Howdy-doody?
Just an update. As if you guys can’t live without hearing what I’m up to, since I haven’t posted since—omg—Sunday! I know you’re all frantic. I know you were all wondering.
Okay, I know better. 
I’m feeling the pressure of impending doom if I do not write up a storm, so I’ve been writing up a storm. Hustle time. And part of that, for me, is doing a TON of reading of my WIP while writing.
I don’t know how most writers are, but I read my WIP all the way through at least three or four times a week. At minimum, I start every day reading two chapters before the one I’m working on. Since I always tweak and pick and fix as I go, this can take awhile. This is not fast reading.
My memory is what it is, and it definitely is not hers. I have to do all that reading in order to remember the details and threads, and to iron out the pacing. Keep the flow going.
This is probably part of my confusion with “drafts.” I write one draft. It’s not done until it’s done, and if I had to re-write, the draft wouldn’t be done. If it needed fixing, it wouldn’t be done. Hence, one draft.
As for my 365-book challenge, now that I’m 45K into my WIP, all this re-reading is cutting into my reading time. I am not giving up, though! I’m at day 26 and I’ve read 19 books. I’m halfway through quite a few, so I don’t feel too behind. I’m listening to Until I Find You by John Irving, which is definitely my favorite of the month.
As far as my adventures, we’ve got a Jeep that’s decided to fall apart. I’m doing as little as possible by way of travels, which is fine: this year is about saving up for an upgrade and writing up a storm. So although I’m anxious to see new places, I’m excited with the focus of my year: reading and writing.
As long as I’m doing it in a camper with a campfire nearby.
So how much reading do you do of your WIP? How often do you read through? How many drafts do you write? How do multiple drafts work for you?
How’s it all going for you?
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Natasha Fondren is a writer traveling the U.S. in a camper with her four cats. She is currently enjoying the lizards and desert heat in Arizona.
May you write up one powerful storm. all I seem to manage lately is a few sprinkles and a puff of wind.
But those sprinkles and puff of wind are so vivid, Travis!
Until I’m done with the first draft I don’t, unless I have a very specific realization of something I need to change, or check for upcoming chapters. I’ll start revising when the first draft is done – or it never will be.
David, wow! You must have an awesome memory!
Not really. but a flawed first draft can be fixed. I avoid the danger of never finishing. The first chapters of my manuscript were much improved by an online workshop, but after submitting several rewrites I knew I had to stop.
I want to write up a storm, but I have my writing chapter stuff that’s getting in the way this week, plus both my CPs sent me stuff. Next week I’m back to writing.
I re-read a lot in the beginning, but once I know my characters, I can just dive in. With the last couple books, I’ve been writing short descriptions of each scenes. That helps me remember what I’ve done before. And when I have to look something up, I can read the scene descriptions and know where to find it. I usually end up doing 3 or 4 revisions.
Edie, you’ve got a busy week! And cool weekend! That’s a good trick, Edie. I have to remember that. I’ve just started with Writer’s Cafe, and it lets you do that, too. It’s helpful!
Wow. You sure do write up a storm!
As for my rereading my WIP…well, as a co-author I have a backup so my case is kind of peculiar. Mary and I write from a detailed outline and once we are done with the first draft of a chapter, having traded it back and forth, I only go back and reread when I need to be sure of a plot point, or a character description or somesuch for the chapter I’m working on. I hate reading my own writing.
Eric, that’s interesting! I don’t know that I could ever partner with someone. Who knows? It’s a cool process to watch, though! And obviously it works welL!
I usually have to read the last ten pages or so, just to figure out where I left off at and what particular tone I was using at the time.
I’m doing a massive re-write of a badly written short story, so I’m fortunate enough to be working with a ready made outline. Still, I’m lucky if I can pound out 200 words of so on it.
The beauty of a dual plot. Feh…..
George, I’m like that. I have to get the tone and pacing and everything. Good luck on the short story!
Thanks.
This is will be a problem child, because I originally wrote this back when I had no idea on how to write properly.
You name it, it has every possible bad writing thing contained in it.
I’m a lot like you. [nod] I do a lot of reading and dinking and editing as I go, and by the time I’m done with a story it’s usually in pretty good shape.
Angie
I like my process, Angie, but others fascinate me, too! LOL!
I don’t re-read the entire thing until I finish a draft. I’ll make tweaks as I go, but I never go back more than a page or so. Since I’m working on a wip I started almost a year ago, I did one pass through and edited heavily. Now I’m trying to write the end.
Thanks for the link love.
I don’t reread my wips as often as you do but I always start with rereading the last section before what I’m working on. And I do reread the whole thing multiple times by the time I’m finished.
That’s cool, Charles! I wish I had your memory!
Wow … sounds like you’re flyin’. Good going. When I’m writing, I tend to re-read what I’d written the previous day to get myself back into the groove. I will edit and tweak as I go, but then I gotta get goin’ on the new stuff. Afterwards it goes to my crit partners. A WIP will get at least three revisions beore I feel that its ready.
Liz, it doesn’t feel like flying, it feels like grinding away, LOL! That’s fascinating to me, that people don’t have to start at the beginning!
I have to reread everything up to where I’m writing, unless I’m consistently writing every day. (Which never happens these days. Sigh.) I even have to reread my character descriptions so they remain consistent!
Me too, Robin! I don’t have character descriptions, but maybe I could do less reading if I did!
Nat, I’m just like you in that. However, I wish I weren’t because that seriously slows down my writing time and I start to re-think everything. I’ve been trying to train myself for years to just do a fast draft then read afterwards, but can’t seem to make myself do it.
A campfire sounds wonderful!
Doesn’t it slow things down, Kate? I could never not re-read… I just can’t remember things that well!
I call it rolling revisions. I re-read nearly every day in an effort to get back into the book. There are, however, some days where I’m quite strict with myself and just start writing.
But the longer I’m away, the more I must reread.