Is it really the first Wednesday of the month already? Why, yes it is! That means it's also time for another meeting of the Insecure Writer's Support Group. This wonderful group was started by Ninja Captain Alex J. Cavanaugh, who operates an army of clones that enable him to reach all corners of the blogosphere.
Today, I am proud to count myself as one of the co-hosts for the IWSG. The other co-hosts are C. Lee McKenzie, Tracy Jo, and Melanie Schulz. Be sure to stop by and say hi to my fellow co-hosts if you get the chance.
You can also find much-needed support at the IWSG website!
The question I'm pondering today is this: how long should I leave a completed first draft untouched before I go back to revise? I do find it helpful to take a step back from a project before immersing myself in the revision process, because that helps give me the distance I need to see the flaws in what I've written. In the meantime, I've been working on other projects, but part of me is itching to go back and revise. Should I return to the project in question when I feel like it, or should I revisit it after a predetermined amount of time? How much time works for you, or do you prefer to revise immediately after completing your first draft?
What insecurities are you experiencing this month?
Thank you for co-hosting IWSG this month,
ReplyDeleteA week to a month is necessary for me to get perspective on what I've written, depending on how long the piece is. If I don't remember what I've written, there are less preconceived ideas about how I want to edit.
I usually edit as I go along, then store it for a few weeks. It's amazing when I reread my ms and say to myself..."What was I thinking?"
ReplyDeleteThe time frame is different for everyone. I usually start back within a few days, but that's because by the time I finish, I've forgotten the beginning.
ReplyDeleteThanks for co-hosting this month!
Thanks for co-hosting! I revise as I go. Still, I leave it for a week or so before going back to it.
ReplyDeleteI think you should go back when you're ready to go back to it. So that sounds like soon. :)
ReplyDeleteThanks for co-hosting!
Good gosh - how long? Honestly, it's one of my IWSG peeves. I suck at waiting, even though I know I should. A week is a good gauge, but sometimes more time is needed to get a true view of the piece and what needs to be changed. Stephen King says at least three month. LOL
ReplyDeleteI really like to plow through and do my revisions while the story is still fresh in my mind. If I'm not satisfied with it after those changes, I do let it sit a few weeks, then go back to it.
ReplyDeleteFor me it's different with each book. Sometimes it's a month, sometimes only a week or so. I find it hard to do more than one thing at a time, ha ha, so starting a whole new project doesn't help when I'm in waiting mode. Right now I'm fighting with one of my characters trying to find out what it is he needs to be more rounded, more interesting, more intriguing and it's killing me! It's taking so long to find out what is motivating him because he's not talking to me. Never had this happen before and it's so frustrating! Thanks for co-hosting this month!
ReplyDeleteFor me, if it's a short one, I write another short story first before I go back and polish the first one. But, if it's longer, an author once told me to go back and revise as soon as you're done. Frankly, I think what's important is what works for you, whether it's a short story or not.
ReplyDeleteMy insecurities for this month? Receiving a note of rejection or acceptance. I'm on needles and pins actually. :-)
Thanks for co-hosting!
IWSG #213
I, too, have a first draft laying in wait (6 months now.) And I am terribly insecure about opening it back up. The end result will most assuredly look like a B-rated slasher movie. Not sure I'm ready for that yet!
ReplyDeleteI make myself wait for 2 weeks. There are times when 3 weeks would be better, but that's because stuff is happening. Two weeks is plenty of time to distance yourself. Less than that doesn't feel like enough distance.
ReplyDeleteThe only constant in writing, as well as life, says I, is inconsistency and change. You can let a writing buddy beta read it first. Then use their comments to help you be more subjective in revision.
ReplyDeleteOH, and I forgot: love your blog page and thanks for cohosting!
ReplyDeleteI think that depends on the writer and the manuscript. If it's an early work (meaning you're just starting out), I'd say leave it for a good while. But if you're a seasoned writer, a few weeks might be enough.
ReplyDeleteThanks for co-hosting (again! You're energetic and brave! LOL)
IWSG #215 until Alex culls the list again.
First off, thanks so much for co-hosting this month's IWSG. As usual, you're doing a fantastic job. As far as how long you should wait before going back to start editing your draft, that's entirely up to you. You said you were itching to get back to it, but you should give it at least a little time.
ReplyDeleteWhen I completed NaNo in November, I didn't even touch the draft until after the New Year. Every one is different obviously, but if you're good with jumping back in after only a couple of weeks away, then go for it. Have a great day!
I always say I'm going to wait a month. That doesn't always happen, though. =)
ReplyDeleteThanks for co-hosting this month.
Thanks for co-hosting - lovely (and nifty) blog to sift through!
ReplyDeleteI find I have to leave a draft alone for at least a week. Two is better. that gets rid of the 'gotta fiddle with it just a LITTLE more' itch, and I can go back semi-distanced and with a clear head.
After that, it's a matter of what feels 'right'...
I think that's a tough question to answer. Everyone has a different style, and some can revise right away, while others need to put it aside for a while. Sometimes we are too close to our own work. Lol
ReplyDeleteTrust your gut on your own project, but if you've been working on other things for a while (a month or so), it might be good to revisit the older work. Thanks for co-hosting this month!
ReplyDeletePlay off the Page
Thanks for co-hosting this month, LGK! I love the look of your blog (This is my first visit)! Interesting question. I taught third graders for many years ~ they DO NOT like to revisit something! They would choose forever before going back! I revise a lot as I go, and rare has been the time that I had the luxury of going back. I always seem to be working under the pressure of some deadline. If I have the time, it's usually two or three days or a week.
ReplyDeleteI like to leave it for a few weeks before I go back and try to revise. Then when I read it, it's with fresh eyes.
ReplyDeleteI tend to wait anywhere from 2 weeks to a month, depending on what else I've got going on. During that time I read like crazy.
ReplyDeleteA few weeks for sure. Takes me time to transition mentally from create mode to revise mode anyway. I've been revising for about two months now, and ready to be done! Ready to get back to creating. :)
ReplyDeleteI think it's up to the individual. I don't set a certain time, but work on other stories for a while. Then, when I can't wait any longer, I start revisions.
ReplyDeleteThanks for co-hosting today.
I left mine for a month after the first draft was finished, but I would agree that the timeframe is very individual in nature. Reading in the interim and working on other projects is most definitely the solution to itchy fingers though.
ReplyDeleteThanks for co-hosting!
With the first book I wrote, I drove myself crazy trying to rewrite it. After I left it alone for a couple of months, I was able to look at it objectively. With my last three books, I let the manuscripts sit for 6 months. This was out of laziness and not deliberate, but it really helps to have that perspective. I don't know that I would deliberately wait that long with my next book, but maybe a couple of months.
ReplyDeleteI usually leave it for at least a week or two, but sometimes longer when I really don't wanna edit. I have a book that's been waiting for 7 months before I found something else to write and edit. I say it depends on how much space you feel you need to find those flaws! Good luck! :)
ReplyDeleteI think the general consensus is to wait between one and three months, if it's a lengthy manuscript.
ReplyDeleteBut I think it also depends on your modus operandi. Everybody has their own style.
Thanks for co-hosting the IWSG!
I have long pondered this question! I have a first draft sitting next to my printer. It taunts me. It throws popcorn at me. It haunts my dreams! But still I tell myself I'm not "ready" to edit it. Honestly, I think that's just a big, fat excuse and I'm afraid of it. Ugh. Looks like I know what I'll be doing...BUT I don't think there is a right or wrong time to edit a first draft. We do need some distance from it but we also need to actually edit it! Find what works for you and go for it!! WONDERFUL post...and thanks for co-hosting this month!
ReplyDeleteJen
How long to wait? Maybe I'm not the best person to ask, since I'm always going back and revising earlier chapters even as I'm writing later ones. For me, a month or two away is enough to remove all those preconceived notions I developed when I was banging away on a scene or chapter the first time. this lets me see the words in a new light.
ReplyDeleteThanks for co-hosting the IWSG this month.
It's always good to get some distance before revsing - I tend to wait a month. Thanks for co-hosting!
ReplyDeleteUsually three to four weeks works for me, though I do some revising as I go. Thanks for visiting my blog and for co-hosting!
ReplyDeleteThank you for hosting this month.
ReplyDeleteAs far as returning to a first draft to start revisions goes, I tend worry about distancing myself. The time limit may vary for any number of reasons, so I try to focus on backing away from the idea of the story entirely, before returning to it. I almost want to forget about it before going back it, so I can see it with fresh new eyes; I can look at what I created with a critical eye while being in awe of what I've put together.
To distance myself I will: write the first draft of another story, start and finish reading a book for pleasure, watch a few movies I've never seen, take a short trip, spend time with people who know what good conversational skills and talk about the happenings of modern world, etc...I always set myself multiple reminders for me to look back at stories I’ve completely, just so I don’t end up forgetting about them.
I've worked revision both ways. Sometimes I dive right back in because I already know areas I want to re-work, other times I let it sit after a few weeks. I think the main purpose of waiting is for when you just can't work on it any more without totally trashing it. Really, I think every writer should set their own pace for revision.
ReplyDeleteI do a first revision almost immediately, because I know my characters more deeply by the time I reach the end of the first draft than I did when I began. I find that the initial polish gets the full story closer to the smoothness achieved at the end. After THAT, though, I let it sit for 2-3 months before I go back for a second edit.
ReplyDeleteThanks for visiting my blog! I'm still catching up from vacation.
ReplyDeleteI think at least a few weeks to even a month is good after finishing a first draft. I usually am working on something else or full steam ahead reading in the down time. I suppose it depends on what other projects you have going,but I think at least a few weeks is good.