Sunday, April 6, 2014

Editing

I've tried--repeatedly--to figure out some method for editing my manuscripts. Not the line edits--word choice, sentence rhythm, the notes let's say--years of writing poetry have helped me there. 

No, the story structure and chapter/scene level edits seem to well pick your cliche: slide through my fingers, something something wisp, something something phantom. 

I just can't seem to get them to make any  sense in my head. 

There seem to be two major schools if thought: 
1. Print out your MS and mark it up with stickies and a pencil;
2. Draw pictures. 

Now. I'm bad with THINGS. I've spent the past five years of my life trying to get rid of objects. Data is fine! Virtual stuff--I can organize that. But give me a physical object and I'm frozen. 

And I'm a word person. That whole info graphic thing? It's easier for me to read a spreadsheet. 

So, I'm a bit loath to print out a ton of paper. I've done it, but it's just confusing me more. Also, reading a bunch of 8 1/2 x11s or A4s (work has accustomed me to translating to the British from the American) well, that's unwieldy at best. 

But as always, Scrivener to the rescue! 

"What if," I thought, "What if I made my first draft into a mobi. And sent it to my Kindle? And... Used my Kindle's notes and highlights...?" 

Oh. Yes. That.