It’s finally begun. After a couple of weeks off (and a week of getting organized), I started rewriting my story this weekend.
To get organized, I wrote out most of the main characters arcs and took notes during my reread of obvious gaps, problems, and themes I could carry better through the next draft. I could probably outline forever but, at a certain point, there’s nothing else to do but start writing again.
My approach to rewriting has been to literally rewrite every scene. With Scrivener, it’s easy to look at two scenes side-by-side, so I retype and edit, add as I go, even for scenes where there are only a few changes. It’s comforting to know that every sentence is getting another look — it helped me push through the trash draft in the first place.
“Writing a first draft is like groping one’s way into a dark room, or overhearing a faint conversation, or telling a joke whose punchline you’ve forgotten. As someone said, one writes mainly to rewrite, for rewriting and revising are how one’s mind comes to inhabit the material fully.”
Ted Solotaroff
I’m very early on in the rewriting, but it’s exhilarating and so far (knock on wood) much easier than the initial draft. Even for scenes that have completely changed, having at least the bare bones to work with propelled me forward.
I’m only about 11.5K words into the rewrite. The first draft was just under 70K but I’m anticipating this one we’ll be longer, closer to 80K. We’ll see.
Here are my last sentences written (or rewritten) from this past week:
- 6/4: Cora reads my silences better than most.
- 6/5: I let out a huff and lean into her.
- 6/6: I wished harder the I didn’t miss him, but it didn’t matter.
- 6/7: I don’t ask.
- 6/8: I decide to spend the day not taking notes.
- 6/9: But even as I think this I walk over and pick up the can, shake out the sugary dregs onto the ground, and put the trash in my backpack.
- 6/10: And don’t raise your voice to me again.
With Love,
Natalie