Thursday, May 15, 2008

Revise Now or Later?

Thursday already! :) I'm knee deep writing the sequel to SCREWBALL. Question for all the writers out there - Do you revise as you write or do you write the entire story, then go back and revise? Personally, I revise while I write the SCREWBALL series. Once, I did try the 'write the whole story then go back and revise' thing for the last novel I wrote, but I continue to revise that one six months later and I'm still not happy with it. I think I'm a revise as you go kind of girl. Any thoughts? 

I have to give a shout out to Ted Black who helped me enormously at the Bound 4 Beijing game on Saturday. He gave this former nurse and current teacher, writer, coach, a quick Journalism 101 lesson before and during the game. Check out his awesome article here. Thanks Ted! 

Kudos to my dad today! He is announcing his retirement this morning after 32 years with the same company. I'm so excited because now we can play golf, talk sports, and hang out more often. My daughter Kaci is equally excited to spend time with Pop Pop during the day. Happy Retirement, Dad. We're so happy for you. 

12 comments:

Unknown said...

i've never written a novel, but i've written many a paper in my day. :) i usually just wrote a draft and then went back and corrected. of course that probably doesn't help since a paper and a novel are totally different! :)

Keri Mikulski said...

It helps.. That's kind of what I do when I write a novel - a whole bunch of scenes that I go back and revise. Thanks, Virginia! :)

Unknown said...

I would write the whole book at once if I could, but then my fingers would fall off. I only go back and read over what I've done if I get stuck....but then I revise at the same time. In general, the big revisions only come if I write myself into a corner and need to change something earlier so I can actually finish the story, or if I'm done with the whole thing. I try to just get everything down, and then fix it all later.

PJ Hoover said...

Write that whole baby out! For me, the feeling on accomplishment here is huge!
This works as long as you're OK throwing stuff away left and right.

Keri Mikulski said...

Hi, Beth - Good point.. :)

Hi, PJ - I know what you mean about the feeling of accomplishment.. It does take a while to go back and forth.

Anonymous said...

I revise AFTER the first draft. Though I try to do a full outline BEFORE the first draft so it's not a big hairy mess.

Recent experiences aside.

TJ Brown said...

I revise while I go. I can't help it!
Teri

Alyson Noel said...

I revise while I go-- I can't help myself! Then I revise a few more times after I'm done.

Anonymous said...

I'm like a lot of the other commenters -- I revise as I go, because I'm afraid I'll leave something out or otherwise have inaccuracies, since my story changes. Also, sometimes rereading helps me get back into the flow, and I discover things that I need to change right then. I also go through it again afterward.

Keri Mikulski said...

Hi, Amy - The dreaded outline.. I've yet to be able to write an outline and when I do I always end up changing it. I wish I could. :)

Hi, Teri and Alyson - Me too! :)

Hi, Caryn - Yes, rereading - me too! :)

Barrie said...

I kind of revise as I go. I write for a week or two and then go back and revise. The reasoning? I revise before I send the chapter(s) to my critique group.

Keri Mikulski said...

Hi, Barrie - Me too! :)