Friday, March 11, 2011

On Revision


Still on the theme of revision...! I love the first draft stage, it's as effortless as running downhill towards Johnny Depp. This last stage is more akin to combing nits out of Captain Jacks dreadlocks...and there's a little
voice whispering, ah leave it, sure what does it matter?
So near, but yet so far.

Solution:
Fall back on an excellent small town technique for getting people to do what they ought to. It's called shaming. So on the 31st March I'll have the novel finished and in the post (with unforged and ungoogled photographic
evidence on this blog). And in case your wondering, this is
not just excuse to include a photograph
of J Depp. Honest.

18 comments:

Anonymous said...

Niamh, well done. The net curtains of the village will be wide open to view your completed novel at the end of March.

The Johnny Depp inclusion was well received, I am guilty of that all the time but I have tried to hide them by putting him in character.
By the way, I read the other day that J. Depp hates the internet, so we can continue posting away.
Great choice of photo by the way.

Words A Day said...

Brigid
I love the image of the curtains, can almost see them twitch...feeling the pressure already! Glad you like the photo!

Old Kitty said...

Good luck!!!!!!! Yay for you!!!!

And who needs an excuse to post let alone drool over a pic of Mr Depp in all his gorgeousness?!?!

Take care
x

Louise said...

Can't believe you found the first draft easy!!!!! For me it was like a seesaw of pain, belief, anything but, determination, bum on chair, starving my children and failing in the christmas shopping, the list is endless, which is what the novel felt for most of the time! As for revision, it is tedious, for you have to balance improvement against editing it to death, at least that's the way it is for me. Yesterday I wondered if any of it mattered, and today I remembered, all I am doing is writing a story, the question is how well, which is very dodgy ground right now. And Johnny Depp, lovely thought!

Words A Day said...

Old Kitty
Thanks, glad you liked the photo!

Chris David Richards said...

I knew something good would come out of Pirates of the Carribbean one day.

Words A Day said...

Socks
I'm glad you mentioned your experience of first drafts is less then downhill...!I shouldnt assume we all write in the same way!:)
I do find first drafts easy enough, I suppose because I don't stop to think about where its all leading, (or to plot...probably why the final drafts become so messy!) Also I tend to write them very quickly stream of consciousness style in a notebook, in bed or when there's no one around and have no deadline in mind.
The hell starts for me when I've all the words written and I've to go back and make sense of them! I know what you mean about starving the kids etc....! One of the reasons I'm pressuring myself to get this finished is to assuage my guilt at being so scattered when it comes to the kids, meals, housework etc... what you say about remembering its a story was something that really helped me lately.

Michael Farry said...

My first drafts are great at the idea stage but on paper they read very badly. Then it's do I dump or work at it. Congrats on getting so far! Well done.

Louise said...

First drafts, other than novel writing, I would agree with you for sure, but it was very hard for me to keep going when I was doing the novel first draft, perhaps because of how much committment it took over a sustained intense period. Ah well, maybe the next one will be easier!

Peter Goulding said...

I have marked the date down on the calendar in the kitchen and will be eagerly anticipating the completed novel.
What exactly is revision, btw?

Kim said...

♥ Always enjoy all you write...and the pic of Johnny is enjoyed also. Excellent metaphor of how you feel about first drafts.
Now just 'draft' on down to J.Depp

Jan Morrison said...

OK Niamh - I'll meet your challeng but not raise you one (or other such poker twaddle). I too promise to have this final revision before going to my line editor done by the end of March. I think I might even get there before but absolutely by. Thanks kid!
And a Johnny Depp pic is always in good taste though I'm bit off him after the last thing on him in the Vanity Fair which was lame and I wish I hadn't read it but it might have been the interviewer who featured the shallow and not really him at all and does he need to be deep just cuz he is so....alluring?

Mairi said...

A lovely blog, full of all sorts of interesting things. I enjoyed the garlic earth very much. As for revison, have you read it out loud, or bribed someone to read it aloud to you? Both very helpful. Here's to running downhill fast, however many nits may be waiting at the end. Some people, I mean, some things, are just worth it.

Words A Day said...

Jan
I'll see your "by the end of the month"!
Alluring, oh yes he is...!
Reb VF was that the Patti Smith interview?
Great to have some company on my journey, we're nearly there!

Words A Day said...

Mairi
LOL - some things (people)are!! Thanks, must try reading it outloud, or the bribery!

Robert Guthrie said...

Good luck on your deadline. Mr. Depp as muse... he was such a nice guy in GILBERT GRAPE; may he be there for your final revision.

Tess Kincaid said...

Best of luck. I had to stop and drool awhile over Mr. Depp.

Group 8 said...

Johnny Depp - droooooooooool.
Good luck :)

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