By
Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig
Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig
As I mentioned last week, I recently
turned in a teaser chapter and an outline to one of my Penguin editors. This particular editor likes to see an
outline before a book is written.
turned in a teaser chapter and an outline to one of my Penguin editors. This particular editor likes to see an
outline before a book is written.
The deadline for the outline was actually
Sept. 1. The deadline for the book
itself is January 1. I have a self-pub
project that I stopped working on to write this book, so I decided to go ahead
and start writing the Penguin book while I waited for feedback on the outline. There’s a bit of risk in doing so, since it
means that I might need to make big changes on a work-in-progress.
Sept. 1. The deadline for the book
itself is January 1. I have a self-pub
project that I stopped working on to write this book, so I decided to go ahead
and start writing the Penguin book while I waited for feedback on the outline. There’s a bit of risk in doing so, since it
means that I might need to make big changes on a work-in-progress.
And…I did end up needing to make those
changes. The editor liked the concept
for the book, but thought the set-up in the first chapter was a bit too similar
to the one in Knot What it Seams, which
came out in February.
changes. The editor liked the concept
for the book, but thought the set-up in the first chapter was a bit too similar
to the one in Knot What it Seams, which
came out in February.
My editor’s memory is flawless and mine
is faulty. Although that book came out
in February, I’d written it in early 2012 and had written 4.5 books since then
(including the quickly deserted self-pub I dropped to
work on this project). I re-read the start of the story in question and did
notice similarities.
is faulty. Although that book came out
in February, I’d written it in early 2012 and had written 4.5 books since then
(including the quickly deserted self-pub I dropped to
work on this project). I re-read the start of the story in question and did
notice similarities.
My editor asked for two more suspects, or
at least one more. She also asked for me to include subplots
involving 3 characters she really enjoys and feels that readers also enjoy.
at least one more. She also asked for me to include subplots
involving 3 characters she really enjoys and feels that readers also enjoy.
While these weren’t radical changes, they
were fairly substantial and would definitely require a rewrite of the teaser
chapter I’d just turned in.
were fairly substantial and would definitely require a rewrite of the teaser
chapter I’d just turned in.
I was also already 38 pages into the
book.
book.
I started out by making a list. This
keeps me from being completely overwhelmed by the task ahead.
keeps me from being completely overwhelmed by the task ahead.
Brainstorm
new direction: Who might work as
additional suspects? I came up with as many scenarios as I could, and then
picked the strongest. How could I
connect the requested subplots in with the mystery? With the other subplot? How could I make those characters grow or
change in the process? What was another
way to start out the book…could I skip the set-up altogether and go right into
the action? I picked the best ideas and dumped the rest.
new direction: Who might work as
additional suspects? I came up with as many scenarios as I could, and then
picked the strongest. How could I
connect the requested subplots in with the mystery? With the other subplot? How could I make those characters grow or
change in the process? What was another
way to start out the book…could I skip the set-up altogether and go right into
the action? I picked the best ideas and dumped the rest.
Revise
teaser chapter: This had to be
revised first, since it was technically overdue.
teaser chapter: This had to be
revised first, since it was technically overdue.
Revise
outline: Incorporate the
additions in the outline (the additional suspects, the additional subplots).
outline: Incorporate the
additions in the outline (the additional suspects, the additional subplots).
Delete portions of the outline that no
longer fit in with the revisions.
longer fit in with the revisions.
Make notes
on manuscript: Obviously, I was
going to immediately rewrite chapter one because of the teaser chapter
issue. Then I needed to replace the
original chapter one with the new one.
on manuscript: Obviously, I was
going to immediately rewrite chapter one because of the teaser chapter
issue. Then I needed to replace the
original chapter one with the new one.
Make a note to myself on Word in Track
Changes that page 12ish—38 were unedited.
Changes that page 12ish—38 were unedited.
Keep
moving forward with story: For me, I do major revisions after the first
draft is finished. So I picked up on
page 38 with the changes from that point forward, following the revised outline
and the point that I was in with the story.
Others, I know, want to fix those other pages in between, but that’s
what my second draft is for.
moving forward with story: For me, I do major revisions after the first
draft is finished. So I picked up on
page 38 with the changes from that point forward, following the revised outline
and the point that I was in with the story.
Others, I know, want to fix those other pages in between, but that’s
what my second draft is for.
So I quickly revised the first chapter
and sent it back to my editor, since she needed it for the end of the December
book. I finished the other tasks and am
now picking up with the story as if the beginning of the book were already
fixed.
and sent it back to my editor, since she needed it for the end of the December
book. I finished the other tasks and am
now picking up with the story as if the beginning of the book were already
fixed.
So…yeah, it can be a little unnerving to
get requests from changes from an editor in midstream. It might not even be an editor—it could be a
first reader or a critique group. But by
breaking it down into small tasks and prioritizing them, it does make the job a
lot easier.
get requests from changes from an editor in midstream. It might not even be an editor—it could be a
first reader or a critique group. But by
breaking it down into small tasks and prioritizing them, it does make the job a
lot easier.
Have you ever made large revisions in the
early stages of a project? How did you
organize the process?
early stages of a project? How did you
organize the process?
Elizabeth – I’m glad that you heard from your editor before you were even further into the story! I think one does have to plan major revisions like that (i.e. not just start rewriting but plan how the rewriting will go). I had to do that with one of my manuscripts too. One of my characters was just not believable, so I had completely change her, and that affected every scene in which she played a role. It was worth it though.
Writing a chapter and giving it to an editor as a teaser would send me over the edge. It seems like a concrete deal for me.
Your tips are timely as I have a book about halfway through first draft and have decided it needs to be a different story.
That would be daunting to make major changes while you’re writing. I guess that’s why I agonize over the outline for so long, even bouncing it off a critique partner and asking those ‘what if’ questions. Of course, the chapter had to be turned it, so you didn’t get the luxury of months of planning.
I’m one of those non-outlining people, and I HAVE to fix things along the way. Sometimes I’m glad I’ve shifted to Indie publishing where I don’t have to turn in things that are likely to change anyway. However, I wouldn’t find 38 pages particularly daunting, so I’d go back and rewrite from the beginning and stick more notes on my ‘idea board’ to follow up on.
Terry
Terry’s Place
Does this mean that the first chapter will be set in stone? Or will you be allowed to change it a little for the final book?
Alex–Right. Which is definitely a problem with teasers and trad. publishing….it can’t be changed after it’s printed in that December book.
Margot–You’ve hit the nail on the head–it’s worth it. If the editor thought the story wasn’t going to work well as it was….I needed to make the changes.
Teresa–Hope it helps. Different folks approach it differently…but it makes me feel so much better to just go ahead and finish the story before starting the revisions (well, except for that teaser.)
Diane–I’m only allowed small changes to the teaser chapter. So….yeah, pretty much set in stone. :)
I’m not dealing with an editor yet, but I have just had a request for a full ms from the agent I’m after. She’s one of those who reads your first five pages in front of you. Yes, stressful. But she liked the writing. Then she asked for the word count. 117k. Ouch. She said get it down to 85k before sending it. Ouch again. The good news is that a well known author had read the same ms and pointed out some flaws. So this word count cut gives me some time to fix those as well. I’m not sure how long is too long to send it in, but I’ve given myself a three month deadline. I’m starting with an outline, just as if I were starting over. Once I have that, I can go through and cut scenes that don’t fit the new outline, then add what I need to fill the holes. Hopefully, I can pull this off in three months with my limited writing time. We shall see. Good luck with your time crunch. I’ve not been blessed with deadlines yet.
Terry–For me, it’s a psychological thing…I feel like I’m moving backward. And that makes me feel behind, and feeling behind makes me want to procrastinate. I’m mentally delicate. :)
Ron–I think whenever it’s ready, send it over. You’ll always be able to reference in your cover email “As requested, I’m forwarding you the revised full manuscript.” Congrats on getting that request! I think you’ve got an organized way of dealing with your edits.
That’s a bit terrifying! Although I don’t mind starting from scratch any more, so that’s probably what I’d do :) Sounds like you have a fantastic editor!!!
Can be hard to change directions, eh? But at that spot, I think adding isn’t too difficult. Are you happy with how things ended up? That is the key. I find often that feedback and change can give it all a freshness, which is a good thing.
Hart–Yes…particularly when one’s teaser chapter is overdue…ha! But I’m happy with her suggestions. This editor is a real pro–I’m lucky to have her (and worried she may end up getting promoted and won’t be my editor anymore!)
do an outline period is scary for me. hence why i don’t do them so kudos to you for that!!
I’m fascinated by the idea that you write for a publisher and also Indie publish. Most Indie writers seem pretty adamantly against writing for “the man”. I’d love to hear more about your two worlds.
A “pantster” here, (which may be why I’ve had so many false starts on my current WIP.) I’ve tried to work by outline so as to avoid the “do overs.” But, by the time I get to some of the chapter ideas, I’ve changed my mind about them (i.e. they are weak, won’t work or no longer relevant) I’ve had to restart my current WIP multiple times, so the idea of a teaser chapter set in stone would be a real challenge, especially under a deadline. Eek.
What great revision tips. I am bookmarking this for the future.
Jemi–She’s really, really talented. Which is why I’m so worried she won’t end up as my editor–ha! I’m not a big enough name.
Tammy–Outlines can be scary! I write mine in a narrative form and just follow the story from start to finish, scene by scene. More like brainstorming.
Colleen–I can definitely blog on that soon. I think I have a different perspective because I started out with trad pub and then moved to self-pub. So I’m still under contract and have to make peace with doing both.
Donna–I’m with you on the outlining. I’ve written most of my books as a pantster until recently (when a couple of massively messed-up manuscripts that I really mangled made me change my mind). I frequently *do* change my outlines as I’m writing. Sometimes I forget to update my editor…oops. :) But I need that knowledge that I *can* make changes, that an outline *isn’t* inflexible. Well, except for those teaser chapters. :)
Awesome that you’re working with an editor at the beginning of your project. Makes it so much more likely it’ll be published.
Thanks for sharing about the whole process.
Elizabeth–Thanks!
Natalie–And saves a bunch of revision work later. Thanks for coming by!