NaNo Revisions

If you follow my facebook, you know I finished my NaNoWriMo novel for 2014.

Well, today marks the start of the revisions!

I have to admit, it's intimidating.  I wrote some pretty awful crap.  There are huge gaps, unintentional changes in tense, and the driest romantic interest I've ever written.  On top of that, I wrote in zero sex.  How the hell can I call it a Castle Midnight piece with zero sex?  You guys have higher expectations of me, and I can't allow myself to disappoint you!

Did you participate in NaNo?  Dreading tackling the revision monster?  Let's talk about tips!

Top Five Tips for Tackling Revision Monsters

 1. Chop It Into Segments.

Let's face it, 50,000+ words is a lot of crap to edit.  You don't have to do it all at once!  If you take it a piece at a time, you can end each editing session/week/month with the knowledge that you accomplished something.

Here's how I chopped up my novel today:

• Hook
• Introduction
• (To Be Divided Later)
• Climax
• (To Be Divided Later)
• Ending
• Epilogue

This leaves me with five meaty chunks of story to start hacking at.  Sure, there are plenty of subplots and sections I haven't sectioned out, but so what?  If my hook's not good enough, then my climax's buildup won't matter.  If my epilogue and ending are crap, then nobody will be interested in sharing my story.

2.  Go Ahead and Make Time for Rewrites.

Some of your work will need to be rewritten.  However, just like doing NaNo, you may want to save these rewrites for another time.

On your initial read-through a section, when you find something demanding a total overhaul, jot it down on a list elsewhere for a future rewrite.  Set aside time for these rewriting sprints.  Alternatively, make a mental note to alternate your revision sessions between grammatical editing, rewrite sprints, and read-through's.  When you do your rewrite, focus on getting it done; save the editing for later.

Here are some examples of sections I know I need to rewrite:

• Introduction for every major character
• First paragraph of the novel
• The mass-battle
• Protagonist's childhood flashback

For each item on the list, I'll probably do three to five writing sprints.  These items are important to me, and I want to make sure they're done well.  Once the rewrites are complete, I'll wait a month or so, then read them again and pick the best one.  Sure, I'll keep editing the rest of the novel in between sprints, but it's important to let these writing sessions stand on their own.

3. Be Wary of Editing Help.

If you're considering swapping novels with someone for editing, be cautious.  There are folks out there who will take your manuscript and claim it as their own.  I recommend swapping introductions or just a chapter at first.  If possible, try to stick to non-internet contacts.

Don't get me wrong; having someone help you in the editing process can be a tremendous help.  If you ask five people to look at your first chapter, you're going to get five different versions of that chapter back, and each one will be valuable.  I just don't want to see all of your hard work go to waste.

4. Habitualize the Sprints; Don't Run a Marathon.

You will get much more done if you edit for fifteen minutes per day than if you try to edit everything in one weekend.  Unless you're well-trained, spending more than a couple of hours is going to drain you, and you'll wind up regretting a lot of the changes you make.

Do you normally keep a book or magazine in the restroom?  Replace it with a manuscript and a red pen.  Every weekend, update the changes on your computer.

Are you a facebook-surfer at red traffic lights?  Install google docs on your phone, and make edits while the pedestrians cross.  (Only at dead-stops, and only if it's legal where you are!)

Print a double-spaced copy and put it by your bed.  Each night, before you drift off, skim a page for major issues.  If you fall asleep before you finish the page, continue revising that section.

5. Keep Previous Versions.

You never know when the genius of your first vision will suddenly hit you.  Never, ever delete prior versions of your work.  I'm not saying you have to print out every version and take up a whole shelf, but please save yourself some grief and keep your earlier drafts.  I recommend a system, using a numerical date or lettering system: NaNo14_011615.doc, for example.  If you like saving the sections of your draft separately, just tack on something at the end.  The amount of space you'll take up will be negligible.  If seeing all the files bothers you, just make a folder for all previous revisions, and you can look them up anytime you want.