Like most writers, the part of my job I enjoy the most is the actual writing. I enjoy brainstorming a lot as well, and it's a close second to writing, but putting my ideas down on paper is the thing that really gets my juices flowing. After writing and brainstorming, editing and proofreading are okay, but they're kind of boring. At the end of the list of things associated with creating a novel, revision is probably last on my list.
That's because it feels like not only so much more work, but because it also feels like a destructive process that can easily get out of control. I'm not talking about taking out a section or making a few happy-to-glad changes. To me, revision is about wholesale rewriting of work that I've already finished. It's going back in, finding what doesn't work, and making it work. Moreover, it means that all the stuff after the part you've identified for revision might also have to be revised to accommodate your changes.
I know a lot of this sounds like whining, but I'm loathe to rewrite a book I've already toiled on, even if I know it's necessary to better craft the story. Part of that is laziness, and part of that is a feeling of waste after putting in so many hours of work. After all, we put our hearts and souls into what we've written, and nobody likes to discover that what they wrote no longer works. Revising may be necessary, but it can also be soul-crushing.
Further, at least for me, revision is hard. That's because I already know where I want the story to go, and changing it in the way that most revision requires throws me off and feels uncomfortable. It's like starting a trip to a place you know you are supposed to go but changing the route part of the way in. You start doubting yourself - will this way get me there as quickly? Will there be any more roadblocks I wasn't ready for? What if I get lost? This all contributes to a feeling of discomfort.
None of this is to say that revision isn't usually required, only that it's hard and can be discouraging. This is one of the reasons I don't think you should revise while writing your first draft unless you are able to tell it has really gone off course. In any case, the solution is still the same - put what you're writing in a drawer and leave it alone for at least four months(preferably six to eight). That will allow your passions to cool and give you a more objective look at your work when you pick it back up. Picking it back up will likely even rekindle such passions since you'll now be able to tell which new directions the work needs to go in
Remember, this is only about when you need to make pretty hefty changes rather than minor revisions. If you're changing a paragraph or adding a line or two of dialogue, I don't even consider that true revision. To me, that's editing. Unfortunately, more is sometimes required, and as dispiriting as that might be, if you want to be a better writer, you just have to knuckle down and do it, hopefully with more zeal that I've given the impression of here.
That's because it feels like not only so much more work, but because it also feels like a destructive process that can easily get out of control. I'm not talking about taking out a section or making a few happy-to-glad changes. To me, revision is about wholesale rewriting of work that I've already finished. It's going back in, finding what doesn't work, and making it work. Moreover, it means that all the stuff after the part you've identified for revision might also have to be revised to accommodate your changes.
I know a lot of this sounds like whining, but I'm loathe to rewrite a book I've already toiled on, even if I know it's necessary to better craft the story. Part of that is laziness, and part of that is a feeling of waste after putting in so many hours of work. After all, we put our hearts and souls into what we've written, and nobody likes to discover that what they wrote no longer works. Revising may be necessary, but it can also be soul-crushing.
Further, at least for me, revision is hard. That's because I already know where I want the story to go, and changing it in the way that most revision requires throws me off and feels uncomfortable. It's like starting a trip to a place you know you are supposed to go but changing the route part of the way in. You start doubting yourself - will this way get me there as quickly? Will there be any more roadblocks I wasn't ready for? What if I get lost? This all contributes to a feeling of discomfort.
None of this is to say that revision isn't usually required, only that it's hard and can be discouraging. This is one of the reasons I don't think you should revise while writing your first draft unless you are able to tell it has really gone off course. In any case, the solution is still the same - put what you're writing in a drawer and leave it alone for at least four months(preferably six to eight). That will allow your passions to cool and give you a more objective look at your work when you pick it back up. Picking it back up will likely even rekindle such passions since you'll now be able to tell which new directions the work needs to go in
Remember, this is only about when you need to make pretty hefty changes rather than minor revisions. If you're changing a paragraph or adding a line or two of dialogue, I don't even consider that true revision. To me, that's editing. Unfortunately, more is sometimes required, and as dispiriting as that might be, if you want to be a better writer, you just have to knuckle down and do it, hopefully with more zeal that I've given the impression of here.
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