Sunday, August 21, 2011

This is Your Brain on Revision

How I revise a novel:





As you can see, I start out optimistic and thereafter oscillate between joy and despair.  It is possible for this pattern to continue indefinitely.  What does your revision process look like?

9 comments:

  1. A hell of a lot like this. Except I would substitute the shrugging obsession with having all of my characters curl their mouths into small smiles. It's embarrassing how many times that gets in.

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  2. Thanks! I used to have people grinning too much. I got rid of that tick, and now it's "shrugging" and taking "deep breaths." Now I keep a word file of all the phrases I overuse, and when I'm done writing, I do a "find" for them and go through hacking them out. And cringing.

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  3. Love the graph! That's me exactly. :) And I love that you keep a file of your overused phrases. very smart.

    My characters shrug like they've invented it. :)

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  4. Ha! I think shrugging like they've invented it makes it less trite. ;) I picked up the "overused phrase file" idea from someone else, but I can't remember who anymore. If only my overused phrases would stay put and quit mutating for every book...

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  5. This made me laugh out loud. I'm totally printing this to stick by my computer.

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  6. Hahahaha! I related to all of it! Especially "Perfect!" and "That was the worst idea ever" in quick succession. Brilliant! Loving your blog.

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    Replies
    1. Thanks, Talia! It's sad how many times I go through that genius-stupid-genius-stupid cycle.

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  7. I can so relate!

    Debbie Herbert

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