Dame Kaz
As some of you already know, I have recently emerged blinking into the cold winter light after many, many weeks spent in the Revision Cave.
The Cave is a dark place where writers sometimes go to improve their manuscripts. In my case, I’d been sent there by my editor*.
It’s pretty scary inside, and I had to go deep – deeper than I’d ever gone before – in order to produce my best work. There were times when I didn’t think I’d make it; the other Dames can attest to that. There were honestly times when I thought that maybe I wasn’t cut out for this writing gig after all. But I got through it, finally, by focusing on one thing at a time and pushing through, day after day, until I could see that little glimmer of hope light that showed me I’d found my way outside again.
I’ve learned a lot while working on my editorial letter for The Iron Witch. Here are just a few of those lessons:
1) Never be afraid to ask for help. You can ask your editor, your agent, your family, your cats (I actually tried this once or twice), your best friend, your husband, partner, lover, brothers or sisters, your critique partners, crit group, other writers, readers, your hairdresser**… But whatever you do, if you have a serious revision/rewrite to undertake, ask for help if you are stuck. You don’t have to be alone even if it feels like you are.
2) You will sometimes feel that you might never find the end of the work you’re doing. It will really, truly feel this way. But I promise you there is an end and you will emerge more-or-less in one piece; gasping, bloody and battered, kinda like that girl in The Descent:
Kaz claws her way to freedom!
3) When your novel is cut into tiny little slices, and pages are scattered everywhere, and you forgot which chapter goes after Chapter 5, and you’re beginning to wonder if it might be a good idea to train as a surgeon before even attempting to put it all back together again… breathe. Take a deep breath and remember that, even though it doesn’t feel like it, you are in control. It’s your novel and you can pull all the right pieces into the right places. It might take a while, and you might be scared out of your mind a little nervous about it, but you will get there in the end.
How did that picture get in here?
4) You will get absolutely sick of your own story at some stage. This is just part of the process – a natural part – and you shouldn’t see this as a sign that the whole project sucks and you might as well give it all up and turn to
5) Finally, you’ll learn that the more you chip away at the work that needs to be done; the more you dig deeper and deeper into the manuscript; the more you trust yourself… then you’ll begin to see the potential for something so much better. You will hit a wall or two (see No.4), sure, but then you’ll go through it and you’ll want to keep going because there’s no way you’re giving up on that vision of what you want this story to be. You might never quite match it in reality – you might not even come close – but at least you tried. If you give it your best shot and you put 200% of your effort into the revisions, your stay in the Revision Cave might not turn out to be such a bad thing after all.
You might even… want to go back…
–
* I’m kidding about him actually sending me there. Although I’m not kidding about being in the Cave and how scary it can be.
** Probably your hairdresser won’t be much help.
Related posts:
Tags: Karen Mahoney, writing
I love it! What a great list. Especially the fact that you seem to have a positive take on the Revision Cave, even though there are a lot of hard things you had to go through (and everyone has to go through) while revising.
I’m revising something heavily right now; I’ll definitely think on this when I get to a couple points in the ms I’m just totally dreading re-writing.
Actually, my hairdresser has helped a great deal, mostly when it comes to quieting the chattering head monkeys.
I’m glad you survived and I love your choice of pictures–frighteningly close to the truth
Wow! Great post! I’m likely to be heading towards that cave pretty soon, so keep the fire warm!
But seriously, great post. I am going to be a writer, starting by going to RT this year and then taking the next steps after that once I get my WIP polished to the best of my ability.
Which is when I’ll get to point b and will be sent to that Revision Cave. So keep the fire warm for me, even though you might already be gone.
Awesome list. It’s scary how reality can be explained at times through scenes from a horror flick, isn’t it? In all honest, I don’t think I’ll ever look at revision the same way. Thanks for the list which I’m so going to place next to my laptop for future reference.
It always seems as if Revision is the most tedious, nails-being-pulled off part of the writing process. Hopefully next time I’m in full Revision Mode I won’t panic. LOL.
LOVE this post.
And I especially love lesson #1.
Great post! That shows a lot of dedication and I know my daughter will show the same with her writing.
When you asked your cats for help, did they give you any? Even a simple, “Stop working – LET’S EAT!” ?
OMG that picture from ‘The Descent’–that is THE BEST DESCRIPTION I’ve ever encountered of how revision hell really feels.
I love this post. You make it sound almost…fun…in a sick way.
Thanks for the lovely comments. I’m glad this post alternately entertained & inspired.
Good luck to all those entering… The Revision Cave.
Kaz
Jessica S.: I notice that you said:
I am going to be a writer
But it sounds to me you’re ALREADY writing, which already makes you a writer in my eyes.
Have fun at RT! I am soooo envious. I went last year and had an absolute blast.
Kaz
Jennifer Ebba: You know, there are some (crazy) writers that actualy enjoy revisions. Maybe you’ll turn out to be one of them…
Tez: What my cats tell me has to remain top skerit, I’m afraid. They are Ninja Cats & live in the shadows… *g*
Ha ha…um, I gotta go into the revision cave soon. Am scared.
Well done for surviving! Can’t wait to read The Iron Witch!
Revisions *shivers*
Oh, and any idea where that cave is? It looks familiar. ( And I don’t mean metaphorically
)
I just entered it. I have to figure out how to insert a plot into 70k of not-quite-plot. Once I finally decide what that plot should be from the several tendrils of almost-plot floating throughout. Am at once terrified and determined. Times like these I turn to the color-coded charts.
Kaz,
Congrats on making it through to the light of day. Love your list of challenges faced and insights on each of those challenges.
Irene: Thank you! And don’t be scared – there is something very satisfying about the work.
Atsiko: I’m afraid I really don’t know…The metaphorical cave is obviously somewhere in the Underworld, though.
Jess: You can do it! But… ‘color-coded charts’?? *shivers* Hehe…
Dawn: Thanks, as always, for your support.
[...] because I am once again deep in the Revision Cave. You remember that place, don’t you? I talked about it here. But I do have a short rant for you (sort of) and a [...]
[...] been stuck in the Revision Cave for most of this month, and the last few days I’ve had my head down and am working hard. [...]
[...] and it’s something I’m very interested in. (I’ve mentioned this before, in a post about the ‘Revision Cave’ over at the Deadline Dames.) I also believe it’s the way I work best, and maybe it will [...]