tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1025201337316610324.post231293926382733408..comments2023-12-31T20:43:08.499-05:00Comments on THE STILETTO GANG: Why My First Draft is Like a Poorly Planned Paint JobUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1025201337316610324.post-27742825246276263412011-03-26T19:44:41.944-04:002011-03-26T19:44:41.944-04:00It's amazing that I'm visiting your blog f...It's amazing that I'm visiting your blog for the first time today. I am almost finished with the first draft of my first mystery. "THE END" is in sight! Meanwhile, our house is being painted, so your analogy sure resonates with me! I am one who edits throughout the writing process. Recently, I've realized how much reworking I'll have to do. For me, THE END will be more like a beginning. But I decided to plunge forward and worry about story fixing later. Your post made me feel better about this--more hopeful. It can be done! Thank you!Susannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1025201337316610324.post-65309952386065826022011-03-26T13:03:31.735-04:002011-03-26T13:03:31.735-04:00Excellent blog. I really relate to the nagging not...Excellent blog. I really relate to the nagging notion that sits in the back of your head that you're going to have to go back and re-do the earliest passages. As for me, I have to get through the first draft before I think I've even got started, so in a way I'm lucky -- I know that everything I've written in the first draft of the entire book is going to need major work.Vincent H. O'Neilhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17712074690139274480noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1025201337316610324.post-817093061854119532011-03-25T16:10:57.780-04:002011-03-25T16:10:57.780-04:00I like to reread too because if I don't I migh...I like to reread too because if I don't I might mix up days, repeat something I've already said, or leave out an important plot point. I read all my manuscripts chapter by chapter to my critique group, that helps a lot too.<br /><br />Good post.<br /><br />MarilynMarilyn Meredith a.k.a. F. M. Meredithhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04179984154939161530noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1025201337316610324.post-85815234238495832692011-03-25T15:43:52.798-04:002011-03-25T15:43:52.798-04:00Wonderful post! I'm now agonizing over the ent...Wonderful post! I'm now agonizing over the entire draft to make sure it all makes sense - have to force myself not to reread the first 100 pages so many times - must focus on the last 100 pages. In the back of my mind are the doubts and the truth that I'm going to have to go through it all again and fix stuff - find stronger words, tidy up the plot a bit more and whatever else I find. But I mustn't think too much about that right now or I'll be paralyzed.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1025201337316610324.post-90969305375452860702011-03-25T10:15:19.494-04:002011-03-25T10:15:19.494-04:00Case in point: while working on new manuscript ye...Case in point: while working on new manuscript yesterday (of which half of the original words were rewritten/revised before I even started writing), I decided to take a break. Break involved cleaning off book shelves in my office and replacing them with SHOES. Went back to manuscript after procrastinating, liked what I saw, and then wrote another 2000 words. So, all this to say, procrastinate, prime, repaint, revise, make excuses...whatever it takes to get to the finish line. And you, Rachel, always make it there and make it look so easy. Your books are great in the end. Remember that as you repaint. MaggieThe Stiletto Ganghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01667670723330755598noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1025201337316610324.post-14397022726101391422011-03-25T09:59:17.497-04:002011-03-25T09:59:17.497-04:00Rachel, I'm a tweaker through and through. Li...Rachel, I'm a tweaker through and through. Like Maria said above, I tinker with my draft as I write it. I cannot leave things alone. Any time I think of something that makes the plot better/stronger/whatever, I go back and fix. So I'm constantly editing as I go along, no matter that I tell myself a first draft is akin to verbal vomit. You just have to get it out. I'm learning to accept that my first drafts--no matter how much effort I put into them--are little more than skeletons of the book. I need that feedback from my editor and agents and the revision time in order to truly make the manuscript into the book I have in my head. So you are not alone!!!Susan McBridehttp://SusanMcBride.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1025201337316610324.post-91105564790924648372011-03-25T05:25:53.500-04:002011-03-25T05:25:53.500-04:00Oh, Rachel, I can so relate to this! I'm one o...Oh, Rachel, I can so relate to this! I'm one of those people who while still working on the first draft has to go back and edit if I discover something wrong in the earlier pages. It doesn't matter that I know I'll still have to go back and edit some more and then some more too after I'm done with the draft. <br /><br />I've tried not to do this, but I just can't. I've embraced it as part of my process and each time I go back in and "re-edit" I learn something new about my story.Maria Geracihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02296473703226019932noreply@blogger.com