It’s Thursday! Today’s Heart Attack on a Plate is sponsored by “Southern Apple Cobbler.” Want to know how much sugar is in this recipe? Pop on over and find out! :)
Revision Notes:
So I’m working on this manuscript that I haven’t worked on since March. I did a quick read-through and didn’t micro-edit at all. My writing friend Jane Kennedy Sutton recommended I treat it as if it weren’t my manuscript. I did that, and it worked beautifully.
During my quick read-through to reacquaint myself with the manuscript, I marked scenes with a simple “weak, good, strong.” If I saw a real problem, I highlighted it in the Word program.
The second go-round:
I went back to the scenes I’d marked as weak and rewrote them. I kept my only vague impression of the old scene…I didn’t re-read it. That way, I had the gist of the scene but rewrote it in a fresh way.
I made notes for additions I’d like to make. New scenes, new subplots.
I realized I needed 20 more pages. I made some quick notes on areas that needed fluffing out.
I still haven’t micro-edited for punctuation, typos, etc. I don’t see any reason to until I’ve put the additional scenes in. Otherwise, I have to do it twice.
Yesterday’s schedule approach for the stay-at-home writer? I did hard writing first (tough revision, scene rewriting, new scenes). Then I did housework. I never did make it to the grocery store. Pros—I felt like I’d accomplished a lot with my writing. Cons— But I felt like I’d dropped the ball on other things. Oh….how long was this laundry in the washer? Oops. Supper planned? Oops. So far I like Tuesday’s approach of putting pressing household matters first before writing. Tomorrow I’m going to try to meld the two and see how that goes. It seems like that would work out best—but then I’m not doing either one 100% well.
I’m going to have to stop visiting here in the mornings. Makes me too hungry and then I eat naughty stuff for breakfast.
Anyway, I like your approach to editing. I think I’ll try some of these tips myself.
Dearest Elizabeth,
Please go easy on yourself. I’m with Helen on this one. You accomplish so much and so well. Your family is content and thriving. Your books are selling.
I’m someone who has to have a clean slate before I sit down and write, i.e. nothing else that needs doing. But have to make sure I leave enough time to write. Managing time is such a challenge.
karen
Your post just reminded me that I do have laundry in the washer. Oh dear. I understand exactly how you feel.
Elizabeth;
If you find out a schedule that works for the stay-at-home writer, please let me know. I always feel like one half is getting short shrift. If I spend time on my writing, the house, the laundry, the baking gets left undone. Spend time on those tasks and very little writing happens. Grrrr.
Elspeth
I’m sitting here trying to pretend my nonfat vanilla yogurt is every bit as tasty as that pie. Unfortunately, it’s not working. I’m looking forward to hearing how the melding process works out.
Maybe you’re not doing each one 100%, but I think, if you evaluate, you’re doing both 100% well. If you only have one thing on your plate, you can get it done, probably. But if you have 2 or more, then you have to prioritize and get done what has to be done, then move down the list to others if you have time.
But before you do anything, give yourself a pat on the back or a five minute feet up relaxing, or some kind of me-time.
Personally, I’m amazed at what you get done between writing and family and other affairs.
Helen
Straight From Hel
I LOVE the editing approach you made! That sounds very effective, and I hope you’re really pleased when you get back to looking at the whole.
One scheduling–if I started writing, the house stuff would NEVER get done (ask my husband)–I just hate it so bad–and I love the writing… Though I suppose editing is a different matter. Still, I think I’d do mandatory HH, editing, ‘should HH’–so the writing is sandwiched between what you HAVE to do, and what would just be nice to get done.
I love rewrites and editing! No really, I do!
Heart Attack on a Plate – that’s perfect. I don’t do sugar, so I guess it would require a whole box of Splenda.
L. Diane Wolfe “Spunk On A Stick”
http://www.circleoffriendsbooks.blogspot.com
That’s really great advice and keeps you from ripping said story to shreds!
It’s interesting how all of us, whether married or not, with kids or not, stay-at-home or not, have trouble finding balance between writing and all the other things in life.
I love your idea of not rereading the scene and just getting the gist of it for the rewrite. I may try that when I’m done w/the first draft on my current wip. Have you done that before? If so, do you find it works well? I’m excited to try something new!
I’m thinking you should tell (note tell) DH that you’re hiring an assistant. Tell him that since you’re raking in the big bucks and have a growing clamor for interviews and appearances that you just need someone to do errands and tasks for you while you focus on the important stuff. How does that sound??? We gotta get outside the box on this one.
Best Regards, Galen
Imagineering Fiction Blog
It’s an endless see-saw, this life.
My grandmother, who was a writer and my mentor, always said that writing should come before housework but not before family. In other words, pay attention to your kids but forget about the dishes. She was divorced when her children were still at home and worked full-time without any household help. On top of that, she wrote poems, plays, and short stories. Her house always seemed pretty tidy to me.
As a result (and because I have worked outside the house for many years, so time is tight), I have often put writing before housework on weeknights and weekends. But then I feel terrible when I suddenly realize that the house is a mess, particularly when someone stops by unexpectedly and I find myself making lame excuses for the chaos. I have never figured out how to balance this.
As of a week ago, I’m able to stay home and focus on my writing for the first time in my life. I haven’t yet started my writing schedule, but I’m planning to write in the morning and early afternoon (my most productive time) and help with my grandchildren, take care of housework, etc. in the late afternoon and evening.
It’s good to read these posts and remember that I’m not alone in trying to make it work.
Jane–Vanilla yogurt sounds good, too! Actually, I think I’m going to help myself to some now…
Helen–Thanks! You’re right. I think every day I have to assess the priority of the morning…it won’t always be the same thing.
Hart–Thanks! I’m amazed at how well it’s working. Now I can even take the scene in new directions, while making sure the basic plot thread is the same.
With the schedule stuff…I think I’m going to have to see each morning where I stand with it. If the housework is at a critical point, it’s going to have to be done first. If not…I’ll write.
Jack–Only on Thursdays! :) I should have some sort of warning label on my Thursday morning posts.
Karen–Thanks so much, Karen. That makes me feel better. I think I’m the kind of person who’d really prefer to have a clean slate…and someone who’s trying to come to terms with the fact it will never be clean.
Diane–A LOT of Splenda!
Tara–Isn’t that mildewy smell lovely? :)
Elspeth–I’m starting to think the perfect schedule is like looking for the Holy Grail or the Fountain of Youth or the Lost City of Atlantis. But I guess as long as we make our system work, it works. It just seems like there should be another way.
Kristen–At first I really wanted to tear into it, but this method is working a lot better for me. I feel like I’m getting ‘big picture’ revision work done and not the typo stuff.
Galen–An assistant would be great! Except then my husband would need an assistant, because I’m HIS assistant.
Elizabeth–You’re right! I keep thinking there’s got to be a better way than I’m doing it.
Debra–For “Pretty is as Pretty Dies” I *didn’t* do the revision that way and I felt like it was incredibly hard to get a fresh take on an old scene. For the Memphis BBQ book, I tried it as best I could (I didn’t reread it at all before rewriting it, but it had been very recent that I’d written the text. So, it worked *pretty* well (much better than the book before.) This time, this manuscript has been put away for so long, that I’m really not familiar with it at all anymore. So it’s working *really* well, this time!
Time management. It’s going to drive us crazy trying to figure this time thing out, isn’t it? Not that I want to depress you or anything, but I’m retired and have a husband, no visiting grandchildren, no pets, years of work experience which required me to meet deadlines and be organized, yet I still can’t balance my interests and activities to my own satisfaction. Sigh.
Elizabeth–Your grandmother had a good point. I’m so Type A that I think I can do it all simultaneously–which is ridiculous. Whenever someone pops by and my house is less than wonderful-looking, I say, “Sorry about the mess…I’m raising children, not houses.” :)
Patricia–So the things we’re juggling just change and don’t go away.
I think I’m just going to have to accept the chaos. I’ve written in chaos for years now, but was hoping to make it more organized. Honestly, who knows–maybe if it wasn’t chaotic, the creativity wouldn’t be as evident.
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