...you ask the bartender for a second. Sorry, old joke.
A couple of days ago I finished the first draft-and-a-half of the current story, and I've been into the revision process since then.
The second draft / first rewrite, when you're still flush with excitement from actually finishing something, might be my favorite part of the writing process. In the second draft I usually spend a lot of time reworking the beginning, particularly the first two or three pages of the piece. In part this is because the beginning isn't as fresh in my mind as the second half at this point, so I can be a little more dispassionate about it. But more importantly, it's because after finishing the first draft I'm supposed to understand what the story is about, and knowing how and why the story ends as it does means some of the bits and pieces from the beginning have to change or even be jettisoned in order to tie the whole piece together tighter.
This particular story, I knew much earlier than usual what it was going to be 'about' -- and although the ending did end up surprising me, this time the beginning didn't require much in the way of surgery. More spackle and grout than demolition, to mix metaphors.
So the second draft for me is all about making sure the revealed story is now present throughout the piece. The third draft, what I mentally call the first edit, is much more painful. That's when I focus in on individual sentences and words, looking for repetition, flaccid language, weak imagery -- and doing something about it.
The fourth draft? Hasn't occurred yet. That's something that will happen after I put the piece away for a while to get some mental distance, or after my writing group has had a go at critiquing it, and often both. Our group's next meeting is Friday, so I've emailed the latest version off to my comrades-in-ink.
This means that for tomorrow’s writing session, I’ll be back to a blank canvas. Shudder. Maybe instead I'll go back and rewrite this blog posting. Or submit something. Talk about barking at my shadow...
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Great post, Stephen. All the best with that blank page...
ReplyDeleteWell, it's interesting to get a blow-by-blow analysis of how you are approaching a piece. It has made me realize, especially with the last piece I have brought to writing group, that you are ahead of the game if you can make sure the revealed story is present. I think it'll make it easier for the group help you understand which language and imagery needs work. In my mind, once you have the big picture figured out, that stuff (or third edit, as you call it) doesn't seem as overwhelming.
ReplyDeleteMy vote for tomorrow's activity: submit.