Today I finished typing 82,000 words of my novel manuscript. I can't believe how quick this novel has come about. I had so much fun writing it. The story unravelled in my mind so fast sometimes I had problems keeping up with the material that came from...the muse? Between you and me I think he was showing off. The next thing I plan to do is read the whole manuscript from start to finish, check the story line and that all the stories within the main story connect, check the flow and all those basics such as making sure character descriptions are consistent. Then it's the hard part of putting the manuscript away and bringing it out with fresh eyes. I know I must be patient with this.
What would you suggest is a good length of time to put the manuscript away before revising it? I'd probably be lucky to last a month before I brought it out again. What about you?
Meanwhile for me, it's back to writing short stories. I'm looking forward to that.
Keep writing....
For me, it's not so much the amount of time that passes that's important, but how I spend that time. Leaving it six months might not be long enough if you constantly think asbout the story the whole time. Writing short stories sounds a great plan - thinking about other characters and situations will help clear your mind ready to read the novel afresh.
ReplyDeleteThat's great advice, thanks Patsy. Yeah, I am one of those people who would be constantly thinking about it. Was thinking about the short stories to give me something to do, but I like what you said about thinking about other characters and situations to help clear my mind.. thanks heaps! x
ReplyDeleteThought I'd already replied ...
ReplyDeleteI don't think it's the amount of time that matters, but what you do with it. Better to write something else for a week or two than to spend months just thinking about the novel.
Now that's weird - I just looked at this and there weren't any comments! Oh well, at least I haven't contradicted myself.
ReplyDeleteYou're absolutely right Patsy. I went through my short stories today and resubmitted the ones that I feel deserve a home in a magazine. I've also started writing a new short story. I enjoyed today :-)
ReplyDeleteWell done on that achievement, Diane! I'd be too impatient to wait more than a month - make that a couple of weeks. But I do agree it's a good idea to do something completely different in between.
ReplyDeleteI'm redrafting a novel that went through the RNA NWS scheme a year ago (with a very good report) but I suddenly see how I can improve it even more. Probably because I've been working with American editors since then (on DD and tween novel) and I'm learning all the time!
Thank you so much Rosemary. It is true that as we travel along our writing journey we learn more and keep on learning. :-)
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