I hope the next one goes better.

I find that my old nemesis, lack of time, has become my greatest obstacle.

Last night I finished chapter 1. I can think of many parts I'd like to adjust (inadequate description, questionable time passage, character saying something that violates my rules for that character), but my plan is to avoid getting mired in revision by just charging ahead and get through the whole story first leaving the occasional "fix this" note.

Gud, what kind of novel are you writing?

Also, GOOD CALL on not self-editing too heavily this pass. Just write it, and change it later. My two cents only, but it works for me.

Oh good lord yes. If you *can* sidestep the constant sanding and spackling of revision until you finish your draft, by all means, forge ahead.

Signed, revised myself out of more than one story before they were ever finished.

I'll be the contrarian again and say that if something is annoying you like a rock in your shoe as you move along, go ahead and fix it. If you're a third of the way through and you realize an action in the first 10 pages has been completely negated or you've thought up something to put in the first 10 pages that will make something later on even better, go ahead and put it in/take it out. I figure it takes as much time to actually do the fix as it does to write down a full enough note so that you'll remember what you wanted to do.

Gud, what kind of novel are you writing?

Fantasy Fiction

I ground though about 120 pages many years ago, before being knocked off the rails by baby arrival. I did plenty of backtracking and revising as I went and I felt that wasn't the way to go for me this time around. Also, it was sucking something fierce.

I'll be the contrarian again and say that if something is annoying you like a rock in your shoe as you move along, go ahead and fix it. If you're a third of the way through and you realize an action in the first 10 pages has been completely negated or you've thought up something to put in the first 10 pages that will make something later on even better, go ahead and put it in/take it out.

I don't think that is totally contrary. I've stepped back and fixed things that are just wrong. But I'm not going back and rewriting a paragraph or conversation until it sounds right to me.

I finished the detailed outline for chapter 2 last night, so I'm ready to conquer chapter 2. The detailed outlining starts getting harder after this. I have parallel plot threads going on at that point, though the story only follows one thread.

I split the difference on the revise as you go. I say keep writing, but it doesn't hurt to give each previous chapter a once over before you start on the next. Provided you don't get caught up in revising it to death.

Which... I know. Easier said than done.

Look! Look! Book cover! [link]