Layering in the Third Draft

Most of my first readers have returned their copies of my manuscripts to me complete with a variety of insightful comments, criticisms, and suggestions. They’ve given me much food for thought, from technical mistakes to motivational shortcomings to situations that frustrated the reader. Some fixes are simple. Some require a bit of revamping.

All comments have been given serious consideration. And today I have begun what I hope to be the last major rewrite, also known as THE THIRD DRAFT.

Last major rewrite? Perhaps I’m too optimistic. Perhaps it would be more accurate to specify that this will be the last major rewrite prior to the Pennwriters Conference.

It’s occurred to me that this Third Draft thing is going to happen in layers. I had six first readers. Three of them had returned their marked-up copies to me, and I had gone through them, making notes of my own to the pages. This gave me a pretty good idea of what needed to be changed.

Yesterday, I received a fourth copy back. Rather than add more confusion to my addled brain, I’ve decided to wait on reviewing the fourth copy. I’m going to fix what I already know needs fixed. THEN I’ll dive into the newer comments. Maybe I’ll have those two outstanding ones back by then.

I think my hope is that the second set of three will contain duplicate comments. I’ll discover I’ve already fixed everything that doesn’t work.

Ha! Yes, I know. Fat chance.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Mom Update

Image
It’s been a while since I wrote anything about my mom. If you follow me on Facebook, you’ve probably noticed a number of posts recently about long nights in the ER with her. I appreciate the kind concerns and prayers from friends and family. But while I know they’re well intended, the “hope she gets well soon” sentiments cut like a finely honed blade. Mom isn’t going to get well. She has good days and bad. More and more of the latter. Today’s “good days” are about the same as the bad ones a couple months ago. She has vascular dementia. In addition to her mental slippage, her legs have grown weak and uncooperative, adding to her pre-existing balance issues. We plead with her to call for assistance to get out of bed. Unfortunately, she can’t remember that she’s had numerable falls lately, so she continues to try to get up and around on her own, resulting in more falls. And in more trips to the ER. She has dislocated her right hip twice now. She’s hit her head more times ...
Read more

A New Face

Image
I've been hearing over and over lately that I need to get new headshots done. People who only know me from my online presence complain when they meet me that I don't look anything like my picture. Hmmm. Is that good or bad? I'm still not sure. However, the fact that I now wear my hair a lot longer than I used to is a fact I can't deny. The problem with new photos is...well, I'm older than I was when I had those last ones done. If I could get away with posting a picture of me when I was 25, I'd do it in a heartbeat. Seriously, inside my head, that's still what I look like. Outside? Not so much. But I caved in this weekend. After shooting over 60 frames, I came up with four that I like. So I'm posting them here and asking for a vote. Which ONE photo should be my new "face" for my online persona? Choice #1 Choice #2 Choice #3 Choice #4 Leave a comment with your favorite. Okay, I get to make the final decision, so this...
Read more

The 2010 Confluence Writers' Retreat and Flood

Image
For days, the weathermen had been forecasting “THE FLOOD.” With melting snow pack combined with heavy rains, they were suggesting everyone pack up the women and children and move to high ground. Of course, our writers’ retreat was scheduled to be held at Paddler’s Lane , on the scenic banks of the Youghiogheny River in Confluence. “Confluence.” As in the point where the Yough (pronounced “Yawk”) is joined by the Casselman River and the Laurel Hills Creek. As in the place I spend a large portion of my summer at our camp. I scoffed at the panic mongers. Flood? Heck, it floods every spring. I ain’t afraid of no stinking flood. So off I went. Loaded up the car Friday morning under sunny skies and headed east, with joy in my heart. A whole weekend with my Sisters in Crime in a gorgeous house with lots of food. And writing. Oh, yeah. Lots of writing and—better yet—workshops with Ramona Long . First stop: Panera Bread in Uniontown where I met Sandy Stephen, Susan “ West of Mars ” Gottfried, a...
Read more