WIP Update: First Rewrite

I took a different approach to the first rewrite of my work in progress. As mentioned in my previous post, I used the Hemingway App to edit the manuscript, the third book in the John Ross Boomer Lit series.

I did find it time consuming, having to copy and paste several times. But after awhile, I got used to it as it became second nature in the editing process. I'm sure it will be easier to use after I learn a few shortcuts. 

The software was useful in keeping me focused. The color-coded program highlighted possible problems, such as passive voice, adverbs, and complex sentences that might be difficult to comprehend. It also suggested simpler words for clarity.

I followed the advice, stripping out perceived problems to cleanup the manuscript. Along the way, I found myself deleting or rewriting sentences. I also noticed repeated words that needed to be trashed or replaced (most were deleted).

As mentioned, the app doesn't like long or complex ("wordy") sentences. Sometimes the suggestions for simpler sentences are simply too simple. That's simple enough but writers vary the length of sentences to gain rhythm and convey thoughts. Writing is not simple. I'm sure Ernest Hemingway would agree.  

I told my editor that I've made significant progress so now  on to the second rewrite.  

Until the next  . . . 

WIP Update: Back to Work

I've been sitting on my work in progress for about a month and it's beginning to gather a few flakes of virtual dust.  And I've probably gained a few flecks of gray in what hair is left on my head.

So now it's time to get back to work. I plan to get started on the sequel to "Darkness Beyond the Light"  bright and early on Monday morning. In the meantime, I'll download the Hemingway App to get an idea how it works so I won't get bogged down too much by a learning curve as I delve into the first rewrite. 



I've got a stack of notes I've written from research the past few weeks to help in filling in some holes in the manuscript. 

How long will it take to get the manuscript in shape to submit to my editor? As long as it takes but I hope no longer than a month. I generally perform about 10 rewrites before placing it in her able hands. And from experience, I know she'll have some questions and suggestions that will involve some rewrite and revision to strengthen and tighten the story. 

Stay tuned for progress reports. 

Until the next time  . . .

Progress Report -- First Draft

I've cleared a big hurdle on my work in progress -- the first draft. 

My goal was to have it completed by Oct. 31, so I was only one day off the mark. I've written nearly 71,000 words in the sequel to "Old Ways and New Days," which was published October 2015.

I'll probably sit on it a few days before going back for the first of several rewrites. I hope to have it ready for my publisher by the end of the year. Let me repeat that. I hope to have it ready...

During the next few days I'll skim over my notes on OWND and the new work, and probably give OWND a quick read to make sure I have everything down -- timeline, characters, scenes, subplots -- to expand and extend the story. There will be a new set of note cards and reference sheets to guide me along the way. It's kind of like being in school again.

The manuscript will probably grow during the rewrites. In the past, I've generally added 20,000 or more words to an overall count although I do some trimming, sometimes extensive, along the way as well. I prefer shorter novels, in the 75k range, but in the end, it's the story that really dictates how long it will be when it's ready to be published.  

It's an interesting and time-consuming process. But it can get tedious as well, especially when going over the manuscript nine or 10 times before turning it over to an editor. I must admit that I get tired of reading the words after about the fifth or sixth time. That's when a good editor is invaluable because they see things that you don't see or that you think you see on the screen.  

That's all for now. I'll keep you posted along the way to publication and beyond.

Until the next time.... 

Back to the Manuscript

After four months, I've returned to the manuscript I wrote during National Novel Writing Month. 

I actually started on the rewrite, edit and revisions on April 1, and that's no joke. I did the same with "The Bully List" two years ago. 

For me, I need the passage of time to revisit the manuscript with fresh eyes and renewed interest in the story. 

There's a lot of work to be done to get the manuscript ready for publication: Holes to fill, scenes to connect or delete,  dialogue to fix, characters to develop, details to describe, and as the late, great novelist Elmore Leonard recommended to all writers, take out the stuff that readers don't read.

So, as you can surmise,  I have a lot of work ahead of me in the coming weeks. And there will be more since I usually go over a manuscript nine or ten times before I'm ready to let it go to the next stop on the publishing ladder.

I find the process to be mentally draining as I usually spend only two hours at a time before I have to take a prolonged break. But during that time after I close the file, I think about what I've done to the manuscript. I often go back to something I just worked on and make changes, before moving on. 

I sleep on it as well. I believe most writers will tell you that they carry along thoughts about their manuscript -- and much of it subconsciously -- during all hours of the day.

One of my favorite quotes about writing and thinking is attributed to Burton Rascoe -- "What no wife of a writer can ever understand, no matter if she lives with him for twenty years, is that a writer is working when he's staring out the window."

I must add that my wife isn't buying that from me!

Until the next time...

First Rewrite

I completed the first rewrite on my young-adult novel. After letting the words sit on mothballs for five months, it was time to go back and read it as an editor. 

Overall, I was pleasantly surprised by what I read. When I had finished the first draft on Nov. 30, I quickly closed it...and cringed a bit. But it wasn't nearly as bad as I thought it would be on first read. 

That's not to say that it's ready for publication. It's a long ways from seeing the light of day. But it's workable. Furthermore, I like the story. Those are big pluses.

I made a few grammatical changes. There were a few transitions that needed to be made. When I go back to it, there are some scenes that need to be more descriptive. Some characters also need to be more fully developed.

I adhere to Elmore Leonard's rule to cut out the stuff that people don't read. So that's something that will be getting more attention on the second rewrite. I want to keep it lean and fluid.

While I don't recommend waiting five months to go back to a manuscript, it certainly gave me a fresh look at my words. When I edit, I view the manuscript as I would if I were editing someone's writing.  

I'll give another update after the second rewrite.

Until the next time...