I do not edit and revise my novels, only start a new draft going into my preferred direction.
What I’ve realized is that every draft I do, is a semi-brand new story. It’s still the same story, but things are more different than the last. Though I do not edit it, I just start a new draft in my ideal sorta way.
It’s bad because I don’t honestly know how to edit and revise a novel. I never fully edited a book and when I draft, I just write a new story in a way.
I don’t edit drafts, just start a new one, slightly following the old one.
So, because I write in a weird way, I’ve decided to just make my first draft into my only polished and final draft. I think I should only write a single draft that I heavily make better.
Like with Project Succession, I am on my fourth draft, but the story is going to be much different than the other drafts.
This is my realization and something that I should embrace. I also don’t like editing and revising, mainly because I don’t know how yet I do know how I want the story to go mentally.
What about you guys? What are your feelings towards editing and revising your novels? Does it naturally come to you? Is it harder to get into the head space for editing and revising?
I knew it! That’s exactly what Audra Winter does, and she too has autism and ADHD, and probably aphantasia. So I’m thinking it’s probably symptomatic, this desire to totally rewrite a story rather than reread what’s already written. Just my uninformed, uneducated opinion, though. I’ve never seen any studies on that or anything.
But for me it’s the opposite: I love rereading my book once it’s finished. It’s actually exciting to start from the beginning to see how everything fits together now that you know the whole story.
But everyone else seems to feel like once they know the whole story, they’re bored with it so they want to start something new instead of revising what they’ve got. That seems to be why no one likes outlining…? They get bored with a story once they know what’s going to happen. I honestly can’t understand that. I feel like once you know what’s going to happen, you ought to be even more excited to write the book. ¯\_(ﭢ)_/¯
Okay, I feel like we ought to get some kind of prize every time we mention Audra Winter in this group.
You really like talking about this person. Surely you aren’t suggesting that me and her are super similar? The difference between me and Audra is that she is trying to publish her flaws, I am not trying to do that.
Not quite for me. When I did some heavy outlining in the past, I would get super overwhelmed and exhausted that starting the story would become a chore, along with how I wanted to start the story. I would create an intricate outline that I felt I HAD to follow it closely then get super overwhelm. Not only that, I tend to go in my own direction and see where it takes me.
I’ve learned that I enjoy writing, not editing afterwards. I can edit as I write, but I will never finish and get exhausted by the process. Editing is stressful and overwhelming, writing is enjoyable and fun.
I want to change that because if the goal is to publish, then I owe it to myself to give it a stern chance.
I think it’s important to remember that people are people. Not every habit, quirk, or method has to be a symptom of something (unless it actually is a symptom!). Not really related, but I’m not sure having a preference in how you write drafts is an audhd thing (and isn’t something me, nor any of my audhd friends, do).
As you know I used to do a rewrite, but things didn’t really change - I was often typing word for word, making changes to structure or pacing where I needed to. I think everyone has their own method that works for them and their story! Sounds to me like your story was stronger going in a different path than the original draft did, and that’s fine.
For me I mostly just write, run through Prowritingaid, call it a day. I dislike editing my own work, because it’s time consuming and often, I’m not really changing much of anything. I am currently doing a substantial rewrite on an older project, though - mostly because I stopped editing it months ago and I have no idea where I was, so it’s just easier for me to rewrite it!
I’m totally the same, to be honest. If I remember right, you don’t use Scrivener, but you could try my method (of writing, rewriting, whatever)? Basically in Scrivener, you can see at a glance what each chapter is. I fill that in once I finish writing a chapter. By the end of the book, I have an “outline” in front of me. You could also do this with a pen and some post-its or paper, or even just make a list in a word document. Then you can see what you’ve written and if something isn’t working, or if you need to add something. It’s the outline of your book but you didn’t sit and outline the thing before you even started!
· pay someone to edit your book, or
· take a whack at it yourself
Have you tried rereading your finished book? And if so, did the revising bore you? A book doesn’t have to be perfect when you submit it to a literary agent, but the most glaring problems should be ironed out. Treat a submission to an agent like a job interview: you want to put your best foot forward and all that. ٩(˘◡˘)۶
Some of the writers in this forum are also editors, like CoffeebyNight and Alenatenjo, but I have no idea what they charge. Can’t hurt to ask them! (*＾-‘) 乃
You can also find editors on Fiverr. Sara Lubratt on YouTube writes fantasy novels but also makes money editing other people’s work on the side. I’m sure a lot of the writing gurus on there do editing for a fee, but again, no idea what they charge.
I can’t afford anything now even something that is a single dollar for a while.
It’s either I do it myself or seek help from ProWritingAid or a bit of both.
Agreeing with this perspective 100% You can only figure out if the story is “correct” from a reader’s POV once you’ve written the story for yourself. Then it’s a matter of revision and rewriting (or essentially redoing the story, like you said) until it makes the most sense.
Editing comes to me naturally because I work as a professional editor But yeah, there are days where I genuinely just can’t be bothered, especially when it comes to my own stuff.
it sounds like you want to develop the story as you are writing it. not in the outlining process and not in the editing process. currently you are doing some form of developmental editing. you write one draft and use that as the guide to develop the next draft of the story (not the manuscript) and so forth.
okay so if thats what you want to do- you need to focus on immersion vs presentation. as you are writing - are you merely presenting the story to the reader? as a writer you can feel when you are presenting the story even before you finish writing the scene. if you can’t I would develop that sensitivity.
so every time you write do not present the story just immerse in it.
the act of not presenting as you write will force you to develop the story as you write it- even without an outline, even on the first draft.
But yeah, there are days where I genuinely just can’t be bothered, especially when it comes to my own stuff.