In various discussions about rewriting, I've seen some writers say they get down to the rewrites right away. On the other hand, I'm one of those people who can't sit down to rewrite immediatly after finishing the first draft, or the temptation to cut left and right becomes unbearable. I have to wait until I've distanced myself from the work for awhile before I look it over for rewriting purposes. How about everybody else, though? How long do you wait to do a rewrite (if you wait at all)?
I normally write it down on paper at night while watching a movie, then when I get a chapter or so I type it up on the computer while rereading it. I take a long break in between, other wise I get rather bored.
It depends. With a novel, a month minimum, 6 weeks is better. With a short story, 5 days to a week before I go back at it with fresh eyes. Often it is not the time as much as working on something else inbetween, such as an article or another short story. Terry
I do rewrites as I go. For every 2 chapters I complete, I rewrite the previous chapter. When I reach the end, I rewrite the story in its entirety immediately. I just find no reason to wait.
I tend to go back right away,but then I don't tend to cut much from my story, because I tend to like it as is. The only thing I did to FF's was to reqrite the first 3 paragraphs and rework the rescue of the president. The line follows the characters past linearly so it's hard to cut something. Let me get back to you when I'm done with "Betrayal" for a second opinion.
I don't think I've ever rewritten a short story.... if I've finished it that means I feel as if I captured what I had intended when going into it. Of course I go over it and correct things, but I don't rewrite it. As for novels, well, I've only finished one, and I did go back and rewrite major chunks of it. I'd like to think that when I finish my next novel, I will go back and completely rewrite any chapter or portion I see fit.
Ideally, I like to wait a week (short story). By then I've already gone over it in my head, and know there are places that are weaker than others. Also, by then I have gotten past the initial euphoria of having written it out and cleaned it up, so I can re-read it more objectively. I always revise unless I am so disappointed with a story that I just don't care any more. With a poem, a day or two is usually plenty for me to reach the same level of objectivity.
I haven't really rewritten anything, but I keep revising as I go along. I might revise a chapter a hundred times, but I revise it until I'm happy. I might rewrite a chapter or a part if it doesn't fit my explanation, but not the entire story, not yet (though I'm planning to very soon). However, after so many revisions, the first draft and final draft are completely nonidentical!
I wait a couple of days to a week, it depends on my mood and if I have some other writing project going on. I agree with those saying that waiting for at least a couple of days allowes you to look at what you have written more objectively.
I try to get the story right the first time so I won't have to rewrite. (I'm not seeking publication, so matters of "cutting words" to fit a publishing standard don't apply to me. I put something in the story if I feel it belongs there, and of course some people are going to disagree. That's writing.) If a few years go by and I look back on the story and 1. see that my style has changed/evolved greatly and 2. feel like it's something that deserves to be redone or could benefit from such, then I'll redo it. ("Rewrite" is a strong word because I don't rewrite 100% of it, just what I need to redo. I keep a lot of stuff, just reworked in my new style.) A lot of my older stuff could use some reworking right now but I'm too busy writing newer stuff so it will have to wait until I have the time and inclination. It's not like readers are beating down my door. *shrug* I would never be able to immediately rework a story because to me it's the best I can currently make it! I wouldn't have written it otherwise. I need to give it a few years and see if things change. The only problem is that my stories are quite long and can take a few years to finish, so by the time I'm done the earlier chapters are outdated while the later chapters are fine. Ugh!
I try to do rewrites directly after finishing the section I'm currently working on. Otherwise, I just wait a few weeks (maybe months) in order to distance myself and diminish my feelings as the writer and rewrite by using my feelings as an unbiased reader.
I don't think it is necessary to start from scratch to re-write. Of course, this could be why it's taking SO LONG to finish this first story!
