Tuesday, April 26, 2011

Revisions are my life right now.

Do you ever get stuck while revising? Something just isn't working and you don't really know why or how to fix it?

Totally happening to me.

It's taken me about two weeks to figure out what the crap I'm doing with a scene in my book. I've changed it multiple times and have thought about it, worried about it, and finally put it away for a few days because it was stressing me out.

Well folks, I figured it out last night. Can I hear a hallelujah?!

Now I just have to go all the way through my book with a fine toothed comb and hopefully get all the kinks worked out. I'm so ready to be done with this book. I love it, but after reading it so many times it feels like I'm reading the same thing over and over and over and not finding anything new. All the lines blur together, and I can't seem to pick anything out that doesn't fit anymore. Hopefully I'll get it as perfect as can be before I send it off again. If not, I'll keep working on it. I just keep telling myself the book is better. It's getting better. And it is. It's just tedious working on the same thing over and over again. :)

Do you ever work on a book so much and almost know it by heart? Do you get stuck during revisions and have a hard time seeing things that shouldn't be there? Are there times when you don't want to change something, but after stewing about it for a while, finally realize it will make your book better?

Maybe it's just me...

15 comments:

Donna K. Weaver said...

Oh, yes. I call it the revision treadmill. You work and work and work yet it feels like you aren't getting anywhere. So glad you've gotten over your hump.

Maggie said...

Good luck. I like the revision treadmill name. Or maybe novelitis (as in senioritis) that time when you're so close, but still you have to drag yourself through the motions because you are SO DARN SICK OF THAT BOOK.

Ruth Josse said...

Hallelujah on your light bulb moment! And yes, sometimes I get so sick of rereading what I write and each time it looks more and more stupid. Breaks definitely help.

Unknown said...

Yay! Last night I figured out how to fix my own bear of a chapter too! (Hope it works.) Was there something in the air? Are the stars aligned?

Kayeleen Hamblin said...

I totally hear you. I'm quickly getting to that point in my own revisions. The only thing that keeps me combing through that manuscript is the occasional flash of brilliance that I find.

Kathryn Rose said...

Oh I hear ya. Before I sent my last completed WIP off to my betas, I reread/rewrote/revised three times before sending it off, and there were moments where I just wanted to punch the words in the face. A hard suggestion, but try to pull yourself away from it for some time to let bits of it get forgotten. You'll see it again with new eyes! :) Good luck!!!

Renee Collins said...

I'm SO there. I want to strangle this book, I'm so sick of it. But at the same time, I *know* I'm making it stronger.

So, I plod onward.

May we both have our work pay off soon!

amberargyle said...

I'm doing my final revisions before I send to my publisher. Hopefully we'll be done soon. After, party time.

Trisha said...

Well, I'm in revisionland right now and waiting on my crit partners to give me stuff to rip my current draft apart. ;) I'm working on getting all my chapters posted so they can then rip them apart. I sort of fear what lies in store, because one partner in particular is REALLY good at ripping my chapters new aholes, so to speak :P But at least I know she will give me good stuff to go on!

The Sisterhood said...

Hey Chantele,

Did you redesign your blog? (I don't remember what it looked like before, but I love it now. :-))

To answer your question: YES, I always get stuck during revisions (in fact, I'm stuck RIGHT NOW.) It's just hard for me to get into this part of the process. (I much prefer the "creation" part.) Strangely enough, I find it easier and more enjoyable to edit other people's work than mine!

And yes, I also feel like if I work too long on a chapter, I can't see the mistakes. I have found that the best cure for this problem is TIME and DISTANCE. Just let is sit for a few days and work on another section. The solution will come to you eventually!

Best of luck with this book!

Lorena

Raquel Byrnes said...

Awesome! So glad to hear things worked out for you.
Edge of Your Seat Romance

Valerie Ipson said...

Sounds like we can all relate!

Revisionland was an idyllic place in the beginning, but now things are turning scary and dark. My only hope is that every once in awhile as I'm plodding/plotting through I read something I didn't remember that I had changed and it makes me smile and I love my book again.

Chantele Sedgwick said...

@Donna Weaver That's a great name for it! "Revision Treadmill."
@Maggie Ha ha! Novelitis. That's a good one too!
@Ruth
I hate is when I get to the point that I'm so sick of my book. It happens though. On every book I revise. But then I end up loving it all over again. :)
@Robin Weeks I'm hoping my chapter is fixed too! We'll see. I'm always scared to send new stuff to my agent. But he's always so nice about it! I don't know why he freaks me out! LOL
@Kayeleen Hamblin I know what you mean about finding the occasional flash of brilliance. Sometimes I have to look pretty close! LOL
@Kathryn Thanks so much for the advice! I definitely think a break will help! :)
@Renee Collins I hope our work pays off soon! Maybe we can be sub-buddies! ;)
@Amber Argyle Final revisions would be SO awesome! Congrats!!
@Trisha Ha ha! You make me laugh. ;) It's nice to have a crit partner that will rip your work to shreds. I miss so much if they don't! Good luck!! :D
@The Sisterhood I did redesign my blog. ;) Thanks so much! I'm sorry you're stuck on revisions as well. It's not fun!! But it's nice and shiny when you're all done! :D
@Raquel Byrnes Thanks! :D
@Valerie Ipson Same with me. As I'm reading through it I notice things that I changed and LOVE! Hopefully I'll be done revising soon. It's taken a toll on my brain! :D

Candice said...

That is such a good feeling to finally figure it out! Sometimes when I get stuck I have to have help from fresh eyes. Thanks goodness for good readers.

Shallee said...

Yay for figuring out that scene! And yes, I know exactly how it feels to revise until you never want to see the story again. Except you still do. :) We writers are full of contradictions!

Good luck with the revisions.