On Being a Re-Writer

It’s something that’s taken me a while to accept. And that acceptance is an ongoing process. I am a re-writer. My first draft generally is not going to be my best work. That’s a tough pill to swallow, especially as a writer, and probably one the most difficult obstacles to overcome.

I think all writers go through a phase where we think we “shit gold”, meaning that the words we put on the page are amazing based on the sheer fact they came from our head. In the “shit gold” phase, we may accept proofing input, but anything too critical and there’s the sense of “you just don’t get it”. Not every writer makes it out of this phase, and some might not need to, but even those of us who do grow to accept that we might not be perfect right out of the gate feel a twinge of ego when we do realize this. It can lead to those bleak periods of “I’m crap, why bother?” and stagnation.

Fortunately I have Grey around to kick my ass and pull me out of those funks, to remind me when I’ve forgotten just what kind of magic I can work between first draft and later on.

When it comes to the “magic” of re-writing, for me at least, it comes down to time. You know, finding that happy space after completing the first draft where the story has a sense of wonder to it. Where you realize a lot of it is better than you initially thought, but you can also see the place where it can be greatly improved. What sucks, however, is when you find that after said story has been published. With some stories, a few weeks or months is all you need. Sometimes it’s years and you just want to shake your younger self for not waiting a little longer.

But writing is far from fine science. Everyone has a different way that works best for them. And even when we do find and accept our process, it’s still an ongoing job of honing it and continually learning from mistakes and missteps.

I’m a re-writer and I do my best work when I have something to work with. That’s the easy part. The hard part is getting the something down on the page to begin with, then having patience to see it through to its best possible form.

This post is brought to you by the fact that both of my solo “series” are currently clamoring for a bit of re-writing. Figures.