tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5115759973832197426.post2849061509753702338..comments2023-05-07T03:47:02.348-04:00Comments on The Rockville 8: The Realities of Revisions by Keli GwynThe Eighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03966202602120800766noreply@blogger.comBlogger45125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5115759973832197426.post-74088910174057824052011-04-06T11:11:41.597-04:002011-04-06T11:11:41.597-04:00I thought I'd post an update. After eight mont...I thought I'd post an update. After eight months of work on the revisions, I pressed "send" with a trembling finger and zapped the manuscript to my agent. Wonder of wonders, she liked it! In October I prepared my first proposal package and Rachelle sent my story out on submission.<br /><br />We received a few passes right away, and then things got quiet. In this case, quiet can be a good thing. It was for us. We received two offers, and on December 7th I accepted one.<br /><br />My debut novel, A Bride Opens Shop in El Dorado, California, will be released by Barbour Publishing on July 1, 2012. And yes, I'm quite excited.<br /><br />A final note: revisions might be tough, but they are worth the hard work. My story is proof!Keli Gwynhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13236868298400593688noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5115759973832197426.post-45318775113505392322010-04-28T00:43:38.205-04:002010-04-28T00:43:38.205-04:00Thanks for stopping by, T. Anne. Hearing your exci...Thanks for stopping by, T. Anne. Hearing your excitement about your revisions excites me. I understand your enthusiasm. Revisions can be fun. As we reshape our stories, we can see them getting better before our eyes, which is quite rewarding. I love the image of your revised novels singing to you. I hope your revisions go well and that the end result is a chorus of your characters bursting into song.Keli Gwynhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13236868298400593688noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5115759973832197426.post-72096069632334760532010-04-28T00:33:41.505-04:002010-04-28T00:33:41.505-04:00What an informative post Keli! I'm fascinated ...What an informative post Keli! I'm fascinated to hear how revisions work after you acquire an agent. I'm heading into revisions for one of my new WIP's and I can't wait. I love remolding and reworking until the novel sings to me.Tanahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10518718614911804428noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5115759973832197426.post-11510817710964134092010-04-27T15:53:49.256-04:002010-04-27T15:53:49.256-04:00Jessie, the thought of major revisions can be daun...Jessie, the thought of major revisions can be daunting, overwhelming, or even a bit scary at first, but once some time has passed they can actually be--dare I say it?--fun. OK, well maybe that's a stretch. Not everyone loves editing as much as OC detail-oriented me, but the process of going through revisions can be rewarding. There's a certain thrill in watching your work get better and realizing you have more ability and creativity than you thought. And I know you have heaps!!Keli Gwynhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13236868298400593688noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5115759973832197426.post-16882181354186619732010-04-27T15:45:37.448-04:002010-04-27T15:45:37.448-04:00Keli, thanks for explaining exactly what revisions...Keli, thanks for explaining exactly what revisions are. You gave us a peek but it's still hard for me to imagine doing that to my manuscript.<br />Not that I wouldn't or don't want to (trust me, if it makes the story better or will make it sell, I'm in!) but the sheer magnitude of it all is just...I don't even have a word. LOL <br />I'm still in awe of your awesome attitude and hope I can be as positive and persevering. :-) Great post!Jessica Nelsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12365768876905444157noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5115759973832197426.post-63172810446714238112010-04-27T15:28:55.759-04:002010-04-27T15:28:55.759-04:00Wendy, here's to your 80 books! I don't kn...Wendy, here's to your 80 books! I don't know if I've got that many in me. That author got started when she was much younger than I am. :)Keli Gwynhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13236868298400593688noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5115759973832197426.post-81147970948494346592010-04-27T15:12:11.563-04:002010-04-27T15:12:11.563-04:0080 books, huh? Is that all it takes? ;)
Well then...80 books, huh? Is that all it takes? ;)<br /><br />Well then, 80 books here I come.<br /><br />Great insights, Keli. Thanks.<br />~ WendyWendy Paine Millerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15136235074351188350noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5115759973832197426.post-77346413618462888162010-04-27T13:43:37.216-04:002010-04-27T13:43:37.216-04:00Lisa, I'm glad you found the information helpf...Lisa, I'm glad you found the information helpful. I wish you well on your rewrite and admire you for undertaking it. I trust that even though the process can be painful you will be happier with your manuscript as a result.Keli Gwynhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13236868298400593688noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5115759973832197426.post-64421006464836374192010-04-27T13:39:27.711-04:002010-04-27T13:39:27.711-04:00Michael, great analogies. I had to cut 2,000 words...Michael, great analogies. I had to cut 2,000 words from the first quarter of my book. I had no idea what to remove, since I was convinced it was as tight as I could make it. Not so. I took a scalpel to it, analyzed every word, and ended up with something far better.Keli Gwynhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13236868298400593688noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5115759973832197426.post-90144090134499482012010-04-27T13:32:41.288-04:002010-04-27T13:32:41.288-04:00Rosslyn, that's a great fantasy, isn't it?...Rosslyn, that's a great fantasy, isn't it? If that ever happened to me, I have to read the email umpteen times to believe it--that and have my eyes examined. :)Keli Gwynhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13236868298400593688noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5115759973832197426.post-54915969567329398482010-04-27T13:31:14.541-04:002010-04-27T13:31:14.541-04:00I am in the middle of (I hope!) a self-directed re...I am in the middle of (I hope!) a self-directed rewrite to fix some of those things you outlined in this post. Your thoughts could not have come at a better time. Thank you.lisahgoldenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11158660223296807317noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5115759973832197426.post-43948428798043258792010-04-27T13:30:02.656-04:002010-04-27T13:30:02.656-04:00Coming from a film background I'm come to embr...Coming from a film background I'm come to embrace revisions because I see them as the real secret to effective story telling. It's like reducing a sauce in a pan...it just gets more fragrant, more flavorful and more powerful. Once you start cutting, then you slowly see the face of the statue emerge from the block of stone.Michael K. Reynoldshttp://www.michaelkreynolds.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5115759973832197426.post-38388648195466798542010-04-27T13:17:45.849-04:002010-04-27T13:17:45.849-04:00Great thoughts, Keli! This is so funny - today, fo...Great thoughts, Keli! This is so funny - today, for the first time, I dared to fantasize that my editor would say "no changes" in her first editorial letter. Fantasize being the operative word.Rosslyn Elliotthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11304732306399786236noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5115759973832197426.post-27960276107380099062010-04-27T13:01:19.083-04:002010-04-27T13:01:19.083-04:00Marjanna, like you, I have to remind myself not to...Marjanna, like you, I have to remind myself not to lapse into copy edit mode when I'm doing a macro read for someone. Since I'm a diva of details, the temptation to do so is great.<br /><br />I didn't touch on it in this post, but one of the biggest lessons I've learned as a result of my revisions is the need to plan a story before I write it. I spent four years as a pantser, but I've converted to plotter. Having to delete so much of my story and start over was so painful that I realized there had to be a better way. I put a link to a post about my process in a comment above. (April 26 @ 11:14 a.m.)<br /><br />Learning to let go of my tight grasp on my story and welcome the input of others has been a process. Because of my background, I find it easier to trust publishing pros than I might have otherwise. I saw writers' work improve greatly because of changes they made based on the suggestions of editors and our publisher. I know those giving me advice on how to improve can help me take my stories to a higher level.Keli Gwynhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13236868298400593688noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5115759973832197426.post-86039464740197222262010-04-27T12:21:28.548-04:002010-04-27T12:21:28.548-04:00Wonderful post, Keli. I loved your distinctions be...Wonderful post, Keli. I loved your distinctions between what it is and what it isn't. Wnen I read my critique partners' work, I can easily slide into the "what it isn't" mode, but not so easily the other. I am definitly "look at the trees not the wood" kinda gal.<br />As I am writing, being a pantzer and not a planner, I am constantly aware of what I have to hack out as my story lines shift and change here and there. I wonder, though, what I will feel like if I am told that a character has to be hacked, not just a scene. (my precious scene! my precious secondary! my precious dialogue!)But if my goal is not to hoard my preciousness, but to get published, then I have to learn from the likes of you and Lavinia and others who are going through the macro edits that the editors pen is to build a better book.<br />Good luck with the GH!Marjannahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11083230901251977159noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5115759973832197426.post-43458397786396165242010-04-27T10:33:17.501-04:002010-04-27T10:33:17.501-04:00Anne, thanks for taking time from your busy day an...Anne, thanks for taking time from your busy day and your own revisions to visit me here and leave a comment. You are the bestest CP ever!!<br /><br />Susan, it's amazing how our early experiences often come into play, isn't it? When I worked at the publishing house, I looked longingly at the writers in their special office and wished I was one. Now, here I am with my Dream Agent and more wonderful writer friends than I could ever have imagined. Wow! I'm glad those lessons from your superiors' red pens prepared you for revisions, even though they had to hurt at the time.Keli Gwynhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13236868298400593688noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5115759973832197426.post-54616337944078395782010-04-26T22:18:06.058-04:002010-04-26T22:18:06.058-04:00All good advice. Revisions are anything but easy....All good advice. Revisions are anything but easy. When I was a young lawyer at the firm, I had no idea that God was preparing me to write a book -- by putting me through the meat grinder. I can still remember those red pen edits on EVERYTHING I wrote. It made writing a book much less painful! Sometimes the reward show up years and years later........Susan DiMickelehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13376687779868147687noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5115759973832197426.post-65182012676268431072010-04-26T22:03:31.081-04:002010-04-26T22:03:31.081-04:00Great post, Keli! I loved the anecdote you shared...Great post, Keli! I loved the anecdote you shared about the author who tweeted she didn't have any revisions . . . on her 80th book. Wow!<br /><br />I also really liked what Lavinia said: "Afterward, I always feel that I am further than I could ever have gone on my own." I feel that way too.Anne Bartonhttp://www.annebarton.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5115759973832197426.post-22608871458609160352010-04-26T21:24:18.245-04:002010-04-26T21:24:18.245-04:00Debra, I'm glad you feel the information is he...Debra, I'm glad you feel the information is helpful. I wish you well in your writing and hope it's not long before you're revising for your agent or editor.Keli Gwynhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13236868298400593688noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5115759973832197426.post-5964096082820186992010-04-26T21:22:39.505-04:002010-04-26T21:22:39.505-04:00Jill, thanks for coming over to read my post. I th...Jill, thanks for coming over to read my post. I think it's admirable that you rewrote your story based on good advice you received in a rejection letter. If an editor takes the time to share the reasons for a pass, it's because he or she saw promise. Since editors are extremely busy people, such a letter is a gift. I hope your hard work is rewarded.Keli Gwynhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13236868298400593688noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5115759973832197426.post-47489029579152154022010-04-26T21:10:38.418-04:002010-04-26T21:10:38.418-04:00Kelli - thank you so much for so much wonderful ad...Kelli - thank you so much for so much wonderful advice. As an unpub, I seek out well written articles like this and either bookmark or print it out. I think I'll do both in this case.Debra Key Newhousehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17502233369438356559noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5115759973832197426.post-66020961735953755822010-04-26T19:53:41.813-04:002010-04-26T19:53:41.813-04:00There is a lot of great information here, Keli. I ...There is a lot of great information here, Keli. I completely rewrote a book last fall because I'd received good advice in a rejection letter from another book and decided to apply it. I'm thankful for expert advice, even if it means more work.Jill Kemererhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07865493609868329393noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5115759973832197426.post-20443672429794370252010-04-26T18:56:38.468-04:002010-04-26T18:56:38.468-04:00Terri, thanks for visiting me here at The Rockvill...Terri, thanks for visiting me here at The Rockville 8. And thanks for your kind words.<br /><br />Rachelle has years of experience as an editor, and she brings that background and expertise to her work as an agent. I'm honored she chose to represent me even though I needed to perform a major revision of my story. Believe me, I'm doing all I can to produce something she's happy with. I know people like the beginning of the story since it's fared so well on the Contest Circuit, and that helps. What I'm doing now is making sure the rest of the story measures up.Keli Gwynhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13236868298400593688noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5115759973832197426.post-65095922736568815582010-04-26T18:45:58.751-04:002010-04-26T18:45:58.751-04:00WOw Keli, I didn't realize you were doing all ...WOw Keli, I didn't realize you were doing all that. Rachelle must see something really special and talented in you to represent you even with revisions. Which there is!!!:)) I know the end result will be awesome and you will be so pleased you persevered.Terri Tiffanyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07771622379178654235noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5115759973832197426.post-63685102187446320022010-04-26T18:32:29.788-04:002010-04-26T18:32:29.788-04:00Sherrinda, I'm glad you found the post helpful...Sherrinda, I'm glad you found the post helpful. I would agree that revisions tend to follow feedback from others. We writers are so close to our stories it can be hard for us to see major weaknesses, whereas others can point them out.<br /><br />Now that both my CP and I have received our first sets of Revision Notes, we've agreed to do a macro read for each other as the first step in our critique process. After the revision is complete, we do a more detailed read. This multiple step approach serves us well.Keli Gwynhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13236868298400593688noreply@blogger.com