Drafting, revising, editing, and writing productivity? Oh, my!

When I'm writing, I begin with a germ of an idea, an image, something that pulls me away from this moment. But when I actually start, I feel invisible, the story unfolds. It's about getting to that place so that I can write. So that I care so much about the characters and what they are doing, that the story drives me forward and the scenes spill onto the page (even a virtual page). 

Yep, that's my workstation!

Revising is entirely different. Now I'm concentrating on so many things at once that it takes me many, many times to 'finish' the story -- the sentence, the paragraph, the scene, the chapter, the section, the book itself. 

I'm not the most logical person, but working this way on different levels of the book helps me organize exactly what my focus is. 

Editing at the micro level takes me to the words themselves, the exact word, phrase, sentence; to shape the paragraphs, test the dialogue, the energy, the images of the characters, setting, and the intensity of the writing. Some writers call this copy editing.

Revising is more structural, here I'm working at the macro level, considering how scenes fit together (transitions), whether characters' actions fit their personal arc, whether conflict is sufficient (always a problem for me. Like Victorian writers, I want the 'bad stuff' to happen off scene).  Then to the chapter itself: Does this chapter hold true to itself -- and to the overall story? Some writers call this developmental writing or structural editing.

Either editing or revising requires a very different mindset from drafting.Sometimes checklists help me, but I'm pretty much a random, nonsequential writer, jumping into what pulls me back into the story and/or how I'm feeling on this particular day. Checklists (like those in Elizabeth Lyon's remarkable book, Manuscript Makeover) remind me of writing strategies I've forgotten or inspire me to look at the story from another vantage. 

For me, writing does begin with me sitting in front of the computer, relatively early, every morning. This year, I'm concentrating on editing and revising Rivers of Stone. At this stage, I have no real deadline, though wouldn't it be nice to improve my writing productivity?

Yes, it would. So, here are a few goodies to prompt our thinking about writing productivity:

Kevin J. Anderson's engaging and useful Eleven Tips to Increase Your Writing Productivity got me thinking. His first tip: "Shut up and write!"

If you are looking for more tools to use, Bakari Chavanu's "From Idea to Final Draft: How To Increase Your Writing Productivity" dives into useful computer add-ons, starting off with, "You don't have to be Stephen King to be a productive writer . . . "

Susan Lenard's "Increasing Your Writing Productivity: The Productivity Pyramid" builds from her personal experience to introduce a productivity pyramid, with fascinating looks at how other writers work. 

All of these are well worth a read. Now, what tricks or strategies do you use to improve your writing productivity? Share?

5 Ways to Get Feedback on Your Writing

You’ve thought about your overall plan, where you want to go as a writer, and what you’d like to accomplish long term. You already know what you’re writing about and probably have a writing routine that works for you. You have identified your writing strengths and areas that need work – whether that be revising or editing skills.

Photo by Ivanneth, "The Writer" (Flickr)

But I have one question for you. 

After you have revised and edited your story so many times you can't really look at it one more time, how do you get critical feedback?  

First, consider what you want feedback on: A chapter or two? An entire rough draft? Are you looking for quick feedback or do you want ongoing relationships with other writers that will help you strengthen your writing? Consider these options:

You could take a creative writing class. This more structured approach with assignments, deadlines, and accountability will still push you to share your writing and polish your critiquing skills. Check out your local community college or community center to find out what’s available.  Online workshops, like those offered by Holly Lisle, are another fine option.  Downside: Cost? Weekly commitment?

If you are just getting started on outlining or drafting and don’t have a finished rough draft, you may be most comfortable joining a small face-to-face writers' group that meets routinely. Such writers’ groups can accommodate a range of skills, genres, and styles. It may take some time to find a good fit with a face-to-face writers’ group, but the rewards are many in being able to talk with other writers about the craft of writing and sharing your work. Downside: The shoe may not fit if other members are defensive or too critical. Don’t stay in a small group that makes you feel uncomfortable or doubt your writing.

If you’re not able to find a small group in your area, why not try an online critique group. I’m most familiar with the critique group called NOVELS_L, a part of The Internet Writers Workshop.  Here, writers need to submit and/or critique two chapters each month, posting their critiques to the entire list of some 85 writers who currently active members of the list. Other IWW groups exist for short fiction, poetry, nonfiction. Downside: The volume of e-mailed submissions and critiques can be intimidating, but you will gain wonderful feedback and learn from writers who care as much as you do about the quality of your writing.

If you are tearing your hair out and just want a workbook approach to critiquing your writing, two of my favorites are Elizabeth Lyon, Manuscript Makeover, and Donald Maass, Writing the Breakout Novel. Both books provide extensive checklists and worksheets as well as discussing the art of writing and revision by emphasizing positive actions to take. Downside: It may be easier to start than to finish, even when each chapter is helpful.  

A very helpful option once you have that rough draft finished is to find a writer you trust to be a beta reader. Your beta reader will read your entire mss and give you critical feedback at the micro and macro level. Downside: Many writers pay for such critiques. This could be expensive. Some writers worry that their precious mss may be stolen (it does happen). But if you know your beta reader, his or her comments can make all the difference as you polish your rough draft. 

How do you “know” your beta reader or find her? Perhaps through that face-to-face writers’ group, or that creative writing class, or that online writing group you’ve joined.

Photo by Nana B. Agyei, Flickr

One last question: What do you do consistently to improve your writing craft? 

Besides writing!

On writing query letters . . .

Each day that I write, I've been editing and revising my historical novel, Standing Stones. Two resources have been very helpful -- the generosity and insights of writers participating in the Internet Writing Workshop and Elizabeth Lyon's Manuscript Makeover. Today, the Willamette Writer's newsletter highlighted a You-Tube presentation by Elizabeth Lyon, my editing heroine, speaking on query letters (just 8 minutes long).



I've heard other writers say that their characters come alive, hold conversations, and otherwise pester the writer to tell "their" story. I always thought this was silly, but in this second year of writing, my characters have begun to infiltrate my dreams. I awake with whole scenes that need to be integrated here or there or new insights into my characters that really do tell me what's next or explain what happened. Some days are slow. I feel inept as a writer. But then, a bit of research opens up new understanding or confirms what I thought I knew. And so I persevere. Perhaps one day I will actually finish this book and be at the stage to write that query letter. For now, I just write.