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Tuesday, August 5, 2014
The Five Stages of Revision
Some time ago, when the flames of Rewrite Hell were toasting my toes, I jotted down my thoughts on the five stages of revision, which aren't all that different from the stages of grief. Now, as I consider what I've written so far of the first draft of a new book, I find these words as relevant as ever.
DENIAL: This will be a breeze! My manuscript is almost perfect. It will hardly need any rewriting.
ANGER: How the heck could I have written this crap? How could I have been so blind to the plot holes and cliche-ridden prose?
BARGAINING: If I survive this rewrite, I will outline the heck out of the next book before I type a word of Chapter One.
DEPRESSION: This is hopeless. I will never make this book publishable.
ACCEPTANCE: This isn't perfect, but there's a lot of good stuff here and I can make it better. Back to work.
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Excellent!
ReplyDeleteI suspect that most writers go through something like this.
ReplyDeleteGirl, you are so right! Been there. Going there again.
ReplyDeleteI just added major character to my WIP in the first edit. He's necessary, but it can't come to gtips with all the trouble he's causing me aready, and we've just been introduced.
ReplyDeleteMarilynn, I feel your pain! I always add something major in the rewrite stage, and although it improves the book it's also a headache to work in. I wonder how many writers make major additions/changes in rewriting and how many just tidy up the first draft. I wish I could be in the latter category, but I know I never will be.
ReplyDeleteI especially like how you described the bargaining and depression stages, Sandra. Thanks for the reminder that we're not alone in our writing and rewriting challenges!
ReplyDeleteDo you suppose Lee Child goes through this?
ReplyDeleteNah.
John Ramsey Miller, the thriller author, once told me that he always hits a point at which he's convinced the WIP is so bad it 'could suck the bark off young trees.'
ReplyDeleteI know the feeling.