Wednesday, December 8, 2010

Revising With a Plan

Taking time to plan my revisions for Novel #4 has been incredibly helpful. After breaking down my novel into sections and thinking about which parts contribute to the plot and which really don't (see my previous post for details), my next step was to decide what I needed to do to the existing book to make the new structure work. For each section, I wrote down what I needed to do.

For example, "Change part about chocolate so Maya refuses chocolate curls". By listing all the changes I need, the process has become less overwhelming. I can focus on one change or one section each time I get a chance to work on it. And then I get the satisfaction of crossing it off my list once I've accomplished it. We'll see if this process leads to a stronger book.

How much planning do you do for your revision process?

3 comments:

  1. I definitely go through and make notes about big picture stuff and break down the story structure first. So, yes, I go in with a plan. Good luck!

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  2. I do a lot of planning in my head, which isn't always a good thing. Good luck with your revisions.

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  3. Patti, I'm finding that it's a mixture of both. But if I don't write down what I want to do, I end up either a) forgetting what I need to do or b) not making changes that make enough of a difference to the story.

    Like Laura says, a plan really helps!

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