“Rewriting is writing,”according to the old saw,but in a sense,rewriting is dewriting,undoing all the wonderful stuff one has spent oh-so-many-hours crafting.
As I rework my novel once again,so my agent can send the all-new and improved book out to the pit bull ring of rejection,I have spent all of my creative juices of late on rewriting. So I dewrite a beautifully crafted scene that just doesn’t work in context. Or I dewrite some hilarious dialog that works better in a Farrelly Brothers movie than my work.
Then I make the most painful dewriting decision of all:eliminating an entire character whose place in the book makes no sense whatsoever,erasing them like they never existed,like in an old Soviet history book.
Dewriting is different than simply rewriting in that it entails you completely ditching stuff or tearing it up so much that it is unrecognizable from the first draft. You destroy your previous work. You devalue what you’ve written. And find yourself devoid of your sanity.
You’ve heard the stories,felt the pain. Writers ditching dozens or hundreds of pages of their work,or tossing the whole damn draft out and starting from scratch. (Nabokov threw his working copy of “Lolita”into a fire;wife Vera rescued it). Dewriting is filicide of the novelist’s art:one may ditch a piece from a collection or trim pages or even rewrite a short story 35 times,but such work is done with a scalpel,not an axe.
So as I cut through the rainforest of verbal badness as part of my effort to get the book (back) into fighting shape,it is worth pondering (on my part,at least) of just what it means to dewrite a novel,in terms of one’s own abilities.
A published acquaintance of Wife(apparently) does not do any rewriting. Perfection flows from the first draft,which may in of itself be a rewrite. If a story isn’t working,she simply ditches it.
And I can’t hate this person,because she is unconscionably decent,besides being preternaturally talented.
Those of us mortals less gifted have to content ourselves with hour after hour at the workbench,refining and refining,but often dewriting. To wit:the first draft of my novel was based upon the narrator’s childhood talent of being able to identify the brand of soft drink from the sound of its carbonation. Scenes were based on this characteristic;dialog crafted to show it;plot points defined because of it.
When it became apparent that this supposedly integral part of character and plot was really nothing more than a wacky jumping off point,out it went. Dewritten it was,as were dozens of pages following it,as I lost and gained characters,hacked out scene after scene.
This looks like fun
Flannery O’Connor supposedly said that genius is the ability to edit one’s own work,and though she also supposedly said,“Those Krystal burgers are some serious good eatin’,”I must agree with the late Ms. O’Connor. Most people are the best editors in the world until they pick up their own stories.
I’m not talking about fear,writer’s block,or otherwise. No,this is the inability to see what others find obvious. It’s almost impossible to consider your own story objectively,which is why it’s good to have a handful of trusted readers (as opposed to an MFA workshop,where for every person actually trying to help,there’s two stupidheads just trying to make a point).
If art is essentially about making choices,dewriting is the hardest type of rewriting of all,because it means you made some seriously wrong choices in the first place. It can lead to serious self-doubt,novelist’s greatest enemy. I should know. You have to kill the bastard.
D.H. Lawrence would write a novel,throw out the manuscript,and then start again—on the same book. After seven or eight tries,he’d have a book. He was a nutjob,but also a genius. If he can make a 100,000 word mistake eight times,I can dewrite half that many.
Once again,you prove why you are indeed a writing genius. Or maybe a dewriting genius,I’m not sure.
Once again,you prove why you are indeed a writing genius. Or maybe a dewriting genius,I’m not sure.
Once again,you prove why you are indeed a writing genius. Or maybe a dewriting genius,I’m not sure.
I like dewriting and rewriting better than actually writing. Writing is more painful. Words do not flow unless I’m doped up on laxatives. My editing is so much more inpsired.
I hope it’s going well for you,and that you’ve made some changes for the better,Fraud.
Excellent post,Bookfraud.
I hate rewriting my work,it is my least favorite thing to do EVER.
I do,of course,get over that —but reading this is illuminating.
*mwah*
”“Rewriting is writing,”according to the old saw,but in a sense,rewriting is dewriting,undoing all the wonderful stuff one has spent oh-so-many-hours crafting. ”
I wish I could agree. For me,rewriting is “Holy shit,I wrote THAT? Quick,expunge thy wicked presence from mine monitor and hy thee to a floggery.”I do about 70-80% crap on the first pass but it’s good because it gives me the blueprint to fix it.
And,if you don’t mind,I have no compunctions hating Wife’s friend who gets it right the first time. Harlan Ellison does that and I hate him for it. I have enough bile for Wife’s friend too. So you don’t have to hate her–I’ll seethe for the two of us.
rebecca s.:genius no,cynic stewing in self-pity,yes.
benny:your plight is not a new one,i’m afraid;first drafts sink many an aspiring writer. but no comments on ex-lax.
michele:thanks for the nice words. i actually like rewriting —tweaking and polishing —but hate the dewriting,which is like watching my puppy drown.
brian f.:good point. i often have the same reaction. but after the second or third rewrite,it’s more along the lines of,“oh,shit,that scene i’ve spent 1,552 hours writing has to go.”
don’t hate the writer,even for me. she really is a good egg.
Such true words,but oh,so painful to hear. Would that everyone who wishes to impose his or her words on everyone else were as thoughtful about the need for editing. You have my greatest respect.
I’m the comment dork today since I have nothing useful to add,but I have to say what a well written and introspective post. I’ll proceed with the page burning as soon as I find my matches. (Little disorganized around here…)
Dewriting –excellent concept. After cleaning up the first draft (revising) it is all about getting rid of the “good”stuff that simply doesn’t fit. Dewriting certainly sounds better than eviscerating.
I just hope that I dont’have to dewrite my novel to the point that it could have been written by a bunch of trained monkeys before it gets published.
My roomy Laura was one of those first draft/best draft wizards when it came to short fiction. She has,however,had to learn to do some revision with her first novel. It was all just too big to keep in her head until it was ready.
the writer Wang Ping can do a whole book in her head before writing it all in one draft. amazes me more that inspires hatred.
I like dewriting and rewriting better than actually writing. Writing is more painful. Words do not flow unless I’m doped up on laxatives. My editing is so much more inpsired.
I hope it’s going well for you,and that you’ve made some changes for the better,Fraud.
I like dewriting and rewriting better than actually writing. Writing is more painful. Words do not flow unless I’m doped up on laxatives. My editing is so much more inpsired.
I hope it’s going well for you,and that you’ve made some changes for the better,Fraud.
Excellent post,Bookfraud.
I hate rewriting my work,it is my least favorite thing to do EVER.
I do,of course,get over that —but reading this is illuminating.
*mwah*
Excellent post,Bookfraud.
I hate rewriting my work,it is my least favorite thing to do EVER.
I do,of course,get over that —but reading this is illuminating.
*mwah*
”“Rewriting is writing,”according to the old saw,but in a sense,rewriting is dewriting,undoing all the wonderful stuff one has spent oh-so-many-hours crafting. ”
I wish I could agree. For me,rewriting is “Holy shit,I wrote THAT? Quick,expunge thy wicked presence from mine monitor and hy thee to a floggery.”I do about 70-80% crap on the first pass but it’s good because it gives me the blueprint to fix it.
And,if you don’t mind,I have no compunctions hating Wife’s friend who gets it right the first time. Harlan Ellison does that and I hate him for it. I have enough bile for Wife’s friend too. So you don’t have to hate her–I’ll seethe for the two of us.
”“Rewriting is writing,”according to the old saw,but in a sense,rewriting is dewriting,undoing all the wonderful stuff one has spent oh-so-many-hours crafting. ”
I wish I could agree. For me,rewriting is “Holy shit,I wrote THAT? Quick,expunge thy wicked presence from mine monitor and hy thee to a floggery.”I do about 70-80% crap on the first pass but it’s good because it gives me the blueprint to fix it.
And,if you don’t mind,I have no compunctions hating Wife’s friend who gets it right the first time. Harlan Ellison does that and I hate him for it. I have enough bile for Wife’s friend too. So you don’t have to hate her–I’ll seethe for the two of us.
Hey,hey,hey…them thar Krystal burgers are good eatin’…esp. after a three day drunk or you’ve only got 78 cents in your pocket.
rebecca s.:genius no,cynic stewing in self-pity,yes.
benny:your plight is not a new one,i’m afraid;first drafts sink many an aspiring writer. but no comments on ex-lax.
rebecca s.:genius no,cynic stewing in self-pity,yes.
benny:your plight is not a new one,i’m afraid;first drafts sink many an aspiring writer. but no comments on ex-lax.
michele:thanks for the nice words. i actually like rewriting —tweaking and polishing —but hate the dewriting,which is like watching my puppy drown.
brian f.:good point. i often have the same reaction. but after the second or third rewrite,it’s more along the lines of,“oh,shit,that scene i’ve spent 1,552 hours writing has to go.”
don’t hate the writer,even for me. she really is a good egg.
michele:thanks for the nice words. i actually like rewriting —tweaking and polishing —but hate the dewriting,which is like watching my puppy drown.
brian f.:good point. i often have the same reaction. but after the second or third rewrite,it’s more along the lines of,“oh,shit,that scene i’ve spent 1,552 hours writing has to go.”
don’t hate the writer,even for me. she really is a good egg.
Such true words,but oh,so painful to hear. Would that everyone who wishes to impose his or her words on everyone else were as thoughtful about the need for editing. You have my greatest respect.
Such true words,but oh,so painful to hear. Would that everyone who wishes to impose his or her words on everyone else were as thoughtful about the need for editing. You have my greatest respect.
I’m the comment dork today since I have nothing useful to add,but I have to say what a well written and introspective post. I’ll proceed with the page burning as soon as I find my matches. (Little disorganized around here…)
I’m the comment dork today since I have nothing useful to add,but I have to say what a well written and introspective post. I’ll proceed with the page burning as soon as I find my matches. (Little disorganized around here…)
Dewriting –excellent concept. After cleaning up the first draft (revising) it is all about getting rid of the “good”stuff that simply doesn’t fit. Dewriting certainly sounds better than eviscerating.
I just hope that I dont’have to dewrite my novel to the point that it could have been written by a bunch of trained monkeys before it gets published.
My roomy Laura was one of those first draft/best draft wizards when it came to short fiction. She has,however,had to learn to do some revision with her first novel. It was all just too big to keep in her head until it was ready.
the writer Wang Ping can do a whole book in her head before writing it all in one draft. amazes me more that inspires hatred.
Dewriting –excellent concept. After cleaning up the first draft (revising) it is all about getting rid of the “good”stuff that simply doesn’t fit. Dewriting certainly sounds better than eviscerating.
I just hope that I dont’have to dewrite my novel to the point that it could have been written by a bunch of trained monkeys before it gets published.
My roomy Laura was one of those first draft/best draft wizards when it came to short fiction. She has,however,had to learn to do some revision with her first novel. It was all just too big to keep in her head until it was ready.
the writer Wang Ping can do a whole book in her head before writing it all in one draft. amazes me more that inspires hatred.
Hey,hey,hey…them thar Krystal burgers are good eatin’…esp. after a three day drunk or you’ve only got 78 cents in your pocket.
Hey,hey,hey…them thar Krystal burgers are good eatin’…esp. after a three day drunk or you’ve only got 78 cents in your pocket.
Ah,the dewriting process. Never leaves a writer unscathed.
Good luck with it!
Ah,the dewriting process. Never leaves a writer unscathed.
Good luck with it!
Ah,the dewriting process. Never leaves a writer unscathed.
Good luck with it!
Re-writing,to me,is a second,third..twelfth chance to get it right.
A reprieve,a blessing,that no one else will know what a crude idiot I’ve been in this passage or that scene.
language lover:thank you for your nice words. but respect…ach,that i don’t deserve.
fringes:we’re all the comment dork sometimes.
quinn:amazing what some people can do with first drafts. i hate them,but respect them,but hate them,but respect them,but…
collin:i never question the power of krystals. and they wail on white castle.
courney:thanks —nobody is safe,you are right.
bernita:you have the right attitude. i will say that rewriting is a reprieve;dewriting is pain.
Re-writing,to me,is a second,third..twelfth chance to get it right.
A reprieve,a blessing,that no one else will know what a crude idiot I’ve been in this passage or that scene.
Re-writing,to me,is a second,third..twelfth chance to get it right.
A reprieve,a blessing,that no one else will know what a crude idiot I’ve been in this passage or that scene.
language lover:thank you for your nice words. but respect…ach,that i don’t deserve.
fringes:we’re all the comment dork sometimes.
quinn:amazing what some people can do with first drafts. i hate them,but respect them,but hate them,but respect them,but…
language lover:thank you for your nice words. but respect…ach,that i don’t deserve.
fringes:we’re all the comment dork sometimes.
quinn:amazing what some people can do with first drafts. i hate them,but respect them,but hate them,but respect them,but…
collin:i never question the power of krystals. and they wail on white castle.
courney:thanks —nobody is safe,you are right.
bernita:you have the right attitude. i will say that rewriting is a reprieve;dewriting is pain.
collin:i never question the power of krystals. and they wail on white castle.
courney:thanks —nobody is safe,you are right.
bernita:you have the right attitude. i will say that rewriting is a reprieve;dewriting is pain.
man,you got me beat. i’m still thinking about mustering the courage to put anything down.
man,you got me beat. i’m still thinking about mustering the courage to put anything down.
man,you got me beat. i’m still thinking about mustering the courage to put anything down.
I think it’s okay to feel just a little bit of resentment for people who don’t need to rewrite. I’ve heard that Tolkien was resentful of C.S. Lewis –even though they were friends –because Tolkien spent so long rewriting his books,while C. S. Lewis seemed to get it right on the first try. But both ended up writing classics,so to each his own. Although it’s a bit surprising that Tolkien was the one who spent so much time rewriting…maybe he should have focused a bit more effort on that “dewriting”part.
I think it’s okay to feel just a little bit of resentment for people who don’t need to rewrite. I’ve heard that Tolkien was resentful of C.S. Lewis –even though they were friends –because Tolkien spent so long rewriting his books,while C. S. Lewis seemed to get it right on the first try. But both ended up writing classics,so to each his own. Although it’s a bit surprising that Tolkien was the one who spent so much time rewriting…maybe he should have focused a bit more effort on that “dewriting”part.
I think it’s okay to feel just a little bit of resentment for people who don’t need to rewrite. I’ve heard that Tolkien was resentful of C.S. Lewis –even though they were friends –because Tolkien spent so long rewriting his books,while C. S. Lewis seemed to get it right on the first try. But both ended up writing classics,so to each his own. Although it’s a bit surprising that Tolkien was the one who spent so much time rewriting…maybe he should have focused a bit more effort on that “dewriting”part.