If You Please

[mmerriam]

My question, O Wise and Glorious Flist, is this: how do you approach a major rewrite?

I've done big rewrites on shorter pieces, but never on a full novel. I seek your input and suggestions. Tell me how you attack this kind of project.

Share you wisdom and experience.

Comments

[gerardbrennan.livejournal.com]

I've only done it once, but I rewrote an 80K ms a few months ago. Not sure if you'll find this helpful, but here's how I tackled it.

It had gone through critters, so the first thing I did was action the suggestions I agreed with in the word document. Then I left it for four months. I'd intended to wait two months, but time flies.

Then I printed out a paper copy, read it with a red pen in my hand and underlined clumsy sentences, weeded out typos and made notes on places I felt lacked description or clarity.

After I made those small changes I read it again, making notes on the main characters and the plot, picking up the odd inconsistency.

A few more changes and I read it again.

Then I read the first three chapters three times before sending them out.

I've resisted reading it since.

gb