Whoosh, Barb. Powerful, it gave me shivers.

Beautiful piece of writng, Barb.

That's gorgeous, Barb. You're so good at writing music and motion.

Thanks, guys-- that's one of the scenes that has undergone very little revision since the first draft. It simply flowed and all clicked together in one shot.

And Susan, it does seem to happen more easily when I'm writing about movement/music.

So. Barring unforeseen life issues, I'm going to finish the WIP first draft this month. Which means it's time to think rewrite--NOT my natural gift. And I know I'm going to be making significant changes. Like adding and subtracting subplots changes. So I'm trying to figure out an organized approach to the rewrites. I've had enough chaos on this story. For the sequel I'm even considering outlining FIRST.

Anyway, does this sound like a reasonable approach?

- Finish rough draft
- Take at least a week off, but no more than two
- FIRST PASS: Don't make changes, but do make notes. Note down all items that still need research. Note continuity glitches, put everything down on a calendar/timeline. Create an outline of what's there.
- STUFF I PROBABLY SHOULD'VE DONE BEFORE STARTING BOOK: Rework outline to show what SHOULD be there, noting scenes to add and delete. Make character arc notes for all major characters. Hero's Journey for protagonist should drive outline and his character arc (because Christopher Vogler's writing books make more sense to me than anyone else's).
- REWRITE: Cut unneeded scenes, add additional ones.
- CHARACTER READ: Read each POV character's scenes in sequence for voice, consistency, and character arcs.
- POLISH: Print manuscript, edit for style, technique, and flow.
- BETA: Self-explanatory. Take another break and let other people have a look.
- FINAL TWEAK: One final pass, incorporating beta feedback.

That's a lot, but I've always under-edited in the past, and I don't want to make that mistake again, especially given the complexity of my plot. I've finally gotten over thinking I'm God's gift to the written word and don't NEED to edit much, and I love this story so damn much that I don't want to send it out till it's the best I can make it.

Does that plan make sense to others who've written novel-length?

Though I've only written novel-length fiction of the fan variety, I strongly suggest that you send a beta copy of the first draft out before you start any serious reworking. Maybe call it an alpha release.

Don't touch it when it's in first review. Don't think about it. Set it in a drawer, work on something else. When you get a response back, before you read the response, re-read the thing and take notes. Then, I guess, follow the rest of the plan.

(For me, it's always been more useful to send what I know is rough out rather than what I know is polished. It reduces the churn if in all my revising, I've missed something HUGE.)

Well, the only thing is, there are some big changes I know for sure I want to make. I'm just waiting till I finish the first draft because I'm so close to the end that it would drive me crazy to go back NOW. Some of what's there now doesn't even really make sense, apart from notes in Act III telling myself what to adjust in Acts I and II so the ending will work. It's by far the messiest manuscript I've ever produced, because I've been teaching myself to plot in a new genre as I go along.

Maybe I'd let the CP Who Gets It read the whole thing in its current state, but NSM anyone else.

Hmm, I'm going make a rec based on my experience of you as a person on this board rather than any great wisdom in novel writing. I'll leave actual reactions to your plan to people like Plei or Barb who know about this: but DON"T confuse whatever plan you decide on with some sort of law or absolute rule. If inspiration strikes out of order be open to it. If you wake up one morning, knowing how to write a scene or a bit of dialog do it. Don't be so rigid that you turn away inspiration, or the muse, or the voice of God or whatever you want to call it if it speaks to you. Your plan is a rope you intend to climb to get from where you are to where you want to be. Don't tie yourself up with it.

Yeah, that's me. When I actually make plans, which is by no means all the time, I do tend to become a little too bound to them.

There's actually a Wellington quote which I should put by my computer--take my own protagonist's advice and all that. Paraphrasing, he said that the French commanders he fought in Portugal and Spain made their campaign plans like a set of fine harness. It looks very impressive, but if it breaks, you're screwed. (Um, I'm paraphrasing heavily there.) But he made his plans out of rope--so when something went wrong, he just tied a knot and kept going.

Does that plan make sense to others who've written novel-length?

Definitely let it sit before you do anything.

Other than that, go with what feels right. It sounds to me like you might be making it more complicated than it needs to be, but I don't know the scope of the book, plotwise. If you have strong feelings about what you need to change, then change them, and if you know you missed adding pertinent details, then add them. A final pass, with a rest after revising, and you should be good to go, but it's really whatever works for you.