It's A Matter Of Time

Okay, so I think I'm one of the most impatient people on the planet. This, mixed with the snail's pace of publishing, is not really the best mix.

Or maybe it's my snail's pace of revision that makes the months melt into years. Just when I think I've got the story figured out, there always seems to be something else suggested or discovered that makes total sense. You know those moments where you go, "Why didn't I think of that?" Especially after you've worked on a novel for several rounds.

Yeah, that's about where I am. I enjoy the process of revision. The tightening of character and plot, the re-imagining of scenes, the weaving together of story lines.

But every once in a while, there's a little voice in the back of my mind that whispers, "I wish you'd just gotten it right the first time. Then we wouldn't have wasted all these months."

Sometimes I listen to that voice. I feel a little bit anxious about the pace of publishing -- or my perceived pace of those publishing around me. I worry over things I can't control.

Sometimes I just tell that voice, "Sometimes it's just a matter of time." Sometimes I need time to think on a book, it's plot and character. Sometimes I need time away from a project. Sometimes I need time to work on a project. And none of it is wasted. I hope that in the novels I write in the future, I'll remember some of the lessons I've learned through really working on a novel for an extended period of time.

How about you? Have you ever spent so much time working on a novel that you're entertaining voices in your mind? (Ha!) Is it really just a matter of time until you get things right? (Please say yes!)

My Dirty Little Secret

Okay, so I've been on the writing scene for a few years now. About six, to be exact. I've attended a number of conferences. Been critiqued and edited until I want to gouge out my eyes and invest heavily in Rogaine. I've read countless blogs on craft, and books on improving pacing, tension, self-editing. The list goes on and on.

One thing I've heard -- and even advocated! -- is reading your book out loud.

But... confession time. I've never done it. I hate (like loathe with the passion of a thousand suns) reading my own work out loud. I refuse to do it at signings and events, because it just sounds so lame in my own voice.

I won't do it.

Thus, I've never read one of my manuscripts out loud.

Until this past revision I was working on. And I didn't read it, but my Mac version of Word has a option that lets you select text and send it to iTunes as a spoken track.

I did that. I had Alex read my book to me. Here's what I learned:

1. It is so painfully slow, you'll still need to invest in Rogaine. But that's kind of the whole point. When you read, your brain fixes things. You skim over things. Forcing yourself to read out loud -- or to listen -- is hard. So slow. I think it took something like 12 hours to read the whole book (yes it is really long too). (And now you know why I've been absent for a while...)

2. Using iTunes is awesome, because I can sync it with my iPod and put it in my car. So wherever I go -- and I basically drive everyone everywhere -- I can be working.

3. I found things I would have never discovered. I was sitting at my computer, following along one day, reading ahead of Alex. Next thing I know, he says "staking down her face." I was like, "Wait. What? Staking? That can't be right, I just read that..."

And you know what? Alex was right. I had switched the T and the K, and I didn't even notice. Like I said, our tricksy brains fix things like that.

So overall, I think the experience was very valuable. I had whole sections of the book that were redone, so they were basically a first draft. Listening to them helped me find the too-long sentences, the repeated words, the typos.

So there you have it. I can proudly say that after six years, I have finally read a book out loud as an editing tool!

Have you done this? Either read your work out loud as you're editing, or had the computer read it to you? What was your experience like?

Am I a Work-in-Progress?

Okay, so I'm in the throes of a major rewrite/revision. I think it's the biggest one I've ever done on one of my novels, both published and unpublished--and that's saying something, because I did massive amounts of editing on my published novels.

So I was looking back through some of my revision/rewriting posts, thinking I'd "see how it's done" and maybe re-post one of them for today.

As I did so, I realized something. I don't revise the same way I used to.

Imagine my shock! My mind was suddenly buzzing: What's changed? Am I better now? Or worse? Oh my heck, am *I* a work-in-progress?

I think we are. And I think it's a good thing. The more I've been thinking about it, the more I've been realizing that heck, yes, I better have changed how I'm doing things! I've learned so much from being professionally edited. I've learned from reading craft books, and regular novels, and being entrenched in the business of storytelling.

I actually think it would be sad if I revised a novel now the exact same way I did three years ago. I'm happy to say that yes! I am a work-in-progress, and I have grown and changed.

My revision process now is done on a much more holistic level. I used to separate my novel into thirds and work on paper. I suppose I might still do that, if the novel required it. But I find that I haven't printed a novel to revise it for a long time. I simply work on the computer.

Three years ago, I had no idea what set pieces were, and now I meticulously check my percentages to make sure my midpoint moment happens at the midpoint, and my act breaks are placed appropriately.

I've also found that I go much slower than I used to. I have specific projects I'm passionate about, and they deserve the time required to get them right (this is pretty ironic, considering that the most massive rewrite/revision I'm currently doing is on a time travel novel. Time... get it... the time travel novel deserves time... Okay, nevermind).

So tell me. Are you a work-in-progress?

How Do You Know?

Okay, so I am singing the song "How Does She Know?" from Enchanted as I type this blog post. I hope it infects you for the rest of the day, just cuz I'm cruel like that. *mwa ha ha!*

Anyway, being deep in the trenches of editing/revising my next novel, I'm sort of wondering: How do I know when this bad boy is done? How will I know when I should send it to my betas?

I mean, I know they're going to send it back to me without a single mark, praising my every word! *snarf* Riiiight.

So when do *I* stop??

For me, this has always been a gut thing. Plus, if I'm reading my own book (where, supposedly, I know everything and why that one sentence is there and how it's setting up that freakishly cool thing on page 323), and I have to make notes of what's wrong, then, newsflash, it's not ready.

#Dangitall.

My book still isn't ready.

Now, if you're simply going around and around in circles between the words "slid" and "slithered" then you probably need to put down the red pen and step away. Just sayin'.

So how do you know when you've done all you can do? Gut feeling? Set round of edits? Lay it on me. I'm on round 6, I think.

And the pen is red this time.

Revising Is Like...

...Pulling out your teeth, rearranging them and then putting them back in your mouth, hopefully in a better position than they were in before. If they fit. The ones that don't? Well, you just toss those ones down the disposal and turn it on, of course.

And you know, that hurts.

Good thing I like gum pain.

My Revising Toolkit:
1. Pandora
2. Pens (okay, I use markers. pink markers) and a printed copy of my MS
3. Ginger ale and bubblicious
4. Farmville and CafeWorld

What's revising like for you? What's in your toolkit?

Revision Stats

Okay, so it's no secret that I'm revising my novel. It went pretty well, actually. That's right, you read that as if the revisions were done. That's cuz they are. I have the MS out with my gamma's (thanks for the tip, Beth!) right now and I'll go over their notes one last time before I really throw my arms into the air and proclaim, "It is done!"

Here's some stats for you:
1. Words cut: 7000
2. Chapters completely rewritten: 3 (written into 4 new chapters)
3. 2-Liters of Ginger Ale consumed: 5
4. Packages of Red Vines thrown back: 2
5. Number of times "Single Ladies" played: 196
6. Number of times I re-watched GLEE (episode "Preggers") for inspiration. Yeah, for inspiration: 6
7. Hours of sleep lost: too many to count
8. Days without facebooking, twittering or blogging: 9
9. Books read: 5 (The Other Side of the Island, Catching Fire, Graceling, The Magic Thief, Evermore)
10. Revisions: brilliant (well, at least I think they are)

So there you have it. What are you working on right now? Do you have some stats to share? Me being the math geek, I'm all over the stats.

Revising, Yeah It's Like This

So...yeah.

My New Plan

Yeah, yeah. I can hear the snarfing nationwide. World-wide, actually. But I really do have a plan to achieve balance this time. A real plan. A well-thought-out plan. Really.

It's called the "one hour plan."

Don't you want to know how it's going to work? You do, I know you do.

Here's the dealio. I waste a lot of time. I'm actually better with my time when I'm working because there's only so much time to get so much done and some of that time is used in a way I don't like (um, working). So yeah. I'm a bit more focused during my "free" time when I'm working.

Now that summer is here...not so much. So I developed the "one hour plan." It's simple, it's effective, even your dog could do it. Srsly.

Here it is. I have three projects I'm working on. I blogged about this last week, but since I can't even remember what I ate for dinner a couple of hours ago, I know some of you might have a slight problem remembering *my* goals.

Control Issues - read books
The Mirror - edit/revise/rewrite
Dying to Live - write

Remember now? Good, moving on. Here's the one hour plan.

I read for one hour.
I edit/revise/rewrite for one hour.
I write new wordage for one hour.

And, you knew it was coming.... I get one hour of online time. Yes. Only one hour. You may have noticed my blog comments declining and my forum participation on the decrease. Yeah, there's only so much I can do in an hour. I can't go totally dark like BJ and Lady Glam and some others, but I can reduce to one hour.

So, mathematicians out there, that's four hours of my day. What else do I do? Yardwork. Clean. Cook. Push the kids on the swings or go to the pool. Beta read. You know, real life stuff. It's working. I feel productive in my writing life. I feel like a real human. It's a win/win for everyone.

It's the one hour plan. It's patented people. *wink* The Elana Johnson One Hour Writing Plan! New and only available--just kidding.

So, I'm interested. Have you ever timed how long you spend on things? How long do you really write every day? Edit? Read? Spend time online in blogs, forums, email, etc? Being a real person? Is it too much in one area? Not enough in another? How do you keep the balance between computer time and face-to-face time?

WiP Wednesday - Goals

Okay, so I've been buried up to my eyeballs in revisions. See, I got some really good advice from some really good agents and since it was two people saying the same thing, I rolled up my sleeves and got to work.

That project is now on hold while I spend some time thinking and examining a few things that need to take place in the novel.

So I've spent some time reading some amazing books. It's a good way to unwind, stop thinking about your own book, and just be a consumer of words. For the past little while, I've viewed reading as a chore, and it hasn't been as enjoyable. I've been thinking things like, "This is taking my writing time." instead of just enjoying the fact that I have time to sit on my couch and read something good. So that's been fun--to just sit and read and not worry about "my writing time." It is my writing time and I'm using it for something productive.

I haven't been writing anything new. At least not since Saturday when I did some final rewrites on the aforementioned novel. But now I need time to absorb and stuff, but I always find myself floundering in the intermittant time.

I was knee-deep into another story, actually plugging away at about 1000 words a day. When the revision ideas came in, that stopped and it's been about a week and half since I've penned a new word. So without further ado, I have three goals. I know you don't know all of my projects, but I'm going to name them anyway.

Control Issues - read other books
The Mirror - revise
Dying to Live - write

What are your goals? How have you been adjusting them as things progress in your "writing life"? Are things progressing in your writing life?

You're Torturing Me Blog Chain!

Okay, so it's blog chain time. I've really enjoyed following the chain of carnage wrath blog responses.

Leah started this massacre. (Major congrats on her recent signage with Rosemary Stimola!) Before me was Abi and after me is Terri.

So here's the question: What do you do to amp up the conflict? What pins do you stick in the little voodoo dolls? How do you torture your characters?

Hmm...torture. The poor things.

When I first started writing, this was really hard for me. Thus, my first novel had absolutely no conflict. It was boring. I didn't want to hurt the people I'd created. I liked them too much.

As an avid reader, I realized that all fiction has to have conflict to make it interesting. I attended conferences where authors and experts spoke on getting your character in something so deep they could never get out.

I rewrote my book.

It still didn't have enough conflict. Sure, more "bad things" happened, but still I didn't feel like my MC was in this life-or-death-oh-my-freaking-heck-what-do-I-do-now? moment.

That's where I needed her to be.

So I toyed with some more ideas that could bring her to the point of no return. That's how I envision good conflict to be. Like in that movie, Back to the Future 3, where they've got that broken down windmill and once the DeLorean-turned-time-machine passes that point, there is no turning back. Yeah, like that. You've got to bring your character to that point. And beyond! (Man, it's movie Thursday today. Major kudos if you can name that last one.)

I rewrote said novel again. I'm still not sure I've tortured the girl enough, so I shelved her. Take that! How's that for torture? How do you like me now? Yeah, don't mess with me, fictional people. I might just kill you all. Or at least file you away quietly on my hard drive. Where no one will ever find you...mwa, ha, ha!

But seriously.

I've broken down "torture" into several categories. Not everyone fits the box, mind you. (That could be their conflict!) And a lot of things are just personal issues people have to deal with.

Here are some things that have happened to various characters in various stories in various stages of completion. (Side note: I don't do these things to my characters on purpose. They just sort of happen. I really do feel bad about it...most of the time.)

1. Put her in a car she can't drive. She can't shift. Failed Driver's Ed three times. Is terrified of driving at all, let alone with the magical mafia trailing her. (Personal Issues)

2. Made one of her bestest friends a spy. Who only reveals himself when she's all alone and her only help is half a world away. (Betrayal)

3. Made her boyfriend her brother. Yeah, that one was gross. But it caused a lot of conflict. (Disgusting/Personal Issues/Betrayal)

4. Took memories that would have really been useful. Like really, really good to know. (She became a traitor cuz she couldn't remember anything...What? You're not my bff? The humanity!)

5. Killed the only witness to a crime my MC was accused of committing. (Murder)

6. Had my MC kill her friend in a bout of uncontrolled anger. Nasty, that was. (Murder, Personal Issues)

7. Then there's the standard stuff--bombs, long-lost fathers coming back, finding out your lover is really your enemy, losing your job/most loved pet/something else you can't live without, getting trapped in a realm where you don't belong, the list goes on and on.

But I find that the most conflict falls under murder, betrayal, traitorous acts, and/or personal issues the MC has. That's why it's important to know your characters. What will hurt them the most? Their loved one kissing another girl? The death of Fluffy the giant anteater? What will cause the most pain, put them in the worst situation? Wait. That's another post for another day. Or another chain. Or did we do that one already?

Dominoes

If I were talking about the little tiles with dots, life would be great. No, I'm announcing my new curse word for writing.

Dominoes! I shout it when I realize that I've tweaked something in chapter three, and now I have to change not only chapter four, but six, eight, thirteen, nineteen, twenty, and argh! Dominoes!

Revisions are really hard. I just made another decision. A big one. Like main character big. It's going to be a long month of D-O-M-I-N-O-E-S aka revising-until-my-eyes-bleed.

Symptoms of Dominoes include, but are not limited to, constant muttering while cooking, showering, driving, or other mundane activities, frantic copying and pasting to compare drafts, frequent distractions (see My Writerly Addictions on the sidebar), insomnia as stewage over a certain scene just won't go away, and staring off into space for long periods of time. Of course, sometimes the occasional curse word escapes, even when things are going well. Dominoes!

This curse word should not be confused with Crickets, a well-known ailment many authors suffer through the querying process. No, the symptoms of Crickets are obsessive email checkage, heart palpitations while opening the mail box, increased patience, major writer's blockage, increased weight gain due to increased chocolate intake, and helium inhalation to keep the spirit from sinking into the depths of rejection.

Both of these diseases are real, people. Do not treat them lightly. Consult your writerly friends if you feel like you are experiencing symptoms of Dominoes or Crickets. Some patients may also experience a need to blog excessively about their experiences. Be kind. Comment. You never know when you'll experience your own case of the Crickets or go through the horrible ordeal that is Dominoes.

That is all.

Revisions

I've been waiting for my turn in the blog chain before I posted again, but it looks like it's going to be a few more days. I'm relieved, actually, because I have nothing of value to add--yet. I keep thinking that something awesome is going to hit me. Hopefully, it will be something about writing, and not something like, I don't know, a car or a bus or something. We'll see.

So I've been thinking a lot this week. More than my usual quota of deep thoughts. :D It's time to revise ye olde manuscript again. Just when you think you've got something good, you realize you really don't. I received a great suggestion this week, something I knew needed addressing, but didn't quite know how to address.

Thus, the thinking. I couldn't work on the revisions, because I didn't know how. So I thought and thought and thought about how I could make the revisions without rewriting everything. I can't. Part of the story is going to be lost, well, at least lost to the reader. Of course, I have the original on my computer. But after all the driving and thinking, eating and thinking, making dinner and thinking, I finally concluded that the suggested revisions are A) necessary, B) worthwhile, and C) an incredible amount of work.

So I rolled up my sleeves and tackled the project. The first thing I did was make a spreadsheet where I could write in word counts, POV, and a snippet of the plot for each chapter. I methodically went through the manuscript filling out the sheet with title chapters (yes, they change and I don't fix it), word count for each chapter, each point of view character, and the plot and sub-plots. I could immediately see why the revisions were suggested. I could see places to cut, things that weren't necessary. But I still didn't know how to do what needed to be done.

Several hours of stewage later, I decided that the only way to make the manuscript better was to rip it apart and attempt to put it back together again. And it hurt. A lot. I started yesterday and each scene gets copied and pasted into a new document. Analyzed. More thinking. Stewage over a grape soda or a popsicle, depending on my mood. Then some rewriting. Major rewriting.

I made it to chapter three. Whew, only thirty-three more to go. If I can keep up the pace, this should only take me eleven days...yeah, right. It took me five just to get started, so I'm sure it will be a lot longer than that. Hopefully, every minute will be worth it in the end.

Reading: SABRIEL by Garth Nix.