Second Draft has begun
Sat down the other day and reformatted the rough draft to (what I am told is) the generally accepted form for submissions: double spaced, 12 pt Courier. This was made much easier by using a MS Word template called Script Smart I found after much searching on the Internet.
It has a number of built-in macros that handle much of the mundane aspects of producing a manuscript, including tracking total wordcount, generating headers, and managing chapter numbering. In addition to novels, it will also handle short stories, poetry, synopses, and other. The only downside I can see is that it does, er, force you to use Microsoft Word. A version that would work seamlessly with OpenOffice.Org would be great.
So anyway, after formatting, I had a 345 page document to print out. I tried to do this with an old junk toner cartridge in my LaserJet, but ended up tossing about 100 pages because they looked so god-awful. Ended up going to Fry's for a recycled cartridge ($45). Once printed, my family was much more impressed with my accomplishment. I mean, it's one thing to say "I've written 71,000 words." It's quite another to wave a 2 inch stack of 8 1/2 x 11 printout under their noses. Even the thoroughly jaded 18 year old took notice (he also announced he was thinking he might concentrate on a major in college that focused on writing rather than art).
Saturday began the task of revising. Ugh.
I had run across some sites that gave suggestions for how to approach doing revisions; those were helpful. But putting pen to paper is ... well, let's just say I have much more of an appreciation of the phrase 'Death by a thousand cuts.' I also understand why so many writers are alcoholics. It is like trudging through a swamp of your own excrement.
While I saw lots of stuff that needs to be changed (and whole sections that need to be written) I was gratified to see that the rough draft, while rough, was NOT a complete piece of shit.
Partial but not complete.
And looking back, my goal of being in the process of doing the first revision to the rough draft by Valentine Day has been met.
It has a number of built-in macros that handle much of the mundane aspects of producing a manuscript, including tracking total wordcount, generating headers, and managing chapter numbering. In addition to novels, it will also handle short stories, poetry, synopses, and other. The only downside I can see is that it does, er, force you to use Microsoft Word. A version that would work seamlessly with OpenOffice.Org would be great.
So anyway, after formatting, I had a 345 page document to print out. I tried to do this with an old junk toner cartridge in my LaserJet, but ended up tossing about 100 pages because they looked so god-awful. Ended up going to Fry's for a recycled cartridge ($45). Once printed, my family was much more impressed with my accomplishment. I mean, it's one thing to say "I've written 71,000 words." It's quite another to wave a 2 inch stack of 8 1/2 x 11 printout under their noses. Even the thoroughly jaded 18 year old took notice (he also announced he was thinking he might concentrate on a major in college that focused on writing rather than art).
Saturday began the task of revising. Ugh.
I had run across some sites that gave suggestions for how to approach doing revisions; those were helpful. But putting pen to paper is ... well, let's just say I have much more of an appreciation of the phrase 'Death by a thousand cuts.' I also understand why so many writers are alcoholics. It is like trudging through a swamp of your own excrement.
While I saw lots of stuff that needs to be changed (and whole sections that need to be written) I was gratified to see that the rough draft, while rough, was NOT a complete piece of shit.
Partial but not complete.
And looking back, my goal of being in the process of doing the first revision to the rough draft by Valentine Day has been met.
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From Barton Fink