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. 

Writing week 2013

This was my writing week off for 2013. 

- I wrote synopses for the remaining six volumes in the Perdita-Ankaret series.

- Just finished reviewing chapter 6 of the first book in writer's group. 

Editing update

I'm currently running Perdita through my writing group, and I have one set of notes from a beta reader. 

Overall, their observations are fairly consistent. 

I'm hoping to get another draft done in October but it may be better to wait until the group has finished it's review. 

Editing -Chapter 6

So I've split chapter five into two because of all the rewriting I've done to change the lead up to the ships. At this point I'm back closer to editing rather than writing new scenes or cutting 90% of what I have. Less than 20k words to go. I've done the hardest parts.

But I'm feeling stuck at the start of six. Did I get lost in the rewrite? Have my characters become different people? I'm not sure.

Editing - chapter 2, second draft

As I logged all of my early NaNoWriMos to help me figure out what my process is, I probably should do that with the editing too.

The first draft of chapter one is done. Fairly happy with it, although I suspect there will be some issues with POV although I revised it.

Problem: Astrology.

It's pretty clear to me that the world needs an astrology system that's fairly integrated into their worldview.

Now--there's a point in the story where there's a bit of a deus ex machina--at the beginning, to set the story in motion. I could use a star chart as a more logical departure.

I'm not sure though--will this unnecessarily complicate the story? (probably not) Is it helpful? (unclear) Is my resistance mainly due to lazyness? (likely)

Sure, I can just add in some language here and there and explore the system in full in a later novella (which was kind of my original plan). But does that make the system part of their lives? It really should be....

Editing updates

I've been editing the Perdita story for the past few days and what a difference practice makes!

Granted, it really really helps that it's my own world, so historical accuracy isn't really a problem. I suspect this may be why fantasy seems so appealing to new authors--no accountability to facts outside the story; and you can literally save the world.

Still--I'm looking over my paper copy and making pen edits and it's really really easy.

But then again, I've had a lot of practice by now.

Revisions

After months of researching, reading, and futile revision attempts, I have finally figured out a method of story structure that is working for me.

At least, for this manuscript.

Structure and subplot

Listed all the subplots within the 1950 manuscript. Interesting -- they are all about the collapse and loss of family. Inspired me for a couple more concrete details to add to the book in general. However, it does not expose gaps as well as I had hoped.

Editing and Research

Recent research has included:

• The Street with No Name (for the 1950 story);
• Guns of August/Tuchman (for the adventure story);
• The Crimean War/Figes (for the adventure story);
• Wish Me Luck (BBC series) (for the 1939 story);
• Carve Her Name With Pride (film about Violette Szabo) (for the 1939 story).

I really could use some working titles here!

Current editing:

Still trying to understand the structure process. Getting lost in midsection (story-world). Next step: peel out individual subplots and character arcs to help see where they have holes.

Eventually, I really hope to get a story structure process together. It feels so mysterious.

Incoming:

Need more work and thought around either fantasy or sf story lines. Both are currently too thin and the character voices are not strong enough to talk me through.

Editing update

I have been continuing to work on the 1950 project but I'm still on chapter five sadly.

Editing update

So I am now working on Chapter 5 of editing for the NaNoWriMo 2010 novel, which has the horrific working title of "1950".

I've organized all the scenes through chapter 9.

I'm not quite sure if I have a good sense of what I am doing in this draft yet. It seems very trial and error in a lot of ways. I'd like to be more aware of what I'm doing so, you know, I can do it again. For the other two drafts.

Editing and planning....

CampNaNoWriMo

I've started the editing process. I set up a plan which vaguely goes like this:

Prep:

• cut all chapters into scenes
• mark thematic elements
• character lists
• mark point of view
• short research as necessary

Draft 2

• Scene organization
• place scenes in structurs [start with major ones]
• placeholders for insertions
• write missing scenes as go through draft from beginning to end

Draft 3

• Scene arc
• treat scenes as small stories
• review internal scene integrity
• full rewrite, beginning to end

Draft 4

Fact Checking

Draft 5 and onward

Word-level revision

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The plan is to get through draft two in September and then three in October. Once that's done I'll have a reading draft to show to some initial readers to see what they think overall. The last two+ drafts could take a year. It's hard to work too much on that in advance.

At any rate, this will free me up for:

NaNoWriMo 2011

Generally, I've been what in NaNo they call a pantser—that is, I do everything by the seat of my pants. This year I want to try to write from an outline. Generally this kills it for me, but I am hoping it won't tank my November draft entirely. Also, one of the characters in my draft from last year—well, his backstory kind of took over into its own story, and I'd like to run with it.