Comments on: Revisions: Painful or Pretty?

By: Cindy Maday

Cindy Maday — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 20:32:02 +0000

Hi Denise,
And to think I keep spending all this money on books about editing. LOL. Just kidding. Any information is good information. I just had to talk to you. This was great and I know from experience not an easy process. You really simplified the process and the information really helps.

Cindy

By: Tracey Devlyn

Tracey Devlyn — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 23:31:45 +0000

Denise,
Thanks for answering our questions today! It looks like we’ll have to have you back to discuss the mammogram side of revisions too.

Take care,
Tracey

By: Denise Swanson

Denise Swanson — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 18:47:59 +0000

Thanks, Regina!

I’m doing the invasive procedure for my 2010 book now, and it hurts too much to talk about, but maybe later.

By: Denise Swanson

Denise Swanson — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 18:46:31 +0000

Hi Adrienne,

Glad my quirky view of the world helped. Since I love writing dialogue and the setting, not so much, I finally came up with the accessory idea to focus me.

Denise

By: Denise Swanson

Denise Swanson — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 18:44:48 +0000

Hi Carrie,

I don’t keep the original. I used to, but after several books and never going back, I stopped. Lots of writers do advise keeping it though, so it’s a personal decision.

Denise

By: Regena Bryant

Regena Bryant — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 17:38:17 +0000

Thanks… that was insightful and a good metaphor for me to use as I revise. I’ll get back to accessorizing now…I’m not undergoing an invasive procedure, I’m not undergoing an invasive procedue, I’m not undergoing an invasive procedurere. Okay 3 times always a charm. Hope you can come back and discuss how to handle the “invasive medical procedure” side of revisions.

By: Adrienne Giordano

Adrienne Giordano — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 15:25:04 +0000

Hi Denise. Thank you for being with us today. I had my own ah-ha moment when I was reading your post. When I’m reviewing my work I often find that I’ve left out setting details and the idea of thinking about it as accessorizing really resonated with me. What a wonderful way to look at it!

Thanks for the tip!

By: carrie

carrie — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 14:07:23 +0000

oh and one more q…lol….when you do go back and make your revisions, do you keep a copy of the original….just in case you might want to use a part you deleted in some other manuscript?

carrie (again)

By: Denise Swanson

Denise Swanson — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 13:52:24 +0000

Hi Carrie,

My first couple rounds of revisions I do it chapter by chapter, For the final polish, I read it all the way through in one or two sittings.

Denise

By: Denise Swanson

Denise Swanson — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 13:50:42 +0000

Hi Cathy,

I’m with you, creating the steps that occur so the sleuth can solve the crime are the toughest part of the plot for me. I’ve often threatened to have an angel appear and just tell Skye what the answer is. Because I know this is a problematic writing point for me, I try to make sure I have at least a glimmer of an idea before I start writing the story and build clues in as I go.

But sometimes I just don’t, and for those plot I write the whole story, hoping that at some point I’ll have an ah ha moment, which I usually do. In those instances “fixing” the mystery details are the first revisions I do after completing the first draft. One thing that helps me is that I use a radiograph for plotting so I have the crime, scene, suspects all laid out in front of me as I write.

I call my books humorous mysteries with a touch of romance. They’re not quite cozy, although cozy readers like them, but they have a bit of an edge. In a query letter, probably wouldn’t use the word cozy in this market. Which doesn’t mean they are selling, just that they have to be a bit “more” than a standard cozy of say five years ago.

Hope this helps. And if you’d like a copy of the radiograph I use for plotting e-mail me via my website and I’ll send it to you via attached e-mail.

Denise