Rewriting question

Discussion in 'Revision and Editing' started by Reggie, Feb 14, 2011.

  1. EnginEsq

    EnginEsq Member

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    If you have word, the change tracking in it is pretty useful. There's three main views: the original, the end result, and the marked up version with deletions struck through and additions underlined. You can switch views at will, and accept all changes when you're happy.
     
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  2. SethLoki

    SethLoki Retired Autodidact Contributor

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    I wasn't aware that functionality had crept into Word. Good call @EnginEsq I envisage it'd be particularly useful in allowing you to try new things and if they don't make the grade, reverting back an autosave or two to the less corrupted original.
     
  3. NigeTheHat

    NigeTheHat Contributor Contributor

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    I'll normally print a copy out and write my notes onto the page. This could be anything from details about characters or timelines to a paragraph with 'ahahahahaha this is rubbish' next to it.

    Once I've done that, I'll open a fresh doc and write the whole thing out again, even the bits I'm not planning on changing, and try to incorporate my notes as I go. I find writing the whole thing forces me to think about every passage, and it's easier to catch when my edits turn out not to work as well as I thought they would. It also solves the kickstart problem, since you've only got one option for where to start.

    It's been there since about 2003...
     
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  4. Sal Boxford

    Sal Boxford Senior Member

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    I with @NigeTheHat. I print a copy out and make notes in the (very big) margins about anything that crops into my head ("he shouldn't say this", "this needs to happen earlier", "this whole bit isn't doing anything - make it do something or cut it", "how do I make this convincing?"). And then I read it again to help me spot answers to things like "this needs to happen earlier".

    Typing it all out again isn't something I've tried - but maybe I should. I just save as a new file (in case my new improved version is actually a lot worse) and make the changes I marked up.
     
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  5. EnginEsq

    EnginEsq Member

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    BTW, remember, text files are tiny, and storage is cheap. I backup my writing every day, and I add a version number to the file name (Lullaby_r3.docx, for example, for the third major revision) whenever I make a major revision to a section. So I can always go back and look at previous versions.
     
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  6. Spencer1990

    Spencer1990 Contributor Contributor

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    Like the other posters in this thread, if it's a major rewrite, I print a copy and retype the whole document and incorporate my notes into the newly typed version.

    If I just need to change a paragraph or three, I copy the document and have two versions of the same story on my computer. On the new one, I make all of the changes THEN delete the old stuff. I have the original document open for comparison and to make sure I haven't deleted anything I meant to keep. It helps me to keep track of exactly where I am.
     
  7. SethLoki

    SethLoki Retired Autodidact Contributor

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    And now I rue the lost years; if only I could go back and change things. :(
     
  8. deadrats

    deadrats Contributor Contributor

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    I'm guessing you're talking about short stories because you said you have stories (plural) to rewrite. My first question is why are you reading and taking mental notes about what you need to fix instead of just fixing the problems once you are aware of them? What are you waiting for? Sometimes I can just read through and make changes right in the document. I usually have to go through a piece several times. One of my best short stories I wrote in one day. Then I went over it and worked on it every day for two weeks. I was trying to meet a deadline so I had a lot of motivation to get that story to work. Even in the short time span, I logged a lot of hours on that story. But this method doesn't always work.

    If a short story needs major changes, I have found the new-blank-document approach works best, but I don't put it side by side with the old one. I keep the old one tucked away, and I just write the story again the way I think it should be told. I already know the story by this point, and I know what needs to be different in this rewrite, but I also give myself permission to go off course and change the story in ways that I might not have thought of prior to the rewrite. You will remember and include all the important parts. You don't need your troublesome draft open on your screen at the same time. And when the rewrite is done you can go back and save anything you want from the old draft, but I often find I don't need or want any of it. This method works, but it can be hard to just open a new document and feel like you're starting over. Keep in mind you are not really starting over. Your first try was a great practice round that prepared you to write it again. Every time I do this, it's hard at first just because I feel like I already worked so hard. But once I get started on the rewrite, it really seems to flow more and big story changes don't feel like big changes. It's more like I'm finally telling the story the right way. I will say that I don't think my previous drafts suck when I abandon them for a blank document, but they ALWAYS come out better for having done a rewrite this way. And believe it or not. Often rewriting the story from scratch takes a lot less time than working with an existing draft.

    Revision can be tricky. I think it's easy for writers to feel some sort of attachment to what they've already written. But the goal is always to be a better writer and create work of a certain standard. Revisions and rewrites help a lot in general. I try to write my first drafts as clearly and cleanly as I can. Learning what doesn't work and having to fix and/or rewrite it teaches us a lot about writing. Trouble getting started? You just have to do it. There's no other way.
     
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  9. TheWriteWitch

    TheWriteWitch Active Member

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    I've found that I get a clearer picture of what changes need to be done when I attempt to tell someone (imaginary or not) the whole story. Writing a synopsis highlights what is important and what I am trying to convey. After I have the big picture in better focus, I am better able to read through and be objective.
     
  10. sprirj

    sprirj Senior Member

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    This is how I've been working to. If I get stuck for have writers block, I just start rewriting my novel from the start. The flow and pace is improved with each rewrite and any holes you had can be solved, without just bolting some kind of amendment in. It feels more like a natural fix, rather than a bit of a bodge.
     

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