I’ve started lesson one of Holly Lisle’s How to Revise Your Novel course, and I’ve already learned some interesting things about my novel and myself as a writer.
First, I’m happier with my novel (a NaNoWriMo novel titled Dogwood for now) than I expected to be. It is a total mess, more like a series of vignettes featuring the occasional random pointless magic item than a novel, but I love the characters and setting, and there are some great moments. Definitely material I can work with.
Second, I think maybe I’m one of those writers who just loves revision. Maybe it’s because I’m a puzzle-solver and right-brained, but I can hardly keep away from my manuscript. Going through it, trying to figure out what’s wrong (not trying to fix it yet) is challenging and an extremely satisfying way to spend my time. Good thing too, because this manuscript really is like a puzzle, with pieces scattered all over the table, the floor, and some probably lost under the dog’s blanket.
Third, I am still struggling with figuring out the major through-line of the plot. I think it’s very bad to still be asking that question at this stage. I hope that by reading the manuscript through all the way, getting a bird’s-eye-view of what’s there, I can separate what’s most important from what is secondary.
I have to say that even if I don’t use anything else in the course, Holly’s method for organizing your revision notes is alone worth the price of admission. I’m sure I’ll be indebted to her forever for saving me from the piles of random scratch paper I’d be buried in without it.
I’m glad you’re finding some good techniques in Holly’s revision course. Anything that can organize the notes and scribbles into a system that you can find things in is worth its weight in gold.