This week’s Fix-It Friday tip comes from Nikki Tate, author of more than twenty books for young readers.
I assume I will re-write, revise, re-do, re-think, and reconsider everything I ever write. It makes me very, very nervous when a manuscript comes back with only a few suggestions from the editor because for me, re-working a piece of writing is so central to the process. So that’s part one of the tip: go beyond acceptance and embrace the opportunity to revise.
One of the most important questions I ask myself as I revise is, “Is this really necessary?” I ask that of each chapter, each character, each paragraph, and eventually, each word. Sometimes I write the same thing in three different ways, and asking that question forces me to get rid of the two unnecessary repetitions, even when they are both brilliant. Because of course, everything I write in every draft is brilliant. NOT!!
LOL! Nikki, I love both parts of your tip: embrace the opportunity to revise, and eliminate repetitive stuff. Great advice! Thanks so much.
I enjoy doing revisions but I don’t always use them to good advantage. It’s tempting to just rework things and find a better way to say something without questioning whether I need to say it at all! Maybe I need to post a note on my computer monitor reminding me to question, “Is this really necessary?”
It’s a good question, isn’t it?
“Is this really necessary?” That is a difficult question. I’m glad I have a critique partner that likes to ask this question often
Thanks goodness for critique partners, eh?
Amen!
Totally unrelated, but are you a Habs fan? If so, what do you think of Michel Therrien being your head coach. I always liked him in Pittsburgh.
Am I a Habs fan? heh. You could say that. (Although I’m not particularly a fan of the NHL, LOL, so I’m majorly conflicted right now!) I don’t mind seeing Therrien back in Montreal…hopefully he’ll be good for them. Personally, I liked Jacques Martin…but alas, sometimes you gotta shake things up.
I figured as much, but I didn’t want to assume