Thursday, January 6, 2011

Revision Palpitations

So I've been experiencing something recently... and I just realized I had it happen on two different revisions of my Cozy (the last extensive edit I did)--[last... yeah, right, you nut... like last week] AND on my LEGACY revisions... it is this WACKY thing... I dive in with dread... I hate the editing... and then suddenly... it's like there is this IDEA fairy or something...

I walk along reading (yes, you read that right), editing (yes... still walking) and then... there is this IDEA that adds... then another IDEA that connects pieces... another IDEA... AND THEN, AND THEN AND THEN... and I realize I am breathing heavily and getting hot and bothered... HEY!  THIS IS GOOD!!!!


It's a sign, I think... I've made PEACE with editing. 

What about you?  Ever get all hot and bothered  about your revisions?

That is NOT to say I don't have a TON to do... I do... I have been working steadily, and if I CONTINUE to work steadily, it will be done... but my REAL worry is 'will I have time to polish? On that one, I am not so sure.


***

In NEWS:

Great Contest:  So Rachael and Tessa and Marieke are having a CONTEST, and they are giving away a TON of good stuff--Mostly related to critiques, but they have book substitutions for non-writers, and if they collect enough followers, they are throwing in Amazon Gift Cards... So go check it out!



Great Advice for Weight Management:  My sister Tart is actually ALSO an MD and posted a FABULOUS list (just 4 things) of things that REALLY help with weight management, so if you have a New Years Resolution related to WEIGHT, this is a great one to check out.


Trailer Contest:  So Spunk on a Stick is holding the final round of a Trailer contest.  Our Buddy Alex is among finalists (WAHOO) but even if you didn't want to go just be supportive, these are really fun to watch. It got me excited about several books so go look at the trailers and vote!


Lunch Date:  And I discovered recently that someone I went to high school with ACROSS THE COUNTRY lives less than an hour away. Tomorrow she has a business appointment closer to here so we are meeting for lunch!  Nuts!  I'm really excited about it...


So that's all I can remember at the moment, EXCEPT... It's Thursday!  You know what that means!

23 comments:

Old Kitty said...

Yay!!!! Good for you being all hot n bothered and reaching dentente with your edits especially whilst reading and walking simultaneously - but then you are The Naked Tart so I really shouldn't be surprised anymore!! LOL!!!

When I do get to this state it'll most probably be cos of The Change rather than my revisions flirting with me! LOL!!!

I hope you have a fab lunch date with your friend!! Take care
x

Old Kitty said...

Oh shoot me - I meant "detente"!!!! Off I go to get more Naked!!! :-)

x

Jessica Bell said...

I'm always hot and bothered about revisions! Seriously, don't put us both in the same room. :o)

T. Powell Coltrin said...

Editing jerks me around! But, it's necessary.

Lunch with an old friend? Have fun!

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Thanks, Hart!! And glad you've made peace with your revisions. Everyone seems to hate that phase, but I'm enjoying it right now.

Elizabeth Spann Craig said...

Have fun at lunch! And glad you've made peace with editing. Now you don't have to worry about it because you know that the ideas will come!

Hart Johnson said...

Jenny-detente is a good way to put it--it definitely took a lot of negociations, which I associate with detentes... and a lot of tooth brushing, which I associate with dentents *snort*

Jessica-how did I know you'd be freaky that way?

Teresa- for a long time they did me, too. I think it's because I've taken up the habit of writing FAST so I am not having to CUT (which I HATE) but add a lot and rearrange more--and the ADDING I like!

Alex-you're editing alreaduy? You nut!

Elizabeth-thank you! Yeah--ideas have typically been the easy part for me--it's why I USED to hate editing... there were such great IDEAS I had to eliminate!

Sarah Ahiers said...

i'm typically at peace with editing (sometimes i even LURVE it) but latelly i've been doing the "read backwrds" spiel which is very helpful but always manage to put me to sleep.
Damn you sleep! You wonderful, glorious neccessity!

Jan Morrison said...

I'm liking revising but now I'm at the weird coming to the other side and I'm sooooooo tired. I think that will be good because it will keep inventiveness down. I don't want to invent anything right now. Nothing. Except sleep.

Not Hannah said...

This post and my post from yesterday make me think we're in the Twilight Zone. I think that I have difficulty with editing because for me, the ideas have already come and the plugging them into the manuscript part is so tedious. Then again, I'm pretty sure Blanche would kick an Idea Fairy's ass, so it's possible it's all her fault.

Colene Murphy said...

I hate revisions but not nearly as much as I used to for sure! I love when pieces connect! That feeling alone is worth it!

LTM said...

woo!!! I'm gettin naked!

ew! clothes back on. It's freakin freezin!

Yes, I do that w/revisions. And I HATE it. Jut b/c then you have to read the whole thing over again b/c that thing you added effects this other thing you added... oh, heck. And then I'm sending it to you to read again. ;p j/k

Awesome that you're being inspired. Have fun at lunch~ <3

Terry Odell said...

Edits are 'easy'. Revisions are hard. And the electrons must be aligned or something, because yet again, I'm finding I'm blogging on a topic that's popping up in lots of places. I discovered a major disconnect as I was writing, and had to decide which of my darlings to murder in order to fix it.

Terry
Terry's Place
Romance with a Twist--of Mystery

Hart Johnson said...

Sarah-I should probably do a backward read, but definitely not until a much later iteration... (and I love sleep_

Jan-that's TRUE, it does take it out of you!

Heather- absolutely on Twilight Zone--and I REALLY think it is much harder to chop than add because chopping is an emotional horror-fest--I HATE it. Adding though--THAT is fun!!!

Colene-that's exactly it--making it all fit better--like a puzzle that was missing pieces and now you can see what it is.

Leigh--yeah... the read and read and read is hard for me, too--I try to read first, make all the big changes, then SMOOTH (a read while I edit)

Terry-this is definitely a revision, but I am at the 'generate the big changes' part so I LIKE it still (getting them in may be more painful)

Southpaw said...

YES. I just had one of those moments too!

L. Diane Wolfe said...

Thanks for mentioning my trailer contest! Little over three days of insanity remaining...

Anonymous said...

Hope you have fun at lunch! Yep, edits scare me still, but don't terrify me anymore. I now know it is possible. :)

Helen Ginger said...

I recently had an editing epiphany and made extensive changes to the manuscript. Then months later decided it wasn't working. Rats.

Jan O'Hara (Tartitude) said...

Dude, I was wondering why I had so many hits from your blog and now I know. Thank you for the pimpage!

As for editing, it's the blank page that can freak me out, if I'm in a freaking-out mood. I love revisions! Once again, if you averaged us out, we'd make the perfect person. ;)

Rusty Carl said...

Wow. I'm glad you've found editing to be something you can get into. I find the whole process... exasperating.

lisahgolden said...

Thank you for the butt kicking today! I've gotten quite a bit done, I'm happy to report.

The Weed said...

Your hot and bothered editing gives me palpitations. I tend to feel the dread and then kind of just live there for a while, and then avoid delving in. (What's that sound you hear? Oh yeah, it's my first novel crying out from my hard drive, begging me to work the crap out of it. Don't pay any attention.)

No, but seriously, your description helps me imagine an editing process that is filled with connections and "aha!" moments and that does make me palpitate just a bit. And sweat slightly.

I think I'll stop now. But thanks.

Anonymous said...

I love revising because I see the manuscript take on a wonderful shape. I get excited through this process.

Editing on the other hand gives me a creepy-crawly feeling. I'm hesitant to sit down and do it and it feels tedious.