Tag Archives: #editing

3 ways to turn stress into delight #IWSG @TheIWSG

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Happy Insecure Writer’s Support Group Day!


IWSG is the brain child of writer, Alex J. Cavanaugh. Click to join.

https://www.insecurewriterssupportgroup.com/p/iwsg-sign-up.html

Every month, we announce a question.

December 1 question – In your writing, what stresses you the most? What delights you?
The awesome co-hosts are PJ Colando, Diane Burton, Louise – Fundy Blue, Natalie Aguirre, and Jacqui Murray!

3 Ways To Turn Stress Into Delight (kinda, sorta), or What Works For Me Sometimes (IDK).

1. When collaborating with other artists –

Whether we’re at odds with our editors, working with graphic artists or other writers – collaborating with artists we admire and respect should be a positive growing experience. Art isn’t created in a vacuum, but there are pros and cons to each stage of the process when working with others. Managing multiple stubborn personalities is stressful. Dovetailing together when it finally gains traction makes it worth the required patience and time.

Tip – Don’t try to put your process on top of theirs. Learn, listen and expand your process with them.

2. Subplots – Avoiding dross.

Joseph Campbell’s, The Hero’s Journey is a fantastic source of multiple perspectives. I’ve been told you can judge the depth and perspective of work by its subplots. Am I in trouble? This made me analyze a few of my recent subplots. They tend to develop organically as the story grows. Love triangles. Secrets. The inevitable letting go of vice to achieve character building. The basic ‘human condition’ vs inevitable growth stuff.

Tip – Use tools that direct your creative energy. Table sized sheets of graph paper, dollar store notebooks and Moleskins are my thing. No, I don’t always tie up every loose end, but it helps to shift from a micro-perspective and pull back to a bird’s eye view when fleshing out details.

3. Deadlines & Deadlock –

We all miss our deadlines. No? Maybe not all of us, but I do. Writer’s block is stressful. Sitting still is death. I self sooth with familiar things like walks and Moleskin notebooks. Moleskins can take a beating and fit in the pockets of my larger jackets. On a walk of procrastination I can carry a Moleskin with me through sleet and hail and get back to how I fell in love with writing. By hand and with the hope I grow new muscles and have a breakthrough.

Tip – Gift a young creative something that helped you gather your thoughts. Example:

Books Inc. San Francisco

Me: “It’s a Moleskin notebook. For centuries artists have used these to direct their thoughts.”

Little girl: “Oh.” -tight smile-

Me: “Ok. Major yawn… but inside it has a history. See? It’s been used by Vincent Van Gogh, Pablo Picasso, Ernest Hemingway and Bruce Chatwin. Not one woman? Seriously?”

Little girl: -frowns-

Me: -shuts book and hands over Moleskin- “It’s very durable.”

Wishing everyone a safe and pleasant holiday season. What delights and/or distracts you about your writing? Happy IWSG Day!

Re-drafting in 3 Steps #IWSG @TheIWSG

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It’s the first Wednesday of the month. Time for Alex J. Cavanaugh’s Insecure Writer’s Support Group posts! We support each other by releasing insecurities offering and asking for advice. Join us by clicking https://www.insecurewriterssupportgroup.com/p/iwsg-sign-up.html.

Our Twitter handle is @TheIWSG and hashtag is #IWSG.

June 2 question – For how long do you shelve your first draft, before reading it and re-drafting? Is this dependent on your writing experience and the number of stories/books under your belt?
The awesome co-hosts for the June 2 posting of the IWSG are J Lenni Dorner, Sarah Foster, Natalie Aguirre, Lee Lowery, and Rachna Chhabria!

My writing style changes depending on the project, but here are my Go To 3 Steps.

Step 1 – Pencil & Ink

I write everything by hand and have the calluses to prove it. Writing longhand allows the story to create its own neural pathways. I’m a lefty. Pencil and ink coats the side of my pinky and palm daily. It spreads, but studies have purported pencil/pen helps to better absorb and retain information versus typing. I don’t know if that’s true for everyone. It works for me. When I pause on a project to work on a new one (which is often) it’s easier to circle back around and jump back in. I’m a scheduler/outliner in theory, and a pantser in denial.

Step 2 – Every. 10. Pages.

My first edit is typing my long and short hand out. Typing is a different delivery system and allows me to flesh out my characters and refine dialogue, adding and subtracting as I go. How often do I spell check? Every. 10. Pages. King jokes in Room 1408 about the banality of evil and the boring monotonous hotel room being the 7th Circle of Hell. No. Spell checking an entire novel from beginning to end is the 7th Circle.

Step 3 – Seek and Destroy

I go through a plethora of pages multiple times with red ink and kill my babies. Scenarios I thought were great, but now find cliche. Sarcasm I swore was hilarious somehow fell lame. I seek and destroy. Once it’s tidied up enough I pass it onto beta readers. Bless you all! After I get feed back I’m scanning through their red ink. Some suggestions I take. Some I ignore. Filled with crippling self-doubt, second guessing the entire plot and character arc I send out the manuscript to be rejected over and over until (if I’m lucky) it finds a home. If it doesn’t I shelve it, contemplate on how to fix it while hoping in vain the answer will come to me in a dream.

What does your editing/re-drafting process look like? I hope everyone had a fantastic Memorial Day weekend, and Happy IWSG Day!