Two perspectives on revision
September 10, 2011
Point …
“I do not rewrite unless I am absolutely sure that I can express the material better if I do rewrite it.” — William Faulkner
And counterpoint …
“I’m a tremendous rewriter; I never think anything is good enough. I’m always rephrasing jokes, changing lines, and then I hate everything. The Girl Most Likely To was rewritten seven times, and the first time I saw it I literally went out and threw up! How’s that for liking yourself?” — Joan Rivers
What’s your perspective?
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I use rough drafts to get the plot down. That’s nearly always my starting point. After I know what my characters are doing, I can envision more of their inner life, physical appearance, and the setting.