I started a re-write of chapter two in my novel last night, and ended up pretty much re-writing the whole chapter from beginning to end. It gives the reader the same background and dialogue, but reads better.

This started me thinking about re-writes, and when to stop. If I go back to this chapter three months from now, I am sure I could re-write it again, and three months after that, again. A writer keeps changing. There seems to be no end to this process.

When does a author stop this cycle of re-writes?


Thanks
Azel

I wish I knew!

I am acting on vague editorial suggestion to maybe make a few bits more clear - if I want to - without losing the mystery element - and have just confused myself totally.

Put something in, took it out, put it back in - want to take it out again now. I think brackets are the only answer until I get my head together.

But am rapidly coming to the conclusion that I have gone about as far as I can with this one. My last bright idea completely unhinged what I laughingly call the plot...

Not that it's perfect by a long way but I think if I did anything drastic I'd be writing a different book? And now I finally feel I want to get on with the next one. Which has to be good?

Sarah

finally feel I want to get on with the next one.

I think this is an important point - i think a writer could complete an infinite number of rewrites and edits, but i think the time comes when your heart and soul has finally had enough, and other projects begin to look more exciting.

Casey

You probably just need someone to slap you at the right time when you've been re-editing too much. Hey, I'll do it if you don't have anybody to hand.

*slap*

Sorry I'm in a good mood after taking today off work and spending the afternoon with my laptop in Piccadilly. We're in love you know. =)

Seriously, I think it's just one of those things you have to get a knack for. I still have a bunch of short stories that I'm continually refining. My website stuff has a weekly deadline, so I'm hoping this will teach me when to call it a day. Still hoping =)

Good theory, Casey - but what if you are lazy scumbag and 'other projects begin to look more exciting' as soon as you sit down to begin the editing of the very first page?? (I'd always rather be writing fresh stuff than labouring with edits!)

Rosy

I think you have to accept that a story will at only ever be finished 'for that point in time', because as you say, Azel, you're always changing as a writer. I could go back to any of my novels and want to revise sections in the light of what I know a year or two on - that's enirely natural.

Yes, that's true, Rosy. In fact i had a really exciting idea for another novel yesterday and it's quite put me off my rewrite and WIP.

Casey x

I’ve just finished a complete overhaul of a book, so the theme of “when to stop” has been on my mind.

For me, two factors were important:

What I wanted to achieve.

How I was going to achieve it.

So after a long think, I laid out my goals. I wanted to prepare the manuscript for submission, and I was going to re-write and edit the whole thing from start to finish.

So then I spent five months, re-writing and editing, and when I reached THE END, I stopped, job done!

Even though I’ve never undertaken a project as large as that before (it was far more work than actually writing the book in the first place) I knew what I wanted, and I knew when it would be finished. I know I could go over chapter eight again, because I can always find something to tinker with, but I’ve done what I set out to do, the job is done.

To summarise, set your goals in stone and don’t deviate until it is done. Otherwise, you’ll just drive yourself insane.

I hope this helps.

Grinder

To summarise, set your goals in stone and don’t deviate until it is done. Otherwise, you’ll just drive yourself insane.

Good advice.

Casey

I'll echo Darren's words.

I also recently completed a monumental redux, and found myself rewriting about half the novel. I can only presume that you stop when you yourself are happy with it, and feel you've done the work to the best of your ability at that particular point.

Of course, the learning never stops, so it stands to reason that the improvement in your writing doesn't either. Ergo, maybe a writer who continues in the art is never truly satisfied with their work?

Hazards of the job?

JB

[Of course, the learning never stops, so it stands to reason that the improvement in your writing doesn't either.]

Yes, I understand what you are saying, but have you noticed how often the early works of an author are his best? I would have to say that most of the authors I enjoy reading did their best work in the beginning of their career. They may be better writers, but something goes wrong and their work is not as good.

Azel

Yes, I understand what you are saying, but have you noticed how often the early works of an author are his [or her] best?

Various reasons for that, I think, though I'm not sure it's universally true. Bery Bainbridge suprises me every time.

One is that an author on their fifth book can be many things, but what they can't be is wholly surprising to their readers, any more than a your spouse of twenty-five years can be.

Another is that it's arguable that once a modern author is four or five books in their whole working life is authorship. They've given up the day job, they're old enough to have moved on from their earlier life, they have to take at least some part in the festival/signing/media circuit, and it's really quite hard to find time for, or a way back into some kind of non-writerly life.

I think this may be particularly true for authors whose USP was a raw, open response to contemporary life. The response must be different once you're paid to have it. And we all grow up, after all: authors are not exempt from that.

I also think that though your editors may have far too much respect for you to insist that you write the 'same sort of book', they may be too close to your work - just as you are - to see that it's beginning to follow the same tracks.

Emma