Revision is a Process –
How to Take the Frustration Out of Self-Editing
by Catherine E. McLean
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GENRE: Self-Help, Self-Improvement, Non-Fiction
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BLURB:
A first draft holds the possibility of what will be a great story. Revision turns that rough diamond into a spectacular gem worth a reader's money and time.
Writers are individuals but to be a producing writer means creating a system to revise and polish a work so the reader thoroughly enjoys the story. REVISION IS A PROCESS is a guidebook for writers and authors that shows how a simple 12-step process can be tailored to eliminate the most common and chronic maladies of writing genre fiction. This valuable guidebook contains secrets, tips, practical advice, how-to's, and why-to's for taking the frustration out of self-editing.
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EXCERPT
From Section 1, An Overview of Revision is a Process
. . . revision is a process . A logical, straightforward process where you don't try to find and fix everything at once. Instead, you break the monumental task into component parts and focus on only an item or two at a time.
Okay, so the reality is that creative people, especially writers, hate logic and straightforwardness. And it's a fact that logic and creativity have always been at war with each other. After all, creativity gives a writer a high like no other. It's the fun part of writing and storytelling.
On the other hand, revising, rewriting, and self-editing are linear, logical, objective—and not fun.
But necessary.
Ever so necessary if one intends to be commercially successful in the writing business.
Here's something I've learned about writing and self-editing—a writer should find a middle ground. That means having the logical part of one's mind work with the subconscious imagination (the creative self).
It's about adopting a different view of self-editing—calling it a process—and diligently organizing that process into small steps that can easily be done. This gives a writer confidence that they have polished their story and increased its marketability.
I strongly believe, and have seen, that revision-as-a-process enables a writer to use both their left (logical) and right (creative) brain to become even more creative.
That's because the writer not only tailors a one-of-a-kind process but they also develop their own revision master cheat sheets. As a result, the creative subconscious (the imagination) becomes aware of the pitfalls and glitches that must be checked for, and subsequently, little by little, the creative self dishes up better first drafts with far fewer errors.
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GUEST POST:
Research Tips 269 words
Make yourself a sign and hang it near your writing space:
Readers are Logical People
That's right. The brain strives to make sense of the world and what happens in it. That's why logic always trumps creativity and imagination. It's the war of Right Brain versus Left Brain.
So, is it any wonder that when reading, a reader has a hard time believing in faster than light travel or magic or aliens or gods? Such things are not logical, not reality—and yet fiction is rife with future worlds, magic, beings, and entities.
One of my writing teachers told me, "Anything can be made believable. You only have to find the way." That way to believability can be very difficult at times, but it's well worth the think time and effort to ensure the reader suspends their disbelief and accepts the premise of magic, aliens, other worlds, or the supernatural.
To achieve getting readers to suspend their disbelief, I firmly believe a writer should stop using the Internet. Instead, a writer should seek out experts, biographies, works of real scientists, scholars, and historians to get the facts right. Then the writer can extrapolate what's possible and seemingly realistic. It's the "yeah, that makes sense" aspect that a reader will go along with.
Hardest of all is justifying a character's motivations to do the unthinkable, like murdering their spouse or children. In that case, it's good to know about life scripts and read texts, articles, and essays about what makes good people do bad things.
So, what is your opinion on using the Internet versus "experts" for story verification or research?
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AUTHOR Bio and Links:
● Hub Website: http://www.CatherineEmclean.com
● Website for writers: http://www.WritersCheatSheets.com
● Writers Cheat Sheets Blog: https://writerscheatsheets.blogspot.com
● Linked-In:
http://www.linkedin.com/pub/catherine-e-mclean/7/70b/372
● Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/catherine.e.mclean.5
● Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/CatherineMcLea7
● Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/catherinemclean
● Amazon Author Page:
http://www.amazon.com/Catherine-E.-McLean/e/B00A3BVG6I/
● Link to buy REVISION IS A PROCESS at Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/0988587440
● Link to buy REVISION IS A PROCESS at Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/revision-is-a-process-catherine-e-mclean/1126295618
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Thanks for hosting!
ReplyDeleteShared on G+ to help spread the word, good luck with the book tour!
ReplyDeleteGood morning, Nikolina, and many thanks for spreading the word! I sincerely appreciate that.
DeleteGood morning and many thanks for featuring my book for writers today. I will stop by periodically today and answer comments or questions. Have a great day!
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteYou're very welcome and thank you for stopping by today.
DeleteThanks 4 sharing this useful editing how-to book again.
ReplyDeleteHi, Melissa, thanks for dropping by today. Have a great weekend.
DeleteHi, Victoria, I thank you for dropping by.
ReplyDeleteThe day draws to a close and I sincerely thank my host for having me and my book as a guest today. I wish everyone all the best with your writing and storytelling.
ReplyDeleteChecking the Internet for facts may satisfy the causal reader, but background from experts convinces someone knowledgeable in the field.
ReplyDeleteThis book is on my wish list for Amazon and since my library has books about editing, but not ones directed towards self-publishers thus making this in an invaluable resource.
ReplyDelete