Revision Revelation

At least for the book I'm working on, my first completed draft, I've discovered I can't impose a structure regarding how many scenes per chapter the order of povs. I really thought I could strictly alternate povs. Wrong. It just didn't work out that way.

Revision 101

Nice post over on Will Write for Chocolate about revision, using reader comments. There's a big variety out there among writers, which should be no surprise. I revise as I write, then revise from the beginning, and so far, never seem to be satisfied. ;)

It Always Comes Down to the Words

I've started revising my WIR (work in revision) and I've been reminded, yet again, as if I needed the reminder, that no technique, no studying writing and developing skills or following someone's supposed rules will make a damn bit of difference if the *words* aren't there. It the words aren't the right ones to tell the story. If they don't flow together in a compelling fashion. No one can put the words in your head or onto the page for you. You have to do that yourself. There is no shortcut, no formula that can do it. You can choose any guides or tools to help you get the words down, but in the end, if they're not good words, they won't matter.

More and more, I wonder if I can find the right words. More and more, I wonder if I can find the right words to tell the stories in my head so that other people want to read them. And that's something I don't think I can answer. The readers, be they editors or agents, will have to be the judges.