MY Way

This whole revision process stinks, especially the crossing out, scribbling on a copy of my manuscript with red ink without making any real changes in the actual file. Instead of feeling I'm creating a tighter, stronger story, all I feel is frustrated for not really accomplishing anything. And no, having my digital notebook rather than dead trees to do this is not enough to keep me going.

This manuscript mark-up stage is why I stopped working on my 1st novel revision -- typing in over 300 handwritten pages of story with stickie notes, inserted chicken scratches and other instruction -- became too daunting.

Just about everything else Holly Lisle has taught me, I can get behind as it speaks to my relatively logical and organized style. I get why she encourages this multiple-pass revision process... major changes made later while revising can be easily incorporated all in one swoop of the keyboard type-in. But it isn't working for me.

So, I've decided, no, I've chosen not to follow her method to the T. Not this step. Nope. Not going to do it anymore.

I'm doing it MY way.

What is my way? Sort of like ...

1. read scene
2. make notes of what to change on the scene
3. incorporate those changes in the file
4. make sure all is good
5. repeat steps 1-5 with next scene until all scenes done

And while MY process is only slightly different than Holly's, making the choice to find a way that works for me, cliche as it sounds, leaves me feeling unencumbered. Like I can finish a revision without a bunch of busy work.

So, tonight after the kids are in bed, I'll pull out the computer, my notes, and get working. And finally make some progress. MY Way.