WHAT STAR TREK TAUGHT ME ABOUT REVISING
by BRUCE HALE
http://www.brucehalewritingtips.com/
Captain Kirk and company taught me more about story revision than you would expect from the crew of a starship. Remember in those old Star Trek episodes, they were always switching their phasers back and forth between “stun” and “vaporize”? That’s the key. We
need to make the same kind of distinctions in our revision process.
Am I saying we should stun our readers? Well, yes, we want to knock them out with our awesome writing, but what I’m driving at is being able to switch up the speed/intensity of our revising to suit the phase of revision we’re in.
To put it another way, we need to know when to scan and when to nitpick.
A GOOD TIME TO SCAN
After you’ve finished that ugly-sloppy first draft and let it sit for awhile, it’s time to tackle the first revision. Although it’s tempting to dive in and fix every little grammatical error and awkward phrase you come across, this isn’t the time.
The first time you reread your first draft, set your phasers on “scan.” Resist the temptation to fix every little word and phrase. Instead, move quickly and focus on the big stuff, like:
– Does this plot make sense at all times?
– Are my characters’ actions properly motivated?
– Are there any gaps in logic or chunks of the story that need a major overhaul?
– Is anything missing – scenes that SHOULD be there but aren’t?
– Is anything extraneous – scenes that SHOULDN’T be there but are?
In my first revision, I do my best to concentrate on these major issues, while occasionally highlighting sections of text that need further attention — but not stopping to do the work right then. That effort is best left for the next stage.
GETTIN’ NITPICKY WITH IT
After you’ve identified and solved the major issues, it’s time to take your next revision more slowly. Really put your language under the microscope. Remember, not only the content of the story but also the way it’s told count with readers. In this revision I look for:
– Places to inject humor or emphasize some strong emotion.
– Places to use metaphor and simile to make the language come alive.
– Dead spots where the story’s momentum slows down too much.
– Consistency of dialog – does each character always sound like himself? Do they sound too much like each other?
Depending on your writing process, it may take one or several revisions at this nitpicky level to get your story in shape.
LAST MAN SCANNING
I like to finish up with one last scan before I send the manuscript out. This time I read the story out loud, and fairly quickly, looking for echoes (unintentionally repeated words) and any place where my tongue stumbles. While novels aren’t read aloud as often as picture books, this technique works on both. Guaranteed, you’ll learn a few things about your writing — like, I had no idea I used “just” so frequently — as well as making your story a smoother read.
And after all that revision, you may feel, in the words of Mr. Scott, that the “ship’s shields are buckling.” No need to fret. Just step away from the computer, have a seat in a comfy chair, and begin brainstorming the next book. And smile. You won’t have to revise again for awhile.
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Bruce Hale
Bruce Hale began his career as a writer while living in Tokyo, and continued it when he moved to Hawaii in 1983. Before entering the world of children’s books, he worked as a magazine editor, surveyor, corporate lackey, gardener, actor, and deejay.
Bruce has written and illustrated over 25 books for kids. His Underwhere series includes Prince of Underwhere and Pirates of Underwhere. His Chet Gecko Mysteries series includes: The Chameleon Wore Chartreuse, The Big Nap, The Malted Falcon, Hiss Me Deadly, and others. More at http://www.brucehale.com/
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