Don’t expect to get a story right
On its first “go” - at least one rewrite
Is what it takes to eventually bring
Your tale to life as anything
That slows it up is cut out of sight.
The real story emerges in the rewriting as you cut out repeats, unnecessary adjectives and so on. I always spot typos on the first print-out. They don’t always show up on screen. I also think a story reads through better when you have it printed on paper. I guess it seems more like a story. On the screen it seems like a computer document. I like to allow enough editing time before a story competition deadline. Some stories seem to be easier to edit than others! I've also noticed I don't always "see" mistakes on screen. Somehow printing it out on paper is like having such mistakes thrust right under your very nose so you can't miss them!
The way to really write well
Is to ignore all the hell
Of edits and rewrites
They help make the work right
Remember to show, not tell!
I think it best to assume you never write anything perfectly first go. There’s little that can’t be improved with a second or third or fourth read through. You will pick things up you missed as you wrote the work. Also as you read through again and again, is the story still gripping you? If so, good! It’s got life in it. If you’re not gripped you may have a problem. You will come to a point when you genuinely feel you can’t edit it any more. That’s the point to send the work out and test the market with it, but the story itself you should still care about deeply.
On its first “go” - at least one rewrite
Is what it takes to eventually bring
Your tale to life as anything
That slows it up is cut out of sight.
The real story emerges in the rewriting as you cut out repeats, unnecessary adjectives and so on. I always spot typos on the first print-out. They don’t always show up on screen. I also think a story reads through better when you have it printed on paper. I guess it seems more like a story. On the screen it seems like a computer document. I like to allow enough editing time before a story competition deadline. Some stories seem to be easier to edit than others! I've also noticed I don't always "see" mistakes on screen. Somehow printing it out on paper is like having such mistakes thrust right under your very nose so you can't miss them!
The way to really write well
Is to ignore all the hell
Of edits and rewrites
They help make the work right
Remember to show, not tell!
I think it best to assume you never write anything perfectly first go. There’s little that can’t be improved with a second or third or fourth read through. You will pick things up you missed as you wrote the work. Also as you read through again and again, is the story still gripping you? If so, good! It’s got life in it. If you’re not gripped you may have a problem. You will come to a point when you genuinely feel you can’t edit it any more. That’s the point to send the work out and test the market with it, but the story itself you should still care about deeply.
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