Sunday, November 1, 2009

Revising, too . . .


Okay, so it's another post about revisions, but Katie and I are both knee deep into them. Since it's November and NaNoWriMo, I have decided to follow The Intern's lead and commit to NaNoReVisMo. The last thing I need to do is start another novel when I've got three of them sitting here begging me for heavy duty revisions . . . not to mention my picture book.

Anyone else in??

Katie's last post referenced a great revision post by Stephanie Perkins. I just read one by Elana Johnson on querytracker that is every bit as helpful. My favorite thing she says to do is "chunk" your manuscript. By this, she does not mean for us to "chunk" our babies into the recycle bin to be turned into newsprint and cereal boxes. No, she suggests that we divide our manuscript up into "chunks" and work on them that way. Great stuff--be sure to read her entire post here!

So here's where I've been all week.


Working on my picture book revisions. Again. Yes. Again. I've changed the ending and a few things at the beginning of the story. This, of course, means that my sketches have to be redone. Again.

I'm not complaining. It keeps getting better with each revision.



I've got my thumbnails on index cards so that I can look at the entire book in one glance and see where pictures need to be changed for variety in pacing or general flow of the story.



And, yes. That is my Tim Gunn bobblehead lording over my revisions. He says things like "Make it work" and "I can't want you to succeed more than you do". He just may be the force to push me through this.

A few more days of sketches and then it's off to novel revisions. See you on the other side.

sf




12 comments:

Corinne Bowen said...

I feel like you just read my mind! I'm revising my manuscript right now and could really use the structure of NaNoReVisMo...Are you going to use the website to track your revisions? I loved Stephanie's post too and I was so excited to learn that she was answering my question! There is so much wonderful information out there in writer and agent blogs. I'm constantly impressed with the knowledge available:) Thanks for the link to Querytracker.

Elana Johnson said...

Wow, what great sketches. I am awed by people who can draw. It's such an amazing talent. Keep up the good revisions! I feel good things for you in the future.

storyqueen said...

I think I'll call mine NaNoFiMo (national novel FINISHING month).

If I could just finish it......

Good Luck revising!

Shelley

Little Ms J said...

I can't wait to see your picture book! I am a big fan of your illustrations! Happy Chunking!

lisa and laura said...

I need a Tim Gunn bobble head! I mean, really, don't we all need a little Gunn in our lives?

You are going to rock these revisions. How can you not when you're that freaking talented?

And we'll be right there with you in revision land...well as soon as we finish these last few chapters...

Robin Mellom said...

I MUST get me that bobblehead. It's clearly inspiring you because your sketches look great! I am awed by people who can draw AND write. The double whammy.

You rock.

Good luck with revisions! :-)

Christina Lee said...

I am SO there- I am revising like MAD!!!

Sherrie Petersen said...

Good luck with the revisions. I'm using NaNo to write write write!

Love those illustrations :D

Katie Anderson said...

Go SF, go!!!!!!

We are gonna be revision pros by the end of all this hard work :-)

Anne Spollen said...

I hear ya' -- I'm blog surfing to avoid my revisions. It's a sublime kind of torture.

Shelli (srjohannes) said...

you are so close! keep pushing...

Christy Raedeke said...

Oh, I love photos of workspaces!

I really cannot wait to see those illustrations in a book. So cute in the perfect devilish way.

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