Venture inside the writing process, says guest blogger Laura Jane Cassidy:
Often when authors are asked to give their number one tip to aspiring writers, they reply with ‘Read, read, read’.
I know that reading is important, but I think rewriting is even more so.
When you read a book you are looking at the finished product, and in most cases it’s the result of a lot of rewriting. I watch an insane amount of movies, but that doesn’t mean I’d be any good at making one.
Just like a budding filmmaker has to get off her couch and out with a video camera, as an aspiring writer you have to venture right inside the writing process. You have to try things out, move chapters, delete paragraphs, add plotlines, scrap characters, change sentences and change them back again.
I wrote three drafts of my first novel Angel Kiss before I sent it out to agents, and I found rewriting tough. But it was an exhilarating kind of exhaustion and when I saw my book improving with each draft, I knew it was worth it.
During the rewriting process I asked a few people I trusted to read my book. I considered their opinions, listened to the advice of published writers, went with my gut instinct and didn’t stop rewriting until I knew my book was the best it could be.
When I got a publishing deal there was even more rewriting to be done.
Since signing with Puffin last November I’ve been steadily working with my editor, making changes to my book. People often ask if I mind changing things. Initially it was difficult, seeing all that red pen on my manuscript was a little disheartening. But now I absolutely love the editing process. Every piece of advice my editor gives helps to evolve Angel Kiss into something I’m really proud of.
These days it’s very easy and very tempting to diverge from the traditional publishing path, and thus risk bypassing the editing process. I naively thought that an editor’s job was just to check things like grammar and continuity, but since signing with Puffin I’ve realised the extent of the invaluable direction an editor gives.
Just like a rising actor can’t excel without a good director, I believe that an emerging writer needs the guidance of an editor. They are the Tim Burton to your Johnny Depp, and they are definitely worth holding out for.
So what’s my number one tip? ‘Rewrite, rewrite, rewrite.’
Best wishes,
Laura Jane
Laura Jane Cassidy writes supernatural crime for teens and her first novel Angel Kiss will be published by Puffin in summer 2011. She blogs about writing, reading and other stuff at First Three Chapters.
Laura Jane, there was a time I thought a writer came before the paper and words easily flowed from the pen. That's how I thought the great writers like Campbell, Joyce and even Shakespeare had written. If I could'nt do that and finish a work, it was because I did not have the gift, and therefore I was not a real writer. But I loved writing so much, I overcame the mental obstacles and experience has since taught me better. Which is why I agree with your honest advice of write and rewrite. Repetition is the practice that makes perfect. You’re very fortunate to have an editor to guide you. I wish I could say the same for my book. Good luck with your book. It is excitingly anticipated.
Talking about exciting, I found I’m one of five winners of the My Cat Is In Love With The Goldfish love poem competition found here: http://www.acblack.com/children/article.aspx?id=280
Congratulations to my fellow winners, they’ve all written wonderful poems. This is very special for me because it’s my first poetry competition entry and first win. What a wonderful way to start a career. Thank you everyone at A&C Black and Writers’ & Artists’. I love all of you!
Xean
6/7/2/2010
Laura you are so right on the rewrite advice. I used to have a weekly column with the Times of India and I found it was the most important lesson I learnt. And still the editor would find things to improve my articles. Sometimes I would think to myself ‘he’ll not find anything to change this time.’ He always would and I would look at the returned copy and think how right he was. He might just drop a sentence or slightly rephrase and I always thought it improved things.
Well except for once when it went horribly wrong. I had submitted late and the editor changed the article and published without letting me see the changes. My article on Transport Infrastructure (yawn) was changed to imply that I was of the opinion that all Indians didn’t need transport and should walk everywhere. It caused a bit of a stir and I ran the risk of being lynched for a while. I hasten to add that my article didn’t suggest anything of the sort. Still the positive side was that debating societies discussed my article for months and I received plenty of interesting mail composed by cutting the letters out of newspapers.
A practical and thoughtful blog there, Laura Jane. Unfortunately writing doesn't seem to be my problem.
Of course, I'm more than happy to scrap sections of my novel and I've recently overcome a case of writers block but these both pale in comparison to what I fear most, finding an agent.
For some, finding an agent is a stressful and unpredictable time and when I've finally finished my manuscript I'll be no different, except for one elephant in the room reason, the genre, which in my case is Science-fiction. I get the sense from a lot of agents' websites that they think of Sc-Fi as a deep, dark hole that no one should jump in, that it'll be filled with stories of invaders from the planet Zog and flying saucers. But my novel isn't anything like this.
I'm constantly greeted with enticing websites from established agents, only to read 'No Sci-Fi' in the submissions guide.
Any advice for that?