SMART and Realistic Goals

For 2012 and 2013, I tended to overreach with setting writing goals, especially considering the ongoing health issue I battled. For 2014, since my main goal is to learn to gauge and set realistic goals for my writing and publishing venture, I am turning to SMART (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Recorded, Timely) goal setting practices. 

Specific:

• Who: Me, myself, and I, plus a coach/mentor, editor, and final proofreader
• What: Publish entire Series #1, Launch Series #2, Launch Series #3
• Where: In front of a computer, with a pen for markup, or on Neo
• When: January thru May or June, publish one book in Series #1 per month,
  Launch Series 2 in late spring, early summer,
  Launch Series #3 in summer/fall time-frame
• Which: Requires daily goal setting and sitting butt in chair and writing/revising, also requires focus and concentration), with limited internet interaction
• Why: Life-long goal, Beginning of building a backlist to be able to write books as a living

Measurable:

• Units of Measurement: Completed chapters, books, tasks, stages

Attainable:

• Day-by-day production schedule and accomplishments

Recordable:

• Track stages, task completion, chapters completed, etc.

Timely:

• Realistic estimates, plus additional time added as a buffer, such as:
  - Complete of workshops in formatting and promotion through January into mid-February
  - Revise Book #2 in January
  - Contact e-distribution company in January
  - Publish to CreateSpace in February
• Set Project completion goals and break down into Monthly, Weekly, Daily goals:
  - Forward Book#2 for final read-through, 1st week of January
  - Format Book #2 in editable format, 1st week of January
  - Revise 1 Chapter per day, 2nd week of January
  - Gauge pace of revision at week's end, end of 2nd week of January
  - Schedule tasks for next week, end of 2nd week of January
• Today
  - Listen to Chapters 26 thru 29 via Dragon NaturallySpeaks
  - Polish Chapters 26 thru 29
• Tomorrow
  - Listen to and Polish Chapters 30 thru 32
• Next Day
  - Listen to and Polish Chapters 33 & 35

Okay, in reviewing, all current goals look realistic and reasonable. At the end of each day, I will evaluate where I stand, then at the end of each week, to step out the task steps for the following week. Reasonable, possible, doable.

May 2014 be prolific, positive, and real.

What's next? (Another Learning Curve)

With Series #1, Book # 1 returned from the editor's final read-through, I am now faced with compiling the material that will make up the ebook and paperback book.

Even if I go the route of someone else formatting both the ebook and paperback, I still need to put together the materials that make up the books. (J.A. Konrath provides a potential list of Ebook Parts on his blog.) So, I suppose the first step will be to pull all these materials together.

As in anything, when I try to do something new, there's a learning curve. Some steeper than others, that's for sure. "Getting" writing a novel was one heck of an uphill climb for me, and since I tend to be slow on the uptake, I am of the opinion, that if I can "Get" how to write a novel, then ANYONE can.)

Next, I must research the cover blurbs and book descriptions of already published books in the same genre. I am also taking Author Dean Wesley Smith's Pitches & Blurbs workshop in December, so I have an awesome opportunity to learn. I am also watching Author India Drummond's formatting for CreateSpace video as well as her Tutorial for Ebook Formatting video. (Thank goodness for all those loooooonnnnngggg years of word processing experience.)

Luckily, I am familiar enough with graphics design that I am able to create covers. (The ones for this first series pops!) In the future, should I need a more seasoned professional designer, I will research possible resources as well.

Lots to learn, always. Yet that's what makes independent publishing such an adventure. An exciting and enthusiastic one at that!

Turtle, Turtle, Turtle (Realistic Goals)

I've always heard the staying, "It takes as long as it takes," but dang. Best laid plans aside, I didn't finish my five-book YA Paranormal Thriller series in six months. Not even in a year. The year-and-a-half mark is fast approaching, and I'm still trekking along.

Pesky health issues that affected my energy levels and focus ssssslllllloooowwwed my pace to a turtle's stroll.

First off, no whining or complaints here. I've continued to draft, put in, revise, edit, and polish. Still... Okay, maybe a mini whinefest, in that I realize and know in every fiber of my being how much I am capable of accomplishing, if it weren't for those uber frustrating health issues. 

Recently, I came across this quote:

Never give up on a dream, just because of the time it will take to accomplish it. The time will pass anyway. -- Earl Nightingale.

No, I am not yet published. Nope, I have not made any money with my books, a little hard to do when they're not finished and/or published and all. So many story and series ideas, just waiting... Many, many more books to be written.

However, I have not fully written these. Book #1 goes on to the formatter in the next week or so. Book #2 is one-third of the way into the revision process.

And, true to form for this past year, that dratted dreaded health issue is back. More doctor's appointments coming up.

Yet, everyday, I drag myself to the computer and work on this series.

Why?

Because this series waited a long time to be written. After all, there's that writer part of me that must write, so it stands to reason I must finish these books. IF they were lackluster and sub-par, I would, surprisingly, have no problem setting them aside and moving on; however, they do have a bit of oomph to them, if I do say so myself.

Besides, it's not the story or the actual revision that's slowing me down, it's the level of fatigue, disrupted sleep, and focus challenges that block me from making the kind of progress I would like to make.

Ideally, I'd be cranking out a finished book a month. My logical mind, creativity, and process are up to it. I, however, physically am not. Therefore, out of kindness to myself, I am tacking each day, trying to accomplish as much as possible on one day at a time, without setting any further goals than that of the day before me.

Today I cull repetative words and phrases from as many chapters as feasible possible. Tomorrow I do the same. I keep plugging. And eventually...before I realize it, I'll have a finished book. Then another one. Then another. As I turtle along.

Earl Nightingale was correct. No matter how I spend my time, time passes anyway. As a writer, I can't imagine a better way to fill my days.

No Book is Perfect (Repeat After Me!)

NO book is perfect. No BOOK is perfect. No book IS perfect. No book is PERFECT. No matter which aspect you emphasize, no book is perfect. Not ever.

Whether traditionally or independently published, there's always a skipped word or typo or two.

Sometimes the flaws are deeper, such as a supposedly grown man hiding in a car trunk of a model that has a mini-trunk space that in no way could accommodate a full-sized person.

Or even more deeply flawed, as in he or she would NEVER do that. No way could that happen. Plausibility issues are biggies, but books are released more often than a reader would expect with such glitches.

As an author, catching those flaws and fixing them in the revision phase is a doable challenge. Catching typos and missed words, even with multiple reviewers, looms, yet no matter how efficient the effort, something or somethings will slip by.

Book #1 of Series #1 goes to my writing coach for review tomorrow. If she deems the manuscript ready, she will also edit. Or, I'll make another pass, then she will edit. Either way. It's been First Drafted, Revised, and Edited.

Will the book be perfect? Nope.

Will it ever be perfect? No. (No matter how hard an author tries, it ain't gonna happen.)

Yet, once reviewed, edited by the editor, and then returned to me for a final polish, the book will be stick-a-fork-in-it done!

Perfect, no. An imperfect enjoyable, challenging, satisfying journey, oh, yes.

Not All Aspects of Revision Are One and the Same

The many aspects of revision, such as Redeveloping, Restructuring, Rewriting, Putting In, Taking Out, Editing, Copy Editing, Proofing, and Polishing, are not one and the same. Starting at an overall story developmental level, moving to structuring, the aspects of revision drill down until the writing blends into a seamless story flow.

Redevelopment

Developmentally, a story must make sense. Is the plot plausible? Would a particular character really DO that? SAY that? Does how the character change from the beginning to the end of the story make sense? Too many POV characters? Too few?

Redevelopment takes into account the entire story, such as characterization, pacing, plot arc, etc. (Redevelopment can sometimes lead to a major overhaul of the story, resulting in a reworking of the entire manuscript.)

Restructuring

Restructuring a manuscript may involve adding or deleting chapters and scenes. Reordering existing scenes.

This process may also involve changing POV characters, increasing conflict, and emphasizing story plot points.

Rewriting

When a manuscript doesn't work, sometimes it's best to set it aside and start over. A rewrite is taking what didn't work into account and starting all over again.

A rewrite may also include culling pieces of the existing story to blend into the newer version.

Putting In

The process of Putting In involves reviewing the first draft and adding and fleshing out your story and words. Some authors write skeleton drafts and end up putting in quite a bit of material to fill in the story with more descriptions and additional details.

Taking Out

Other authors write expansive drafts, which include lots of description, backstory, and plot tangents, then once finished, go back through and take out the material not absolutely necessary to the story. This process involves a lot of trimming and streamlining.

Editing

During editing, verbs are ramped and strengthened, paragraphs are lengthened and shortened, scenes are tightened by fleshing out or streamlining paragraph, sentence, and word length. Repetitive words and phrases are eliminated and addressed. A thesaurus and dictionary come in to play. Reading aloud or listening to the manuscript read by a text to speech software comes in handy during this phase. This is the stage where the flow of the writing is addressed.

Copy Editing

Examples of copy editing include correcting punctuation and altering sentence structure to vary sentence beginnings. 

Proofing

Final proofing involves catching any skipped words or punctuation during the copy editing phase.

Polishing

Involves a final read through, back to front, of the manuscript, to catch any awkward phrasing or hitherto before unseen dropped words.

Alexa's Current Revision Status

Currently, Book #2 in in the Editing stage, while Book #1 is entering the Copy Edit phase.

Entering Revision Hell (Officially)

The door creaks as I push the weight forward. From the other side of the doorway, heat flames my face. For the next two weeks, I have entered Revision Hell. (I didn't quite understand why writers used this particular term term until I began revising my own work. Now, I can very much relate...)

At Savvy Authors, for the next two weeks, I will participate in a challenge called Revision Hell. Each day in the Savvy forum, I will log number of pages edited, number of pages revised, and number of hours of BICHOK (butt in chair hands on keyboard) at the end of the day. My hope is that this will spur me on and help me to build revision momentum.

I have been assigned to Team #2 of five (5) teams. (Go, Team!)

For the next two weeks, the timer is once again my friend. 1-hour stints, and keeping track of the time spent in my at a glance calendar.

I used to envy Author Dean Wesley Smith, with his never revise philosophy, UNTIL I realized that Dean actually does revise and edit. He calls his process putting in or taking out. He does this just after he's first drafted fresh material; therefore, he considers the putting in or taking out part of his first draft. His wife also copy edits and proofs for him. SO, my process wasn't flawed after all.

How do I know my writing needs revision and editing?

• As an avid reader all my life, I can distinguish between well written and not-so-well written material.
• I am capable of reading my own writing with a critical eye. (Yes, being a technical editor in a previous life will do that to you. For good, bad, or worse.)
• My writing improves when revised and edited. (I am intuitive and savvy enough to distinguish the difference.)

 What do I hope to accomplish in my two (2) weeks of Revision Hell?

• Gain momentum for the rest of the series revision,
• Get as much revised in the next two weeks as possible,
• Dive in to Book #1 editing (the polish of punctuation, syntax, etc.), and
• Reinforce concentration/focus aspects by doing stints throughout the day.

Here's a rundown of the revision items and processes that I address on my Revision Checklist. (The list seems like a lot of stuff, but once you dive in, it's really not, because the flow of items makes sense and can be done one after the other.)

• Address Comments
• Spell Check
• Print Out
• Read Hard Copy
• Assign Dialog
• Make Basic Markups
• Edit Electronic File
• External Environment Layering:
  - Weather
  - Outside bldg. details
  - Outside sounds
• Layering Outward / Physical Details:
  - Hair/eye color
  - Height/weight
  - Style of clothing
  - Facial expressions
  - Body language
• Senses Layering:
  - Sight
  - Hearing
  - Touch
  - Smell
  - Taste
  - Pain
  - Temperature
  - Time
  - Motion/Acceleration
  - Direction
  - Balance
• Anchoring:
  - POV
  - Emotion in Scene
  - When / Time passed
  - Where
  - Current Feeling
  - Voice
  - Dialogue / Tags
• Scene Review:
  - Beginning Hook
  - Exposition
  - Backstory
  - Sensory Details
  - Emotions
  - GMCD Clear
  - Themes/Motifs
  - Ending Hook
  - Visceral Reactions
• Foreshadowing:
  - Plant
  - Payoff
• AutoCrit Analysis:
  - Overused Words
  - Repeated Phrases
• MyWriter Tools Round 2
• Spell Check Round 2
• Pacing / Copy Edit Pass
  - MyWriters Beginning
  - Beginning Scene Pacing
  - Dragon Beginning
  - MyWriters Middle
  - Middle Scene Pacing
  - Dragon Middle
  - MyWriters End
  - Ending Scene Pacing
  - Dragon End
• Final AutoCrit Analysis
• Overall Scene Pacing
• Continuity/Timeline
• Clarity (Who’s who)
• Update GMCD Chart
• Add to Running Outline
• Levels (1 thru 10):
  - Level of Caring
  - Level of Worry
  - Level of Conflict
  - Level of Tension
  - Character Growth Arc

If nothing else, perhaps I will help my team with time logged for butt in chair hands on keyboard! (However, I intend and am hopeful that I will contribute more to the team and to my own progress.)

Behind me, the door slams. Nothing left to do but step forward into the flames...

Today is the Day: Monday - September 2, 2013

In attempt to help with my focus and concentration, which is skewed due to dratted health issues, I am blogging each day as to my writing/revision progress.

Writing-wise, a slow day yesterday, yet I discovered I need more accountability of my time away from the computer and am experimenting with shorter stints.

TimesUpKidz software is assisting in keeping me from working hours and hours without breaks by spacing computer sessions enforced breaks of at least 10 minutes throughout the day.

Up until midnight last night, I made it to the computer at 8:00 a.m. I started this blog post first thing and will add to the post throughout the day.

One thing I did late in the day yesterday was sign up for Savvy Author's Revision Hell, which begins on September 9th and runs through September 22th and is described as: We'll split you into hellacious teams and motivate you through two grueling weeks of revisions. Finish your draft and report to Hell on time. (I am not sure what I've gotten myself into, but desperate times of focus and concentration calls for desperate measures.)

During the first session, I blogged, reread the chapter, and opened up the necessary files, such as the Revision Checklist. For the first break, I made breakfast and ate, then by 9:30 a.m. dove back into revising Chapter 9.

Half way through the session, Hubby let me know the hummingbirds were truly swarming around the feeders on our front porch.

Spurred on by the hummingbird's activity, I returned to the keyboard and started working on the revisions listed on the Revision Checklist.

By 1:00 p.m., I abandoned the 1-hour time limit per session. Today, at the 1-hour mark, I felt as if I was just getting started.

I then listened to a meditation about Write the Feeling by Mark David Gerson. Next, I focused on the character's feeling at the beginning of the chapter. Once I connected with the character's emotion, the rest of the process listed on the Revision Checklist began to flow.

NOTE: Go back and connect more deeply with characters emotions in Chapters 1 thru 8.

2:30 p.m., enjoyed BBQ Ribs in a late lunch with Hubby, then dove back into revisions.

From 3:30 to 5:00, I expanded Chapter 9 with my putting-in tendencies (sparse first draft, then I fill in and layer emotion, setting, etc.) to become two chapters. The second part will fit into the story a little later as possibly Chapter 11.

Took a quick 15 minute break.

5:00 p.m. - After running Chapter 9 through the AutoCrit analysis and adjusting pacing of the chapter, I listened as Dragon NaturallySpeaks read the chapter, then added the chapter to the working file. Revision of Chapter 9 complete at 7:00 p.m.

A non-writing project looms this evening, with an early morning appointment tomorrow. Today's method was much more productive.

So, tomorrow, not limited time on the computer, making a conscious effort to take spaced out breaks, and I revise Chapter 10.

Not bad for my second day of Today is the Day routine.

Lessons from The Profit Applied to Writing

The Profit, staring Marcus Lemonis, is a reality show appearing on CNBC. Marcus tackles failing businesses, invests, and assists the owners, if the deal works out, in rebuilding and relaunching their businesses.

The Facebook description of The Profit series states: Self-made multi-millionaire Marcus Lemonis is the only business turnaround expert on television investing millions of his own money to save small businesses.  

In the venue of the reality television show, Marcus shares, sometimes with a twist of are-you-kidding-me drama, about business success using the three P's: People, Process, and Product.

PEOPLE, PROCESS, and PRODUCT (as it pertains to writing)

People

The initial drafting and revision of a book involves me, myself, and I. Then there's my mentor/coach, Kat Duncan, who provides guidance, accountability, and has graciously offered to edit the series. And last, but not least, those folks that have and are providing Beta Reader feedback. Yet, primarily, the People aspect is simple because overall the majority of the workload and production falls on my shoulders.

But then again, maybe not so simple.

If I am experiencing health issues and am unwell, I cannot write, revise, or work on writing related processes adequately or at times if at all. Due to not being well, I am far more behind in my projected revision schedule for the series than I could have predicted.

I have sought medical care, which has determined what my condition is not, yet I continue to experience fatigue, lack of focus, and other not-fun symptoms. Bottom, line if I can't function properly and am unable to produce, there is no Process or Product.

Process

I lightning drafted all five (5) books in the series. Lightning drafting requires quite a bit of "putting in" of additional text and serious time-consuming revision effort.

Creating a GMCD chart for the first draft and then making a check off list for the revisions provides a road map and guidance.

The process involves sitting with self in front of the computer terminal and eliminating distractions.

Product

My books are my product. With the contribution of the first two categories, People and Process, a book is written.

Yet, I do not have a completed Product yet.

The mock covers pop.

An editor is lined up.

Before I have a Product, just not a concept, People and Process must perform and come together to create the completed book series.

PEOPLE, PROCESS, and PRODUCT Game Plan

Addressing People Issues

My ability to function, as a writer, and to focus, concentrate, and write MUST be addressed. I continue to conduct research of possible solutions and have yet more doctors appointments scheduled.


I have my older computer set up across the room to play my exercise videos (Oxycise, for instance), with a goal of exercising first thing, before I sit down at the computer.

Also, I am adding a few mineral and vitamin supplements that hopefully will assist in getting my health back on track.

Addressing Process Issues

Better eliminating or avoiding distractions is a MUST.

Lack of focus, hopefully addressed by addressing People issues, has increased my levels of distraction, therefore I have discovered a software that blocks all internet access except for the sites I specify (AutoCrit, for example) and another software that limits computer time in spaced out increments so that I take a break every hour to hour and a half.

My current revision plan is flawed and the process IS NOT working; therefore, I need to step back and reassess. Ask around, do more research as to what might work better.

How might I better tackle the revisions in a more successful, efficient way?

First item on list, is to research and to reach out to writerly resources for advice.

Addressing Product Issues

Product Issues will be on the table by and after People and Process issues have been addressed.

Tabled and marked: To Be Done!

THE PROFIT

I  highly recommend checking out this reality TV show!

Thanks to you, Marcus Lemonis, this writer gal just may be on her way!

Listen to Me Now! (Using Dragon NaturallySpeaking Software)

Hearing my story read back to me has been a phenomenal help to my story crafting! The suggestion that I read my writing out loud has always caused me a great deal of discomfort; therefore, having the software Dragon NaturallySpeaking read the paragraphs to me works quite well.

Why is it the one thing you dread, resist, fear, dislike and avoid, is THE one thing that you need to do the most to succeed in your goal?
After hearing my voice on a tape recorder years ago, I have avoided reading aloud.

Hearing myself made me cringe and flush hot with shame and embarrassment. The tinny high-pitched nasal-sounding me that talked into the microphone ran for the hills and hasn't been seen since.

No matter how hard I try. I can't seem to overcome that fear. If I try to read aloud, my revising stalls out completely. Instead, I am using Dragon SpeaksNaturally software. The Read That (Test to speech) feature reads back paragraphs at a time.

Earlier on, I listen and make edits to flesh out the first draft, then later toward the end of the revision stage, the voice reading back to me helps me to vary sentence structure and adjust the sound of the word flow.

As the voice reads, I follow along in the text and make edits as needed. If I need to stop the voice, I press the Esc key, make more extensive edits, then select the text and either click on Audio, then Read That or say, "Select next four paragraphs" then "Read That" into the headset.

Hearing the flow of the words in the story had taken my writing to a new level. I highly recommend the Reading Aloud advice, but if that's not possible, Dragon SpeaksNaturally is the next best thing!

Hitting Send

With my first-round of revisions finished, I attached the book to an email to send to my writing coach and mentor for a final review before editing. I sat with the cursor pointer hovering over SEND.

Ten minutes later, pointer still hovering, hubby dropped by and said, "You've already done the hard part. Sending it is the easy part." (Gotta love that man!)

That loveable man was right, so I pressed SEND.

Book #1, Series #1, sent.

Second later, the questions started:

• Does it include too much telling versus showing?
• Is there enough emotional connection with readers?
• Are the character growth arcs strong enough?
• Might I use more similes and metaphors?
• Was the POV deep enough?

And on and on until I realized there are four more books to revise. (Alexa heaves a massive sigh.)

I look forward to the coach/mentor's comments and then will go on from there. First, I need to step back from the book, let someone else review and share their insight, then I'll perform another review.

One thing I am learning is that my writing process proceeds in stages and layers.

In the future, once this series is complete, my goal will be to write stronger first drafts so that less revision is required.

Also, I realize that you can take classes to help you grasp craft, but its the act of actually writing from which a writer learns.

And, boy, am I learning...

Reality Sets In: It's a Book!

Over the last few weeks, I have been revising a book, chapter by chapter. Today, I pulled all the individual chapter files into one single file...and I have, ta-da and to my amazement, a BOOK.

Okay, I'm slow on the uptake at times, but knowing you're writing a book and having the entire manuscript of the book in your hands... Ooh boy, talk about bringing reality home. An honest to goodness (cohesive, well-plotted, developmentally sound) book!

In Times New Roman 14-Point (to ease overtired eyes) and at 400 pages, the manuscript sits three finger-widths deep and waiting. Gulp and wow, just wow...

First, I pretend I'm a reader, and read the pages for enjoyment, only noting those sections that might lag or need further revision.

Second, I read for character voice. Does the character's POV "sound" like the character in individual POV chapters and in dialog?

Thirdly, I polish, adding metaphors and similes and improving style.

Then comes a focus on pacing... Does a scene ending need to be tightened or sections of the chapter sentences shortened? Is the pacing of chapters varied and forward-moving? What adjustments (shorter paragraphs, shorter sentences, shorter words) need to be made to increase pacing to build to the book's climax?

After that, the entire manuscript gets analyzed via AutoCrit (autocrit.com) to catch overused words and phrases repeated throughout the book in its entirety.

Next, back to 12-point font size, the book is ready for a chapter break review and spell checking.

Lastly, I attach the BOOK to an email and send the attachment to a professional fiction editor, a few beta readers, and then move on to the next revision project.

Busy times ahead.

Also, if the attached photo is any indication, I anticipate a few roadblocks... Wait, maybe the little guy is there for support... Nah.

And look, do you see that stack of paper there next to Lightning Boy? That's a manuscript, an honest to goodness book. Yeah, baby, it's a book!

Follow the Revision Road

In pulling together the separate chapter files that comprise the first book in Series #1, the road to revision stretches out into the distance.

First of all, I have to admit, pulling the individual working chapter files together into one single file solidified that, yes, this IS a book. Being in the fictional world while writing a draft of a book tends to be very different than entering the fictional world via revision.

The bricks that make up Revision Road are many.

The items on my Revision Checklist for each scene/chapter include include:

• Spell Check
• MyWriters Tools
• External Environment Layering:
  - Weather
  - Outside bldg. details
  - Outside sounds
• Layering Outward / Physical Details:
  - Hair/eye color
  - Height/weight
  - Style of clothing
  - Facial expressions
  - Body language
  - Visceral Reactions
• Senses Layering:
  - Sight
  - Hearing
  - Touch
  - Smell
  - Taste
  - Pain
  - Temperature
  - Time
  - Motion/Acceleration
  - Direction
  - Balance
• Anchoring:
  - POV
  - When / Time passed
  - Where
  - Current Feeling
  - Voice
  - Dialogue / Tags
• Scene Review:
  - Beginning Hook
  - Exposition
  - Backstory
  - Sensory Details
  - Emotions
  - GMCD Clear
  - Themes/Motifs
  - Ending Hook
  - Pacing
• Foreshadowing:
  - Plant
  - Payoff
• AutoCrit (Details):
  - Typos
  - Repetition
  - Continuity/Timeline
  - Clarity (Who’s who)
• MyWriter Tools Round 2
• Spell Check Round 2
• Levels (1 thru 10):
  - Level of Caring
  - Level of Worry
  - Level of Conflict
  - Level of Tension
• Character Growth Arc
• Beginning Scene Pacing
• Middle Scene Pacing
• Ending Scene Pacing
• Overall Scene Pacing
• Dragon Speaks Reading

By reading each chapter, I enter a fictional world and make sure that each of the above items are layered into the story and/or applied to the revision process (such as using MyWriter Tools, AutoCrit, the Pacing Techniques from You Can Write a Novel by James V. Smith Jr., and Dragon Speaks Naturally).

There are some rewrites--amazingly, I've learned a few little somethings during the process of writing the series--then I weave in the above to ensure the scene and chapter best entertains the reader and the writing and characters best connect with the reader.

Revision first, editing next.

What a journey this has been and continues to be.

Work Ahead (Revising)

While drafting is more about getting in the mood, revision is more like showing up for work. Lots of light, sit at the keyboard, and work. Just as if you were performing a work task, there are steps for revision.

While different methods works for different folks, my own methods include several concise, repeatable steps.

To set the office-type atmosphere for revision (thanks Kat Duncan for your guidance), I ensure the following:

• Lots of light (overhead lighting plus lamps)
• No music playing
• No special scents
• Revision Checklist front and center
• Colored pens and highlighters at the ready
• Cathy Yardley's Rock Your Revisions at hand

My revision steps include:

1. Print out entire manuscript
2. Mark blatant grammar errors that scream for attention
3. Read manuscript
4. Highlight margins of manuscript where the story lags
5. Focus on and read individual chapter
6. Mark up hard copy
7. Edit chapter on screen
8. Run Spell Check
9. Run MyWriter Tools
10. Apply changes using MyWriter Tools suggestions
11. Perform layering editing (add environmental details, senses, reaction to POV character, sentence details)
12. Focus on and check off items on Revision Checklist (scene anchoring; scene review; scene details; levels of carrying, worry, conflict, and interest; and pacing) [Revision Checklist blog post forthcoming]
13. Paste chapter into AutoCrit and run analysis
14. Address AutoCrit categories (overused words, sentence variation, cliches & redundancies, repeated words & phrases, pacing, dialog, initial pronouns, readability, and homonyms) in chapter
15. Run MyWriter Tools again
16. Apply changes using MyWriter Tools suggestions again
17. Run Spell Check again
18. Move on to next chapter

Lots of steps and a tad tedious, but the process works, and this writer gal's working the revision process!

Revision Week Ahead!

Someone suggested, instead of dividing up a day or spacing out parts of the week for drafting and revising, that I take a full week for each activity. (Alexa smacks forehead with palm, shakes head and mutters, "Why didn't I think of that!")

Light bulb moment, indeed!

Focusing on the individual process for a full week makes so much sense. No changing gears and no feeling pulled away from the other activity. A positive is going to be seeing a significant increase in progress during a longer time span.

I'm excited about the specific drilled down focus. If taking week about with drafting and revision works well, I hope to be more prolific in both first drafting and revision.

I will be tracking and comparing progress to previous weeks. Also, I will be keeping an open mind and welcome flexibility. Perhaps considering a month about is in order. I might be able to complete more writing by first drafting for an entire month, complete the first draft in that time-frame, and then spending the next thirty days revising and editing. (The idea is quite appealing!)

Due to other activities this week, revision is the better choice. So, for this week, revision it is!

Changing Gears (First Drafting versus Revision)

First Drafting and Revision are completely different activities. The consistent and continued writing of first draft material is an integral part of my full-time writing process. For publication of my books, revision is also a necessary and welcome part of book writing.

Kat Duncan, writer mentor and coach extraordinaire, suggested the following in regard to changing gears between First Drafting and Revision.

Gear down for first drafting, since first drafting is an "in the zone" activity:

• Peace and quiet
• Comfortable chair
• Dim lighting
• No interruptions
• Mentally picturing what characters are doing

Gear up for revision/editing:

• Office-like atmosphere
• Strong lighting
• Cup of coffee or tea
• Short-term deadline
• Number of pages goal within short-term deadline

Since my goal is to write full-time and to make a living doing the same, a single writing day must consist of doing both; therefore changing gears between First Drafting and Revision is a daily requirement. Following Kat Duncan's suggestions for changing gears has become a key part in my reaching that goal!

Rock Your Revisions

I recently finished my 2nd First Draft of Book #1, Series #1, and Cathy Yardley just released Rock Your Revisions. When I discovered Rock Your Revisions was available, I hopped out of my desk chair and did the happy-happy-joy-joy dance (not a pretty sight, but what I lack in coordination and rhythm, I make up in enthusiasm).

The Amazon book description of Rock Your Revisions is as follows:

Do you feel overwhelmed trying to revise your novel?

Faced with a hot mess of rough draft, maybe you feel confused, unsure of what to fix -- or rather, what to fix first!

Editing fiction takes a slightly different mindset than writing the first rough pass of a novel. There are a lot of moving parts in a work of fiction. The trick is to not try and tackle everything at once.

ROCK YOUR REVISIONS: A Simple System for Revising Your Novel will show you a clear, easy-to-follow process for editing a novel. It will help you:

- Test for story structure on a macro level, providing detailed checklists for character and plot arcs.

- Test for story structure at the scene level, making sure each serves a purpose in the novel (and hopefully more than one!)

- Gain insight on the mechanics of the novel -- checking POV choice, dialogue, exposition vs. detail (showing versus telling), and more, with a systematic scene-by-scene approach.

This book goes straight to the point, putting theory in plain language, adding illustrative examples, and finishing each section with exercises designed to help you see how to not only edit a novel, but improve your reader's enjoyment of your book.
___________________

Rock Your Plot has been and continues to be extremely helpful. Thank you, Cathy Yardley, for sharing your expertise. Today, I read and study. Tomorrow, I rock my revision.

The Red Cabbage Lady - Specifics in Revision

In my first draft, a former marine nicknames a woman the Vegetable Lady.

Sometimes single words or short descriptions themselves elicit emotions.

The word tree, replaced by the words oak or red maple, elicits a specific visual impression of the kind of tree, the type of leaf, bark, trunk/root growth near the ground, color, etc., and might even bring forth a reader's memory of picnicking beneath an oak or tossing snowballs beneath the snow clustered boughs of a maple.

The description bad guy might become jerk, creep, terrorist or predator. Each specific word elicits individual emotions, dependent on the reader's personal past experience.

To gain specificness for the Vegetable Lady nickname, I considered her sourness and bitterness and invasiveness. I wanted a name that said who she was.

The Vegetable Lady won all kinds of awards for her vegetables at the local fair, but at home she used a little boy to work her garden, sometimes late into the night, and she shut the boy away in the cellar when he got too tired or rebellious.

"You know, the Red Cabbage Lady from up on Carpenter's Ridge who sells at the farmer's market. Her cherry tomatoes are always the sweetest and tastiest. Best summer squash I ever ate. But it's the giant heads of red cabbage that got folk's attention."

Shuffling the Puzzle Pieces

The closest comparison I can come to the revision process for Book #1, Series #1, is to working with puzzle pieces.

For this comparison, please consider a scene of the story to equal one piece of a jigsaw puzzle.

Right now, I am trimming the pieces of my puzzle, going from 86 pieces to approximately 60 pieces, by combining and tightening several scenes.

Also, I will be shifting pieces of the puzzle around, relocating scenes, so that my finished puzzle will look somewhat different than my first attempt at putting the puzzle together.

A challenge, but a fun learning experience never-the-less, with my goal being to shuffle the puzzle pieces so that I end up with a more powerful, more strongly constructed puzzle.

Revision Plan

Revision Plan is just that. A plan to revise.

The four-page Critique Report from Cathy Yardley was an eye-opening, bang-up guide on how to tighten and strengthen the shape and focus of the story.

The comments within the manuscript are as valuable as flecks of gold to me.


My initial Revision Plan is simple:

• Tweak and rearrange index cards
• Limit Point of View to three (3) characters only
• Write a few new scenes
• Flesh out some existing scenes

 Current Goals:

• Redo Goal, Motivation, Conflict, Disaster (GMCD) Table
• Send Updated GMCD Table to Cathy for feedback

Additional Goals:

• Complete GMCs and GMCDs for Book #2
• Submit Info for Book #2 to Cathy

 Time-Frame:

• Reorganize scenes in the next week
• Submit GMCD Table for Book #1 by October 1st
• Submit GMC/GMCD Info for Book #2 by October 5th

Onward! (Thanks to Rock Your Writing's Cathy Yardley!)