to go.
That, and writing the very last word of a story. Love that part. ;)
by Shiloh Walker August 15th, 2008 at 9:59 pmAnd she’s writing, ladies and gents! (see the nifty counter on the left hand column?)
by azteclady August 16th, 2008 at 1:34 pmOkay, I’m willing to admit that I might be in the minority, but I think I like writing better than I do revising. I’m still liking the challenge of seeing something in my head so clearly that I can translate in onto paper.
by Ann August 17th, 2008 at 5:57 pmDefinitely the rewrites. Staring at a blank screen makes me crazy. I like to print out the previous night’s work and edit in longhand. There’s something therapeutic there, but I couldn’t say what.
by Roslyn Holcomb August 18th, 2008 at 9:47 pmI love both parts of the process, for very different reasons.
I love the passion of the first draft. Even when I outline, it’s like a new lover — everything is exciting and new.
I love revision, because I’m honing every sentence, making it the best it can be.
I love all of it. It’s the business end I hate, but have learned to deal with.
by Devon Ellington August 26th, 2008 at 4:26 pm