Just wrote a post for NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month), the organization that compels tens of thousands of people to write tens of thousands of words every November.
For those non-November months, NaNo has a series about rewriting your first draft, called “What Now?” And given that my next novel is about a young writer who is rewriting her novel, it seemed sensible for me to contribute.
This might be useful for those of you who are rewriting, and for the rest of you, I briefly discuss the themes of my new novel, Afterworlds.
Click here to read it.
Here’s the pull quote in fancy letterings:
Wow! I never get first comment! 😀
Nice advice. I’m not there quite yet (working on chapter 16 of a projected 22-25), but I’ll definitely use it whenever I’ve finished my current novel (hopefully before the year is out!) and start rewriting.
I have so many moments where I look back on how I reacted to certain situations, and I think about how stupid and naïve I used to be. And then I realize that in a few years, I’ll look back on how I am now and think the exact same thing. I can totally relate to the quote, because sometimes I reread old stories and look at old art I’d made and I’m amazed at how bad I was. However, just like looking back at old situations, I know that some day in the future I’ll be far better than I am now.
It’s kind of weird and astounding, really, at how things change so much with time.
Aah, thanks so much for this! And perfect timing too, I just finished the first draft of a longish short story and am soon to start the revision phase 😀 I can totally see the bit about realizing the young-ness in the beginning. I’m reading the beginning and a lot of it just seems really childish…anyway, thanks! 😀
Well, if the bit was amazing, there’s no reason to take it out, is there? Unless it doesn’t fit the rest of the book, why not leave it in?