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| HeyTrey
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03-14-2002 05:44 PM ET (US)
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So you do line edits before you revise? Doesn't that mean you have to go back and do more line edits later?
--Trey
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Mike Jasper
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03-14-2002 07:58 PM ET (US)
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Hmm... Good question, Trey. Ideally, I prefer writing the chapters and editing as I go, but I sent out the first couple chapters to some other folks, and they had great comments that I wanted to incorporate into my earlier chapters.
So... I ended up going back to fix up those chapters and lost my momentum on the new chapters.
I'm learning the hard way that it's better to bang out that first draft, then go back and do the tweaking, and THEN show it to folks who want to critique it.
I know, it's confusing. Such is my life... ;)
And there's always more line edits to do, by the way.
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| Greg van Eekhout
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03-14-2002 08:09 PM ET (US)
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I'm a firm believer in sending my work out for comments, but I agree, it's a mistake to do it too early in the process. With the earliest drafts, I think you have to give yourself the freedom to make mistakes in the privacy of your own home and not worry about what the neighbors will think.
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| Mike Jasper
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03-14-2002 09:34 PM ET (US)
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Yeah, it's a fine line between getting feedback on stuff vs. getting sidetracked by those comments and not moving forward.
To hell with da neighbors. ;)
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| HeyTrey
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03-15-2002 03:07 PM ET (US)
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And there's always more line edits to do, by the way.
Of course. But how do you recognize when you've reached that point where you're just tweaking, without really improving the overall effort (or, heaven forbid, actually doing more harm than good)?
--Trey
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| Mike Jasper
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03-15-2002 03:35 PM ET (US)
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Good question --
I can tell it's time to leave the words alone when:
1) I can't stand looking at the story/chapter any longer
2) A change I made yesterday I go back to today and change it back to the way it was yesterday.
3) I've addressed any questions my critiquer(s) have brought up, either in the text itself, or at least in my head.
4) I'm no longer excited by the words and want to move on!
Anyone else do something similar?
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| Greg van Eekhout
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03-15-2002 10:11 PM ET (US)
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Couldn't have enumerated it any better, Mike. But then I'll get galleys later and wish I'd done more line edits. And then I'll get the final printed copy and wish I'd done even more line edits. You know, that whole bit about never finishing a creative work, but just abandoning it is pretty accurate.
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