What's next?
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What's next?
Hey everyone!!! So I have a question, what do you normally do when you finish a novel? For me it's always been, finish a novel, work on the first page or two of the next one, and then take a small break from writing before I go into edits. So, I wondering what do all of you do?
Sarah- Level 5
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Join date : 2011-02-07
Age : 28
Re: What's next?
When I finish a novel I allow myself a little triumphant celebration and then I shelve it. I don't think about it or look at it for the next... oh, however long I want. Usually a couple weeks to a couple months. It depends on if I have another project to work on in the mean time.
Then I'll go back, re-read the whole thing and then start either re-writing it, or re-plotting or both.
Then I'll go back, re-read the whole thing and then start either re-writing it, or re-plotting or both.
Re: What's next?
Wow, you have way more will power than I do! I normally have it back down off the shelve in a week I keep having to remind myself that the edits will be a lot better if I don't read it for a month or so
Do you like the re-writing and re-plotting? For me I found that I really like that part (which is what I call my first and second edits) but then after that the edits become torture for me!
Do you like the re-writing and re-plotting? For me I found that I really like that part (which is what I call my first and second edits) but then after that the edits become torture for me!
Sarah- Level 5
- Posts : 905
Join date : 2011-02-07
Age : 28
Re: What's next?
I have that same problem! Haha, right when I finished my first novel, I went right back to the beginning and started line-editing for typos and misspellings and stuff like that. I've had to rewrite the whole thing since then, but those initial edits were ill-advised, and probably my least favorite part of writing. Rewriting/re-plotting feels like creating something completely new, so it's fun and exciting. But line-editing? ...Yay, I replaced 'their' with 'there'. Woot.Sarah wrote:Wow, you have way more will power than I do! I normally have it back down off the shelve in a week I keep having to remind myself that the edits will be a lot better if I don't read it for a month or so
Do you like the re-writing and re-plotting? For me I found that I really like that part (which is what I call my first and second edits) but then after that the edits become torture for me!
I think, from now on, I'll make myself set aside a finished project for at least a week and a half, meanwhile working on something completely different, before diving back into it. Of course, it's taking me so long to finish my rewrites right now, I've already forgotten the first half of the novel. Heh, slow and steady wins the race, right?
Re: What's next?
Yeah, re-writing and re-plotting is fun because it is something knew but line edits really suck! And I don't like the words there, their, and they're anymore because when I typing I don't think about the context I just pick one and put it down. Yes, as you guessed, the line edits were torture lol. And don't even get me started on your and you're! It actually got funny after a while because when I was supposed to use the work your I used you're and when I was supposed to use you're I used your haha. It was only funny for a little bit though.
I wish I set my work aside for longer! I set one aside for almost a month once but it probably didn't do much good because I was working on it's sequel while it sat there
When it comes to edits slow and steady wins the race! (ok maybe I'm only saying that because I am a huge procrastinator when it comes to edits)
I wish I set my work aside for longer! I set one aside for almost a month once but it probably didn't do much good because I was working on it's sequel while it sat there
When it comes to edits slow and steady wins the race! (ok maybe I'm only saying that because I am a huge procrastinator when it comes to edits)
Sarah- Level 5
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Join date : 2011-02-07
Age : 28
Re: What's next?
Sarah wrote:Yeah, re-writing and re-plotting is fun because it is something knew but line edits really suck! And I don't like the words there, their, and they're anymore because when I typing I don't think about the context I just pick one and put it down. Yes, as you guessed, the line edits were torture lol. And don't even get me started on your and you're! It actually got funny after a while because when I was supposed to use the work your I used you're and when I was supposed to use you're I used your haha. It was only funny for a little bit though.
I wish I set my work aside for longer! I set one aside for almost a month once but it probably didn't do much good because I was working on it's sequel while it sat there
When it comes to edits slow and steady wins the race! (ok maybe I'm only saying that because I am a huge procrastinator when it comes to edits)
Me too, about the procrastinator bit! I'm SO BAD with pushing it off and pushing it off and then I'll randomly lose interest in it. O.O
I confuse "its" and "it's" way too many times. I also have a bad habit of writing 'breathe' without the 'e' and writing 'loose' instead of 'lose'.
Re: What's next?
Same here! I started drafting my family into helping me with edits except it gets a little annoying when after two chapter they look up at you and start explaining the difference between your and you're. Then I have to explain the whole "quick write it while it's in your head" thing that writers do lol.
I still can not get the difference between it's and its! I mix up loose and lose too, either I mean lose and I put loose or I mean loose and I put lose. Since I started writing I have found a great respect for all the foreigners that have to learn english, I grew up with it and I'm not verh good at it! I couldn't imagine learning it.
I still can not get the difference between it's and its! I mix up loose and lose too, either I mean lose and I put loose or I mean loose and I put lose. Since I started writing I have found a great respect for all the foreigners that have to learn english, I grew up with it and I'm not verh good at it! I couldn't imagine learning it.
Sarah- Level 5
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Join date : 2011-02-07
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Re: What's next?
Haha, I drop the 'e' in 'breathe' a lot. I don't remember where I read it, but apparently your brain processes when you've misspelled or mistyped something, and there's a tiny, unconscious hesitation for the next few words. I'm getting better at noticing it--I'll pause and go back and read, like, 'it's run it's course--hmm...it is run it is course?', and that helps me catch the its/it's problems, and other homophone nasties.Lizzy wrote:
Me too, about the procrastinator bit! I'm SO BAD with pushing it off and pushing it off and then I'll randomly lose interest in it. O.O
I confuse "its" and "it's" way too many times. I also have a bad habit of writing 'breathe' without the 'e' and writing 'loose' instead of 'lose'.
Re: What's next?
Yup, yup. I pretty much do the norm also. I finish it, don't look at it for a few weeks, then go back to it to revise/edit. Then while I'm editing/waiting-for-feedback-from other's, I start a new project, which is what I'm going to be doing soon.
Re: What's next?
Lol, that seems to be the normal for everyone. It's nice to know I'm not the only one
So your about to finish a WIP? Or finish editing one?
So your about to finish a WIP? Or finish editing one?
Sarah- Level 5
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Join date : 2011-02-07
Age : 28
Re: What's next?
Sarah wrote:Lol, that seems to be the normal for everyone. It's nice to know I'm not the only one
So your about to finish a WIP? Or finish editing one?
Aha.
I just finished editing one and as I'm twiddling my thumbs waiting for feedback, I've mused about my next story. What stage are you at regarding WIPs?
Re: What's next?
You must be happy to be done with edits! yay, you sent it off for feedback! *gets excited and nervous for you* is the new story your thinking about going to be a sequel to the one you just finsihed or a new one all together?
I just finished edits on one of my WIP and I'm half way through writing my next WIP (I hate edits so I have to have something fun to reward myself with to get through them hence being halfway through my next novel lol)
I just finished edits on one of my WIP and I'm half way through writing my next WIP (I hate edits so I have to have something fun to reward myself with to get through them hence being halfway through my next novel lol)
Sarah- Level 5
- Posts : 905
Join date : 2011-02-07
Age : 28
Re: What's next?
Sarah wrote:You must be happy to be done with edits! yay, you sent it off for feedback! *gets excited and nervous for you* is the new story your thinking about going to be a sequel to the one you just finsihed or a new one all together?
I just finished edits on one of my WIP and I'm half way through writing my next WIP (I hate edits so I have to have something fun to reward myself with to get through them hence being halfway through my next novel lol)
Lol!
The new story I'm thinking about stars one of my really minor characters from my first novel. The poor guy gets no light in my current WIP, yet I randomly just thought up his whole history and future in one car ride and thought I must write a novel for him. lols. ^^ I think I'm going to have fun with it, and some of my other characters will play a part in his novel as well.
That's so cool! Editing isn't that fun for me either (unless it's a fun scene!). I wish I could work on many projects at once, but I just end up focusing on one.
Re: What's next?
Lizzy wrote:@Mayaah who do you send your work to for feedback?
Currently, I have three beta readers. One I met on Critique Circle and we exchange writing to critique. The other two volunteered because I put up a sort of "ad" on the NaNoWriMo forums, in the Critiques, Feedback, and Novel Swaps forum. I plan on trying to get more from the Absolute Write forums. Yeah, so total strangers. I know their names, though! Aha.
Re: What's next?
Mayaah wrote:
Currently, I have three beta readers. One I met on Critique Circle and we exchange writing to critique. The other two volunteered because I put up a sort of "ad" on the NaNoWriMo forums, in the Critiques, Feedback, and Novel Swaps forum. I plan on trying to get more from the Absolute Write forums. Yeah, so total strangers. I know their names, though! Aha.
That's cool! Hey, total strangers or not if they give good feedback and don't steal your work, who cares. I probably should try to find some people to critique my work.
Re: What's next?
@Mayaah I love it when that happens! You're just sitting there and then all of a sudden an idea pops into your head! It sounds like that's going to be a fun book to write!
I focus and write only one book at a time but when one books is being edited I'll let myself start the next one.
I focus and write only one book at a time but when one books is being edited I'll let myself start the next one.
Sarah- Level 5
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Join date : 2011-02-07
Age : 28
Re: What's next?
This probably sounds really vanilla, but I let it sit for a while, then edit and edit until I'm blue in the face.
Re: What's next?
I really wish I could do that! I have no patience for edits! It's something I'm trying to work on
Sarah- Level 5
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Join date : 2011-02-07
Age : 28
Re: What's next?
AWriterGoneMad wrote:This probably sounds really vanilla, but I let it sit for a while, then edit and edit until I'm blue in the face.
Same as Sarah said, I lose patience with edits really fast. It helps to have someone kicking me to continue (which I usually don't...) so I'll tend to call the novel a "practice" and move on without editing.
Re: What's next?
lol what I normally have to do to motivate myself is tell my mom or dad that I'll have it ready for them to read on a certain day so it forces to to edit.
Sarah- Level 5
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Join date : 2011-02-07
Age : 28
Re: What's next?
Sarah wrote:lol what I normally have to do to motivate myself is tell my mom or dad that I'll have it ready for them to read on a certain day so it forces to to edit.
I've been telling my dad forever that I'll have the book ready for him. He hasn't seen it yet.
Re: What's next?
Lizzy wrote:AWriterGoneMad wrote:This probably sounds really vanilla, but I let it sit for a while, then edit and edit until I'm blue in the face.
Same as Sarah said, I lose patience with edits really fast. It helps to have someone kicking me to continue (which I usually don't...) so I'll tend to call the novel a "practice" and move on without editing.
I can kick you, lol. You shouldn't write everything off as "practice." If you have a good idea/polished MS, you should send it in! If not, you're only rejecting yourself.
Re: What's next?
Aww that sucks! What about your mom? Well, I'm here if you want someone to critique it
Lol run Lizzy, run!
Lol run Lizzy, run!
Sarah- Level 5
- Posts : 905
Join date : 2011-02-07
Age : 28
Re: What's next?
AWriterGoneMad wrote:
I can kick you, lol. You shouldn't write everything off as "practice." If you have a good idea/polished MS, you should send it in! If not, you're only rejecting yourself.
LOL! You're right... but I haven't written that novel (yet) where I feel it's well-constructed enough. That day will come...
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