Tag Archives: Revising

Jun 12 2012
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Writing

Writing in Layers: How do you decide when you’re done?

Does anyone else feel like their writing evolves in layers?

Each time I reread my work, I add more and take more away, sculpting it into something new, something better.  I’m afraid I’ll never know when I’m done this way.

How do you decide when you’re done?  Set yourself deadlines?  Read a certain number of times?  Share with a set number of readers?  Stay as long as it remains enjoyable?

I thought I would be done in two weeks, but now that I’ve crawled back inside, I could probably live here a lot longer.

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Jun 09 2012
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Writing

Ready to Climb Back Inside

Funny how we find ways to avoid doing what we’re really excited about.

I’m anxious to climb back inside my story, but instead I’m letting my brain wake up by starting here.  Of course, it’s only 7:17 AM on a Saturday and I’m definitely going to need a nap later.  I just could not stay in bed any longer.  I was too excited to get started.

Yesterday, I entered the carefully marked edits of my first finished reader, and bless her, she found errors I missed.  Then the notes came from my second reader who miraculously confirmed all of the things I was feeling but with the precision of new eyes.  She gave me places to lengthen my story, spots to further develop characters, and somehow managed to still lovingly hold my hand so that I feel encouraged.  Or, maybe I’m just tougher than I thought.

So, here I go.  Time to climb back inside and do this for real.  It’s funny how I feel like a little kid standing up on top of the high dive, scared to jump.  I just know that once I hit the water it’s going to be hard to get me out.

Wish me luck.

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