Thursday, August 11, 2011

50-page edit

A while ago on K.M. Weiland's blog Wordplay, she has a post up on the 50-page edit. In it she suggests that every 50 pages or 20,000 words to go over and edit what you've written so far. I stored it away as something I might try. About a week ago I came to a big change in my WIP and I was having trouble finding the characters and story again from this big change.

Then I remembered the suggestion of a 50-page edit. I'd gone a bit over the suggested word count with over 30,000 words, but I still buckled down and decided to try an edit-as-I-go strategy. And I think it really helped. Not only do I recognize things I should bring up as I continue writing, but I also felt re-established with my characters. Since I decided to edit on paper, I'm still making the changes onto my computer, but after today I should be rearing and ready to write through again.

This WIP I have going is really tricky, it's like nothing I've ever written before. It's challenging and making me switch strategy of how I write. But I'm loving it. I'm loving the challenge of it and learning new ways and adapting in my writing.

Do you edit as you go? Have you ever needed to switch around how you write?

9 comments:

  1. I have never heard of that before but I do agree that such a thing probably helps greatly when you are trying to keep steam for a novel.

    I think I might have to try it out.

    Great post!

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  2. I did this on the last book I wrote. It sounds like yours--it was tricky and something I'd never done before, and it helped me a LOT to go back and edit and tweak what I already had written. I felt like it gave me a stronger base to work off of. I might not have done it some years ago when I was learning how to finish a book, but now that I know I can and will finish a story, I can do this and keep going forward. :D

    (P.S. I've given you an award on my blog, if you're interested. :))

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  3. What a nice blog you have! (I found you through Laura's Liebster award :D )

    Funny. I just did the opposite thing. I usually edit as I go but THIS time around I'm just writing straight through. I'm making notes in a journal for things to fix later, but I'm not stopping!

    I totally agree. It's SO fun being challenged in new ways while writing. Good for you, working through it AND finding a new method.

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  4. I don't, scared to lose forward momentum. But, I hear it helps a lot of others. Good luck with it!

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  5. I've never tried this, but I think I will next time I get the chance. It seems like it would help me catch my those habitual mistakes -- putting in unnecessary "that"s, stuff like that
    -- and I would be more aware about killing the habits. Thanks for passing that tip on.

    Good luck with your WIP! I think it's exciting that it's tossing you challenges... it'll probably turn out better that way. (:

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  6. I definitely have to switch things up. It's nice to meet you. I love meeting other writers!

    Christy

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  7. I have to force myself NOT to edit as I go along, or I would never get past the first chapter.

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  8. Omg your the lucky winner of the hunger games poster giveaway! If you don't want it can I have it? Btw-congrats Jenna! You don't know how jealous I am rite now!!!!!!!!!! :'( ~cool435~

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  9. I always PLAN to edit as I go, since I submit my WIP to my writing group one chapter at a time as I go, but I never have. I haven't heard of the 50 page edit, but I really like the concept!

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