The new “a-thon:” Of a revising nature

I have had my 2nd draft “done” since November.

Except not. Because it is RIFE with plot holes, placeholder names, weird sentences and scenes without the tension the should have. I won’t think about Act 3 too much right now, because it is missing scenes more than the desert misses the rain.

…see what I mean about those weird 1st draft sentences?

But Act 2– THAT is in my power to fix. So Lindsey and I are revise-a-thonning today. My goal: fix revising Act 2. Which might be a little crazy because it means trying to work my way through 40 more pages (I’ve already done 20), and ADDING things.

Hopefully the insanity is warranted.

Also, if you want to join in (with revision OR just writing), let us know and tweet us! Me on Twitter | Lindsey on Twitter

10:00 AM: Breakfast has been consumed. Comfy sweatpants have been donned. Let’s GOOOOOO. Current revision status of Act 2: 20/60 pages.

10:57 AM: Came upon a few facts that I thought might have been contradicted in earlier scenes. They weren’t, but it did lead to a re-revision of pages 12-20 (rhythm things were off and I had a couple more deets to add). Also, I got caught up in ennumerating the many wonderful things about The Lizzie Bennet Diaries to Steph, so I only managed to get to pages 23… out of 61 (yep, I added words). Current revision status of Act 2: 23/61 pages.

11:27 AM: Lol, I am getting nowhere, BUT important question… does anyone else experience the phenomenon where you MEAN one word and write a word that… sounds kind of like it? Ex: I just came across a sentence where I’d MEANT to write “someone.” What I WROTE was “summon.” THIS HAS BEEN HAPPENING A LOT.

…I am worried that something is wrong with my brain. Current revision status of Act 2: 24/61 pages.

12:39 PM: I am laughing at myself. FINISH REVISING ACT 2. LAWL. Ain’t gon happen. But I’ve been relatively pleased with these pages. Not in a “They’re kind of done” sense of course, but in a “this isn’t so bad” sense.

Also, my father brought me Diet Coke and sugar cookies to get me through these revisions today. He is a good guy, my dad. Current revision status of Act 2: 29/61 pages.

1:12 PM: I RETRACT THE PREVIOUS COMPLIMENT ABOUT MY DAD. He has left the house. AND HAS HIDDEN THE COOKIES. Current revision status of Act 2: 30/63 pages.

2:22 PM: After lamenting my failure to locate the cookies, I managed another page before– Uh-oh. This has been a scene that I’ve been wanting to redo almost entirely for a while now. 

Unrelated: I am noticing that I use a few metaphors/similes analogizing something to a dog.  Current revision status of Act 2: 31/63 pages.

4:11 PM: Still working on this scene rewrite. But also, I came across this:

“Why not some other country like… oh, I don’t know. Bombay?”

Right. Because Bombay is obviously a place that exists in high fantasy, Jen. Also, it’s a city. And you know that. *headdesks repeatedly*

And God, this act keeps GROWING. I thought revision was supposed to be about CUTTING. Current revision status of Act 2: 34/64 pages.

5:36 PM: *falls back a page* *watches an extra page sprout*

But writing this scene is getting fun-ish. I’m liking one of my supporting characters a little more. See below.

“We’ve debated the merits of an assassin–”

“–We have not,” Caden said. “He’s hardly my favorite person, but he’s still my father, Aleta.”

“I had said ‘debated,’ hadn’t I?” she shot back.

My new goal is to make it to page 40 before retiring for the evening.

Also, I have to take a longish break now for real clothes and to pick la madre up from the airport. I SHALL RETURN. Current revision status of Act 2: 33/65 pages.

5:56 PM: Okay, j/k, real clothes didn’t take that long since I refuse to go so far as doing my normal make-up routine today. I still have about an hour to work before I must ~depart. Current revision status of Act 2: 33/65 pages.

7:18 PM: NOW I am going to get la madre. And I’m ALMOST DONE revising for the day! Happy thought since I have AT LEAST 3 reviews I’d like to write AND one book I’d really like to finish. Current revision status of Act 2: 35/66 pages.

10:17 PM: I got back to work about a half an hour ago after returning home from the airport pick up and am going to have to call it a night. I can barely keep my eyes open.

I hate that I fall short of my goal, but think I did some really solid work tonight. And now I have to try to be coherent enough to draft a review on the book blog.

…Or maybe I’ll write in in the morning.

ZZZZZZZZzzzzzzz

Current revision status of Act 2: 37/66 pages.

AND TO ALL A GOOD NIGHT