I should...I will! It would be instructive because I go by feel and really don't have a sense of my process. Since I'm thick in revision now, the timing is good. Thanks so much for the suggestion!
It is such a generous gift when a writer shares their process—the more nitty gritty the better. Thank you for sharing all of this. Can’t wait to read the new book (and hopefully hear you speak about it at a book event)!
I really enjoyed reading this post, Alice. Thank you. I'm currently going through my own first editing process of a novel and it's been quite the learning experience. And, like you, I'm also fascinated by how others tackle editing, even if it's in a manner that might not work for me. I guess it's good to know the different ways the human mind can approach this task.
I agree. I think it's so important to figure out our own way of doing things and not to feel we are doing it wrong because we differ from others. I do love hearing what others do, though.
Thanks for generously sharing your process, Alice. I see some overlap with my own, including printing sections out and editing longhand, which allows me to see with new eyes. I also listen to it, which helps me hear dropped words and repetitions. Editing is such an act of devotion, yes? It's often where the deeper layers of the work start trusting me enough to reveal themselves. Like all of your readers here, I can't wait for your new book to be born! Godspeed!
Thanks, Tess. Likewise for your next book. And yes, editing and revising goes very deep, it's a fascinating process. The connections we have created without knowing it rise up from the aquifer. When are we meeting IRL?
Lunch, early July, in Montclair? Later in the month I'm off to Ireland for a workshop with Claire Keegan. (Very excited!) I'll also be around most of August if that works better for you. Looking forward to meeting you IRL (again). We were briefly in a writing group together in Montclair a lifetime ago.
Thank you for sharing your process--wow, so organized. Who needs an AI assistant (thinking of today's NYT Magazine) when they could have *your brain*! I have a hard time integrating feedback, especially when it comes in multiple formats. It gets jumbled in my head and my notes, despite best intentions. I'd never even heard of a Soez binder--great idea. I just ordered one.
Karen, if I gave the impression that I am organized, it's not an accurate picture. I am often close to tears trying to figure out which is my most recent version or where I put a notebook. As for notes, I do try to go through them all at once from each person and decide which ones I want to address, then do so, one set at a time. This leads to lots of fiddling and adjusting. I have no good answers!
I believe this essay can be a blueprint for a life well lived. The attention to detail, the finding your own way through any task, the security of a method…all lead to a satisfying conclusion and that conclusion doesn’t have to be a “big” one. Finding what works is a gift to give ourselves.
I, too, save essays, etc., on how various authors I admire revise. This will definitely join them. Will I be able to find that collection when I need a model again? (Better yet, will I remember how helpful and/or inspiring a model would be and do a search for the folder?) Well...now I'm thinking I should switch to your notebook and hard copy method. Sending this to my printer. Thank you for sharing your method. And Alice, I am so looking forward to your new novel.
Alice, if I'm really, really honest about this, I draft a novel according to the world's roughest outline, sketched out like a play...Act I (opening) Act II (Rising action) Act III (Climax) Act IV (Falling Action) Act V (denouement). Beneath those, which are listed horizontically, I just briefly note possible chapter breaks and, within those, scenes: what needs to happen in them, who should be the primary character carrying the action and meaning of the scene and note to whom s/he will "hand off" the action or the pov in the next scene. That's how I come to a first draft. The chapter breaks are more malleable than the scene notions (listed vertically under the 5 major sections); it's those I rely on. Often I only have the scenes listed for the first three sections listed when I start drafting.
My initial revisions come when I read over what I wrote the day before in order to prepare to pick up the new day's work. It's not the point of what I'm looking for, but I can't help but fix stupid sentences, word repetitions, and, having slept on yesterday's work, add subtilities, and see where I can go deeper, etc.
Basically, my first round of revisions is the day after I first write scenes or chapters. I get through the first draft of a novel working that way. Then I let the whole thing cool a couple of weeks, read the entire thing through, make writing fixes--still missing, always, a horrifying number of mistakes (I have no future as a proofreader!)--then ask for a couple of beta reads to learn how the story is landing. Then I read it again to see what's leaping out at me as a weak section, or one that would benefit from clarification or sharpening/deepening. That's my second round of revision.
Then, maybe I'm ready for a good editorial letter...and that may spark a third round. Overall, your system seems much more thorough and while I genuinely aspire to it, I seem to consistently revert to this. It's really good of you to ask!
I'm exhausted just reading this...but my own process is not dissimilar - just messier. And I take longer and try and torture myself as much as possible. I am telling myself I'll try some of your organizing methods, but by my next book, I'm sure I'll have forgotten all about it.... Thanks for inspiring me, as always!
This is messy! Believe me I despair at the sight of my desk, and wonder why I can't keep it cleanswept. I am not suggesting trying my methods! They are inefficient. But maybe write down how you do it? It's probably great.
You're right - it would be useful. I go by feel and it'd be interesting to see if there's any consistency, or if I can discover whether something works better than something else. Thanks for taking the time to respond!
I feel like someone once had an idea that it would be a lot of fun to visit each other's studys to see exactly what you're describing, the pens, the notebooks, the scissors, all of it. Nothing more fun than a deep dive into the process (except for the deep dive into the eventual novel). Thanks for this fun tour into your brain. :)
I love that you stay analogue as much as possible and go arts & crafts when naming your chapters. It sounds very you, Al....and recognizable to me as well in my own work...if only I could get my notebooks better organized. At least I'm dating every new page. Can't wait to read this latest gift. Cheers!!! xoxo
Why is it so hard to be organized? I am a two-finger typist, so analogue it is for me. Dating pages is a big step! I read a method I am now using of alphabetizing the last few pages of a notebook and the writing down the entries under the appropriate letters. Does that make sense? It is really helping me.
no. 6 ❤️
Love this all, sharing with my writing partners. Oh to be julienned by a master chef!
Right? It’s dreamy!
I should...I will! It would be instructive because I go by feel and really don't have a sense of my process. Since I'm thick in revision now, the timing is good. Thanks so much for the suggestion!
Thanks for being so real -- what? No precious candle, special coffee cup, reminders of how fab you are? Man, I love ya.
Would that I could be precious and design a glamorous process. Maybe next life!
It is such a generous gift when a writer shares their process—the more nitty gritty the better. Thank you for sharing all of this. Can’t wait to read the new book (and hopefully hear you speak about it at a book event)!
Thanks, Jennifer.
I really enjoyed reading this post, Alice. Thank you. I'm currently going through my own first editing process of a novel and it's been quite the learning experience. And, like you, I'm also fascinated by how others tackle editing, even if it's in a manner that might not work for me. I guess it's good to know the different ways the human mind can approach this task.
I agree. I think it's so important to figure out our own way of doing things and not to feel we are doing it wrong because we differ from others. I do love hearing what others do, though.
Thanks for generously sharing your process, Alice. I see some overlap with my own, including printing sections out and editing longhand, which allows me to see with new eyes. I also listen to it, which helps me hear dropped words and repetitions. Editing is such an act of devotion, yes? It's often where the deeper layers of the work start trusting me enough to reveal themselves. Like all of your readers here, I can't wait for your new book to be born! Godspeed!
Thanks, Tess. Likewise for your next book. And yes, editing and revising goes very deep, it's a fascinating process. The connections we have created without knowing it rise up from the aquifer. When are we meeting IRL?
Lunch, early July, in Montclair? Later in the month I'm off to Ireland for a workshop with Claire Keegan. (Very excited!) I'll also be around most of August if that works better for you. Looking forward to meeting you IRL (again). We were briefly in a writing group together in Montclair a lifetime ago.
Yes to early July. And I remember that now that you say it.
I have an AOL email for you. Is that still in use? Otherwise I'll message you via Substack.
same AOL email as ever.
same AOL email!
Very helpful, thank you. And I'm looking forward to "the novel" !
Thanks, Susie!
I love this-
Thanks, Elissa!
Thank you for sharing your process--wow, so organized. Who needs an AI assistant (thinking of today's NYT Magazine) when they could have *your brain*! I have a hard time integrating feedback, especially when it comes in multiple formats. It gets jumbled in my head and my notes, despite best intentions. I'd never even heard of a Soez binder--great idea. I just ordered one.
Karen, if I gave the impression that I am organized, it's not an accurate picture. I am often close to tears trying to figure out which is my most recent version or where I put a notebook. As for notes, I do try to go through them all at once from each person and decide which ones I want to address, then do so, one set at a time. This leads to lots of fiddling and adjusting. I have no good answers!
I believe this essay can be a blueprint for a life well lived. The attention to detail, the finding your own way through any task, the security of a method…all lead to a satisfying conclusion and that conclusion doesn’t have to be a “big” one. Finding what works is a gift to give ourselves.
I agree...things eased up when I started observing what I do naturally rather than doing what I think I should.
I, too, save essays, etc., on how various authors I admire revise. This will definitely join them. Will I be able to find that collection when I need a model again? (Better yet, will I remember how helpful and/or inspiring a model would be and do a search for the folder?) Well...now I'm thinking I should switch to your notebook and hard copy method. Sending this to my printer. Thank you for sharing your method. And Alice, I am so looking forward to your new novel.
Lynne, whatever you are doing is obviously working. I'd love to hear your method.
Alice, if I'm really, really honest about this, I draft a novel according to the world's roughest outline, sketched out like a play...Act I (opening) Act II (Rising action) Act III (Climax) Act IV (Falling Action) Act V (denouement). Beneath those, which are listed horizontically, I just briefly note possible chapter breaks and, within those, scenes: what needs to happen in them, who should be the primary character carrying the action and meaning of the scene and note to whom s/he will "hand off" the action or the pov in the next scene. That's how I come to a first draft. The chapter breaks are more malleable than the scene notions (listed vertically under the 5 major sections); it's those I rely on. Often I only have the scenes listed for the first three sections listed when I start drafting.
My initial revisions come when I read over what I wrote the day before in order to prepare to pick up the new day's work. It's not the point of what I'm looking for, but I can't help but fix stupid sentences, word repetitions, and, having slept on yesterday's work, add subtilities, and see where I can go deeper, etc.
Basically, my first round of revisions is the day after I first write scenes or chapters. I get through the first draft of a novel working that way. Then I let the whole thing cool a couple of weeks, read the entire thing through, make writing fixes--still missing, always, a horrifying number of mistakes (I have no future as a proofreader!)--then ask for a couple of beta reads to learn how the story is landing. Then I read it again to see what's leaping out at me as a weak section, or one that would benefit from clarification or sharpening/deepening. That's my second round of revision.
Then, maybe I'm ready for a good editorial letter...and that may spark a third round. Overall, your system seems much more thorough and while I genuinely aspire to it, I seem to consistently revert to this. It's really good of you to ask!
I'm exhausted just reading this...but my own process is not dissimilar - just messier. And I take longer and try and torture myself as much as possible. I am telling myself I'll try some of your organizing methods, but by my next book, I'm sure I'll have forgotten all about it.... Thanks for inspiring me, as always!
This is messy! Believe me I despair at the sight of my desk, and wonder why I can't keep it cleanswept. I am not suggesting trying my methods! They are inefficient. But maybe write down how you do it? It's probably great.
You're right - it would be useful. I go by feel and it'd be interesting to see if there's any consistency, or if I can discover whether something works better than something else. Thanks for taking the time to respond!
I feel like someone once had an idea that it would be a lot of fun to visit each other's studys to see exactly what you're describing, the pens, the notebooks, the scissors, all of it. Nothing more fun than a deep dive into the process (except for the deep dive into the eventual novel). Thanks for this fun tour into your brain. :)
Thanks, Nance. I agree, I am ever curious as to how people actually work. It's hard to see with writers.
I love that you stay analogue as much as possible and go arts & crafts when naming your chapters. It sounds very you, Al....and recognizable to me as well in my own work...if only I could get my notebooks better organized. At least I'm dating every new page. Can't wait to read this latest gift. Cheers!!! xoxo
Why is it so hard to be organized? I am a two-finger typist, so analogue it is for me. Dating pages is a big step! I read a method I am now using of alphabetizing the last few pages of a notebook and the writing down the entries under the appropriate letters. Does that make sense? It is really helping me.
Love these ideas! And the acknowledgment that it is one step forward, one to the side, back, etc.
Is it ever!