Getting into the Flow of Rewriting and Revising
Posted by Kathleen Pooler/@kathypooler
“I work very hard on the writing, writing and rewriting and trying to weed out the lumber”. ~David McCullough
Getting in the Flow: Rewriting and Revising
David McCullough and James Michener are two of my favorite authors for their ability to draw me into their stories and keep me suspended until the end through their rich sensory details. As I face the current phase of my memoir writing, I am taking my lessons from these masters.
For starters I’ve lost track of the number of drafts I’ve gone through. And with each change, the story takes on a new direction. I’m on the tail end of the writing process–the polishing stage. I just received the edits from my developmental editor and will be decluttering and streamlining–killing my darlings. Ouch! Oh, so painful but so necessary.
There’s lots of work ahead and in order to see this to the end, I need to get in the flow, in the zone, one with my computer…
and therein lies the challenge. I’ve spent the past six months on hold.
Where do I start?
The best laid plans…
I started by decluttering my writing space upstairs. That was no small task and took the whole day.
I set up my work zone with my computer,a Yankee candle, a notebook and a pen. I copied twenty pages of edits to work on the next day. My echo dot is nearby to listen to Andrea Boccelli.
The next day, I sat down and started working on the edits. I started feeling myself get into the rhythm, like I feel when I sit down at the piano and hit the right notes. Oh what a feeling. After about an hour of rewriting, my screen froze before I could save it. I lost all my changes. Well, tomorrow is another day…
When tomorrow came, I discovered that my computer charger did not work. My computer, a MacPro 2011, has been a work horse but it’s time to get a new computer. I hesitate to buy a new computer right in the middle of my edits. I had to drive to the Apple store, 45 minutes away to purchase a new charger and think about a new computer.
As I get back into my zone, I’m determined to write for at least two -three hours a day.
Establishing a routine will help me stay on track.
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Here are some thoughts on getting into a flow of rewriting and revising:
Accept that changes–sometimes major changes–may be required. That means killing our darlings. I cut and paste all my deletions into a new file, “deleted scenes”. You never know when you can use them in the future for another project.
Take care of yourself so you can take care of your writing. Know when it’s time to walk away for a while.
Find a dedicated writing zone and organize it to for better work flow.
Establish a writing routine that is workable for you.Two-three hours is my daily limit to work on my manuscript. I think it’s because of the emotional nature of the material. This a personal decision.
I have a goal to finish and publish my memoir this year. All I can do is give it my best by setting myself up for success. Some days will be easier than others but having a plan and sticking to it will help.
It all starts when I decide to make it work.
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How about you? How do you get into the flow of rewriting and revising? Any tips to share?
I’d love to hear from you. Please join in the conversation below~
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Next Week:
Monday, 2/25/19:
“Why Did I Write My Memoir? by Fran Macilvey”
Fran is the author of Trapped:My Life with Cerebral Palsy, a revealing account of one woman’s life with cerebral palsy and her attempt to have a “normal” life.
