Friday, July 17, 2009

Why is the last stretch always the longest?


My primary writing goal this summer was to revise my MG novel once more so I can send out the full. But so far, I've started and completed a short story from scratch within 10 days for a contest and written new scenes for my Work In Progress, a YA novel.

The MG revision is moving v-e-r-y slowly, mainly because the few things that must be changed are things that span the whole novel. I can't just revise two chapters; have to revise those chapters and follow the threads that they impact to make sure everything flows. And every time I write fresh passages, I have to oil and polish them and hide the seams. (Like my metaphors?) before they fit in smoothly with passages that have been re-read and revised many times.

They say the first step is the hardest. I don't know. Ending is at least as hard.

4 comments:

Sherrie Petersen said...

I'm at the same place!

I actually spent the morning reading and rereading the same two pages, trying to figure out how to do what I wanted to do. And I still haven't done it.

Tricia J. O'Brien said...

I was dragging about the rewrite I'm doing, too. I revised a short story, started a new novel, but then figured out where I wanted to start the rewrite and got going. I really made progress yesterday during that 5k challenge. Most of what I wrote looks like it will stay. So that shove worked for me.

tanita✿davis said...

At least as hard. I spend way too much time sanding and oiling and polishing and it's hard to let go!

MG Higgins said...

Another reviser and project hopper here. I'm also facing changes that affect the entire story (those nasty threads you mention). Such a drag! But satisfying when done. Hang in there! You'll get it done eventually and then you can move on to your other projects with a free conscience. At least that's what I'm promising myself.