So, in an older post, I was talking about editing my novella and how I was heading towards the “end” of my process with this story. It makes me laugh now, because I am in no way close to the finish line.
I recently sent my novella out to a few trusted readers called Beta Readers. They are awesome people who are writers themselves or folks that just love to read and are eager to help authors improve their work. All in all, I received great feedback that the story was going well, but there were a few pieces or scenes that the readers wanted or didn’t like.
So, now that brings me to the stage I’m in… rewrites.
For me, rewriting is like a mix between editing and writing. It might not be the same for everyone, but this is how I approach it. I don’t start a blank document and rewrite the ENTIRE novella. That’s not my style and if I did that every time, I’d never get this novella finished. Instead I copy my last document and I go through and take pieces out or add pieces in. At the same time, I’m correcting any grammar mistakes that were mentioned in my feedback and fixing other issues.
Before I start the rewriting process, I go through my hand edit phase one more time. I like being able to see everything laid out in front of me so I can physically cross out, or write in certain things I want to take out or add. Also, this allows me to find any spelling mistakes that I miss while reading from a computer.
Yesterday, while working on my hand edit, I found out that I misspelled “backpack”… it was written “backpachick.” I don’t know how that happened… but it made me laugh because no one else brought that to my attention.
Some of you might think that rewrites are a daunting task and it would be tedious and boring. That’s not the case for me. I think rewrites are awesome and fun! It’s like solving a puzzle and figuring out what the missing piece is and how can you fit it in.
I love getting that feeling of accomplishment when I figure it out. Sometimes, I feel like I have to tell everyone and it’s usually just my husband who I end up telling. He doesn’t share the same level of my excitement, but he does acknowledge the achievement.
Don’t get me wrong, rewrites are daunting and tedious. That doesn’t mean it has to be boring. As a writer or an artist you’re learning as you go. It takes time and practice to mold your craft. You’ll never get it right on the first go. I think that’s why I enjoy writing and I’m sure that’s the reason why artists enjoying working on their creations. We all have that need to better our work.
This novella has been a learning process for me and I’m thrilled to know that the majority of the readers I’ve given this to have enjoyed the story. I’m excited to finish this up and be able to publish it for you all to read. It’s been such a journey and I’m a little sad to see it coming to an end, but I’m fired up to have it be finished.
Thanks for reading!
-Emi