Blogger: Rachelle Gardner
I spend a lot of time working with authors to edit and revise their proposals and manuscripts. I give notes and suggestions for improvements. Sometimes I take them through draft after draft, until everything seems just right.
I know it’s tiring for them, and sometimes frustrating to be pushed to go over it again and again, especially when they know they’ll go through more edits with their publisher. I admire every writer who does whatever is necessary, who keeps pushing through, who remains dedicated to making the work the best it can be.
This is what it takes to be good. When an editor pushes you to be your best, or when you push yourself, you’re doing exactly what’s necessary to rise above the hordes of regular writers to become a good writer. Along those lines, I read this powerful piece in the book Telling True Stories: A Nonfiction Writers’ Guide from the Nieman Foundation at Harvard University.*
No one, not even the greatest writers, creates good first drafts. “I have to write crap before I can write anything that is not crap,” says Walt Harrington, who has been writing well for thirty years. “Writing is thinking. It is an extension of the reporting process.” A first draft might have promising sentences or paragraphs, a brilliant conceptualization, a few surprising turns of phrase, or a sturdy framework. All that, however, will probably be barely visible, entangled in the general messiness of half-formed ideas. Those promising elements will reveal themselves as the writer begins to tease apart the mess with the next draft and the one after that.
Still, as you read through a flawed first draft, remember that the hardest work is behind you. You have moved closer to defining the topic and developed strategies for explaining it…. You have stared down the blank page and begun building something on it.
Good writing is far too complex to get right in one draft or two or five. Good writers are most often plain ol’ writers who go the extra mile and then a few more.
If you are struggling through draft after draft, trying to get it right, take heart. You’re going the extra mile, and then a few more. Keep putting in the work, and you will become a good writer.
Are you pushing yourself hard enough? Are you going through enough drafts to push yourself to be a good writer?
Tweetable:
“Good writers go the extra mile.” Encouragement from @RachelleGardner. (Click to Tweet.)
*Quote from Telling True Stories, p. 97, by Mark Kramer & Wendy Call.
Image credit: stocksnapper / 123RF Stock Photo
Appreciate this today as I could not even finish reading my first four chapters! My beta reader creamed me nicely . . . Sigh.
“As you read through a flawed first draft, remember that the hardest work is behind you.” You can do it, Michelle!
Yes, but it depends on the writer. The hardest part for many writers is getting black on white. The hardest part for other writers is finding the flaws and rewriting with a dispassionate reader’s ear. Yes, we’re on our way with black on white, but it’s all hard. Anyone looking for when it gets easier is probably better suited for typing, not writing. Writers get to work, every day, especially when it is hardest of all.
This reminds me of that cartoon strip, from decades ago, with the two large birds who worked for a newspaper. One was a cigar-smoking editor; the other a writer. In frame one the editor asks the writer, “Is that article finished yet?” The writer responds, “It’s 90 percent done.” In frame two he shuffles back to his messy desk. In frame three he feeds a blank sheet of paper into a typewriter and says, “The white part.”
Rachelle, you hit the nail on the head with this post.
I’m so thankful for the amazing content editor who helped massage my first manuscript. My agent continues to come alongside with encouragement and helpful insights to make it even better.
Last weekend I shared chapters from the second draft of my second novel (wow, that was a mouthful) with a few other authors. Each of them excelled in mentioning a specific area to strengthen. Theme, action, dialogue, setting, and so on. I came home from the retreat with a renewed commitment to make this book the best it can be.
On a side note, I appreciate how this blog is a safe place to address what Wendy mentioned in her post yesterday. The daily grind of the writing life with all its ups and downs. May the Lord continue to bless all of you as you seek His path for your writing.
Jenni, you are fortunate to have authors around you who will help you see how to make your manuscript better. 🙂 That’s a gift!
Jeanne, it really is a blessing. There’s alway room for improvement.
I have lost count of version numbers. But yes, Rachelle, you are right … every discipline, pursued with persistence, will refine our craft. A world class dancer cannot rely on a few practice sessions and some winging, not when eagle-eyed judges pick up on every single thing. In the rarefied air of world-class competition, being good enough cannot distinguish a work because everybody up there is good enough. There has to be an extra edge. I spoke and came second in a regional toastmaster’s competition, after practicing for hundreds of hours, but the winner practiced for 101’s of hours, although it was not just about practice but constant refinement. However, here is the rub, a truly polished work will have a deceptive lightness of being that belies the effort behind it. Refinement must be driven by our first cause … to reach the final arbiter of our work, the reader.
I do a lot of thinking in the car during my daily commute to work. Many ideas are thrice edited before I sit down with the keyboard. As the words leave my fingers, I realize that they don’t play nicely with the paragraphs before them and and give them a quick tweak. I read through a completed section, deleting and changing words as I go.
*Only then do I have a first draft. Let the editing begin!
“a truly polished work will have a deceptive lightness of being that belies the effort behind it.” Great way to put it, Peter!
This is encouraging. I’m working on my first draft for proposal and I often feel the pressure to get it right, right now. Knowing that revisions and many more drafts are expected removes some of the pressure I feel to have a draft totally finished and ready for publication before I even submit it to an agent.
Becky, keep up the great work!
Recently, an avid Christian fiction reader I know mentioned how much she appreciates the diligence of authors. She wants us to take ample time to make our work the very best. No need to rush, unless one is on deadline, of course. 😉
Thanks, Jenni!
I have a file box full of revisions of my YA first draft. It’s amazing (and laughable) how much the story has evolved and improved. Sometimes I dig out an old chapter and be like, “oh girl what were you thinking?” ?
Ditto!
So true. 🙂
Lara, that’s the life of a writer! Most authors feel exactly that way about their early published works.
If I had to read my first draft, it’d be because I was forced to do so by a court of law.
if I had to read it out loud to anyone? That is when I’d suddenly fall ill from, umm, “toostubbornandembarrasseditis”.
Such good words here. And permission to write a terrible first draft is good. When I can just get the words on the page, knowing I’ll have a chance to go back and fix it, gives freedom to let the words and ideas flow.
*Looking back on my first drafts of my books, they’re . . . BAD (but whose isn’t? 😉 ). I think the difficult thing must be knowing you have more work to do but a deadline that prevents you from doing all you know needs doing.
And once you have the first draft down, you’ve done the hardest work!
The final product aspire to the flawless freshness of that mythic first draft which leaps from the writer’s heart, Athena fully armed from the forehead of Zeus.
Obviously, “should aspire”, and just as obviously at least one draft too few.
Perfect description, Andrew! It’s a constant chase after that mythic first draft. I felt that way when I was painter. The finished painting never matched the inner vision yet I never lost hope that the next one would edge a bit closer. Same thing is happening now with my novels.
Thanks, Lori. I used to paint as well, and I know exactly what you mean.
* For those who may be interested, the SF writer Arthur C. Clarke wrote “The Lost Worlds of 2001”, in which he included a lot of early-draft material for what eventually became “2001 – A Space Odyssey”, and in it he describes the reasoning that led to the changes he chose to make.
* One that stuck with me was that initially he had several members of the crew of the spacecraft “Discovery” survive their encounter with that intelligence which they discovered among the moons of Jupiter…but in the end he realized that only one man need survive, much like Odysseus…”and I alone am escaped to tell thee.” (I think Jack London also used this arc in “The Sea Wolf”.)
* “The Lost Worlds of 2001” is long out of print, but you can still get it used, and since it’s such a good resource for a writer, here’s the Amazon link –
http://smile.amazon.com/Lost-Worlds-2001-Arthur-Clarke/dp/0451078659/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1445443844&sr=1-1&keywords=the+lost+worlds+of+2001
When I started this marathon, I thought it was a sprint.
Never intended to be a writer (other than the work-related writing I did regularly.)
God shook me from my sleep with a story to write, so I did. I didn’t even know what query meant – had to look it up. Looked up a list of agents for children’s books and asked God to show me a name. Of the hundreds listed I saw Rachelle Gardner.
“I think that is the one,” I thought, but kept looking. In the end, I came back to that name. “Yup, Lord, that must be the one.”
I wrote a poor query and because I was a complete idiot about writing, I thought my manuscript was ready.
I am sure Rachelle could see that I was completely unprepared and no where near ready to submit anything.
Crickets.
BUT, I found this blog. I found a supportive community and a safe place to knock around with others – novices like me and professionals together in our journey.
So I still believe that God sent me to Rachelle – only it wasn’t for the reason I thought. I still believe that God has called me to write – but I still don’t know the reason for that.
Yet, here I go: tap, tap, tap.
Sheila, there’s a poem that came to mind on reading your comment (and I would love to know who wrote it) –
We are those fools who would not rest
in the dull earth we left behind.
but burned with a passion for the West
and drank strange frenzy from its wind.
The world where wise men live at ease
fades fro our unregretful eyes
as blind across uncharted seas\we stagger on our enterprise.
So glad you found us, Sheila! Keep tap, tap, tapping away.
This is so on point, Rachelle. I signed with an agency in January and am still working on revisions. Do I wish I were a writing savant, an anomaly who gets it right on the first try? Why yes. Yes I do. But I am more thankful that I have people in my corner who have enough faith in me to develop my craft rather than cash in a quick paycheck.
I thought I was “done” writing this novel two years ago. I’m so grateful I wasn’t, and a year from now, when I’m revising again with an editor, I’m still going to feel thankful that I gave my readers all I had, and then some.
Those of us who love reading great fiction appreciate your dedication, Amanda!
So true. The editor in me could go on and on. And opinions are subjective. We have to be careful whose recommendations we take or consider. Trustworthy. Otherwise, we could have on our hands the never-ending story. 🙂 Your clients are blessed to have you, Rachelle.
Thanks, Shelli. All of us at Books & Such feel incredibly blessed to get to work with such amazing clients!
Rachelle, this is so true. I know that after I met you at the ACFW conference, you told me to go back and fix it. Even though that was tough to hear, I did, and the result was (I hope) a perfected manuscript. Much like metal needs to be heated to get rid of the impurities, a writer’s manuscript needs “heat” as well to become stronger! Thank you for speaking truth to me last month:)
You’re welcome, Jessica. Sounds like it was just what you needed, and I’m so glad!
This makes complete sense to me. It only stands to reason that writers take all the time they need to work their manuscripts into the best versions of themselves. But how does this square with the push to write more and write faster these days? It seems we’re told we need to *write the next thing* constantly. I wonder if this high speed production mentality causes some of us to write less well or need to edit more in the long run.
Hannah, I would love to hear how you experience this “push to write more and write faster these days” and where you’re sensing it comes from. It’s certainly not a “push” that any of the Books & Such agents foist on to our clients. And most of the publishers with whom we work are more concerned, as we agents are, with “doing it right rather than doing it fast.” Are there deadlines? Of course. Are there market considerations that suggest we don’t want to wait too long between books? Yes. But there’s no high speed production line, from where I sit.
We definitely tell people to “write the next thing” because you’re writers, and that’s what writers do! However, most of us don’t put any emphasis on doing it faster and faster.
However…. that huge, loud self-publishing community is VERY much into “write more and faster” because that’s how they make money. We can very well understand how/why that would be their mantra. But it’s not ours.
My comment wasn’t a veiled hint that this is the attitude of agents at Books & Such. Not at all. Rather, it’s aimed at what seems to be the prevailing attitude on lots of writing craft blogs, websites, etc. The mantra seems to be–write, write, and write some more, without taking a breath! I do write, every day, but I move slowly because I want to get things down as correctly as I can the first time so that I can cut down on the thousands of rewrites that other writers seem to suggest are inevitable. Are some rewrites necessary, of course. Jillions? No, thanks.
There is a large segment of the writing community that adheres to Heinlen’s Rules:
http://www.sfwriter.com/ow05.htm
This is a push to write fast, do little editing, and publish ASAP. Heinlen’s thought seems to have been you learn more and develop faster as a writer by writing new stuff rather than re-writing already written stuff. I see this touted over and over.
“Still, as you read through a flawed first draft, remember that the hardest work is behind you.”
Amen!
It does get frustrating and tedious those times I’ve reached the twentieth draft of a scene or chapter and it STILL isn’t quite there yet, but my absolute favorite part of this writing process is the second, third, fourth, even fifth draft of a scene, when I’m playing with words and deeper ideas and my mind is freed up from getting that initial framework on the page.
Lori, the ‘deeper ideas’ you mentioned are powerfully portrayed in your writing. Thankful for the effort and passion you put into the process.
Thank you, Lori, for sharing your heart. You always make me want to be better … and better.
It might be germane to look at the remake of a film as a sort of metaphorical ‘second draft’, done by other hands.
* A good example is “The 3:10 to Yuma”. The original, from 1957, is an excellent Western of the era, but there are areas in which improvement is possible (as seen through the lens of almost 60 years); there are ‘dead spots’, and character motivation isn’t as strongly developed as it could have been, perhaps playing on the Western stereotypes of the time.
* The 2007 version fleshes out the characters much more convincingly; the desperation of the nearly-bankrupt rancher Dan Evans is palpable, as is the quietly cultured menace of the outlaw Ben Wade.
* The modern version has more action, and more ‘grit’ (which at times is distracting), and the story arc ends in a different place, but the remake is, I think, quite faithful to the vision of the original (and much of the dialogue has been retained in the remake, which was a very good idea).
* Interestingly, the remake is more explicitly Christian; Ben Wade quotes Scripture, and the sincere use thereof illuminates what could have been a stock villain in the true chiaroscuro of our shared humanity.
* See them sequentially, and I think one might come away with some good ideas to build muscle onto the physique of a good story.
Thanks for the uplifting post, Rachelle. I’ve been cleaning up a messy first draft. Your encouragement couldn’t have come at a better time.
I visited a fourth grade class years ago when I was in the early stages of my writing journey. They were eager to hear about my writing process. At one point I asked them to guess how many times I’d rewritten my story. The guesses of one, two and three poured in. When I told the the number was actually seventeen, their chins hit the floor. (And that was before Rachelle offered me representation, guided me through a massive rewrite and sold the story!)
The teacher greatly appreciated my visit. He said that before I came, his students balked when he asked them to perform a single rewrite. After I came, they no longer complained. 🙂
Some people call me a writer. In reality, what I really am is a re-writer. 🙂
Keli, I have many times used you as an example of someone who is a naturally gifted writer, yet works hard to nurture and perfect the craft. You are a master re-writer!
This is so encouraging today, Rachelle. I am staring at a terrible first draft, working on a ms. where I am in my 11th draft, and a ms. where I am in my 6th draft and looking at some new rejections in my inbox…but hope springs eternal. Perhaps even these shall shine one day. Thank you for your words.
Phew, sounds like you’re working hard Kristen! But isn’t it a great job to have? I love your spirit and your diligence.
Writing is a process, and part of the process is revising and reworking the story. I constantly review, edit, and rewrite at the same time I am moving forward. I am learning and improving as I go, and that requires me to go back and tweak some things. I look at my published book and keep thinking I need to re-do the whole thing. Luckily I am way too busy for that.
Yes, Steve, it’s dangerous to read that published book! In the writer’s mind, it’s never done. I’m glad you’re too busy to look back!
Thanks so much for this post, Rachelle!! I needed to hear it!! 🙂 I’m struggling through about a sixth or seventh edit of a manuscript and it’s difficult going. I do know the story is so much stronger for it though which excites me! This encouraging post is much needed to press on. Thanks again!
It relieves me to read this. I’m working with an agent for the first time time and worry she’ll get frustrated because my work still isn’t perfect. I don’t mind hard work, but the learning curve is steep. I’m a librarian who reads great authors. After reading Rick Bragg’s introduction to his new book yesterday, I had to drop my head to my desk. Writing is an intimidating process.
I take comfort and encouragement from knowing my agent will tell me if something needs to be worked over, because that means she is on my team making sure I get my ‘best’ out there. Years ago I went into a recording studio and made a couple of country/gospel tapes (those things that played music before CDs). The sound guy/producer on the first one had perfect pitch. I don’t. He was fabulous, and made me ‘do over’ several cuts, singing through a phrase simply for the one word in the center that was a tad off key and he’d punch in the ‘do over’ when we got to the word. It was a lot of work and worth every second. I didn’t get the same producer for the second tape. I’d lay down the song, and he’d look up through the glass and say, “Sounds good. What’s the next one.” I was devastated. I knew it wasn’t ‘good’ or as good as it could be, but he wasn’t there to help me make it better. And that second release wasn’t as good as the first one. To me, agents and editors help writers tighten their pitch and delivery, and we all end up with a better product. Thank you, Books & Such agents, for doing that very thing.
And sometimes you look back over your life when you’re nearing its end, and if feels so much like it was a first draft. All you can do is leave it in the hands of the Almighty, in the hope that He can somehow make sense of the ash-pile, and bring beauty, or at least meaning from it all. I’m so tired, and I can’t. Over to you, God.
He can, Andrew. He will. He started with dirt. Imagine what He can do with a person who says,”Over to you, God”?
Thanks, Davalynn. That hope is all I have today; perhaps all I ever really had.
You are right, Andrew. Our life on this planet is like a rough draft and God is the ultimate agent/editor. In order to strive for perfection, we must listen to His direction.
Absolutely, Lara.
Thank goodness those authors have you, Rachelle. Not too many editors/agents help authors to the extent you describe. What a blessing! J.P.
Great blog, as usual, Rachelle! Needed to hear these words.
Thanks for your encouragement though I know stories of people who never stop redrafting because they’re afraid it’s not “perfect enough”, which is another way of avoiding rejection in the first place. The author’s version never will be perfect. Which is why an editor, who is passionate about the story, is so essential. Flawless debut novels I can think of are Weisgarber’s “The Personal History of Rachel Dupree” and Stockett’s “The Help”. They WERE perfect, but only because someone obviously led them out of the woods so that they could look at the trees again.
Rachelle, thanks for the encouragement to work tenaciously and persevere. Would you mind answering a question for me? When do we know that it is time to bring our work to a professional editor? I’ve rewritten my manuscript so many times, but now I am second guessing my improvements…unsure whether I am making the novel better or worse. Also, if we choose to pay an editor before submitting a proposal, how much should we expect to pay per hour for their services.
After reading this, I’m curious to know how you do tell if the draft is good enough to move forward. Clearly its not the proposal or the writing alone if you spend that much time with authors perfecting it. Is it the idea and the hint of good writing and marketability?
Please,Whose quote was “Behind every great (or was it good) writer is Book and Such?