Pen & Ink
Happy Friday, everyone!
This week, I’ve been focused on revising my short story, “Goodly Creatures,” to get it into fighting shape for submission to Uncanny Magazine. I wanted to give a little insight into my revision process for this story, as it’s different than how I’ve approached revisions in the past (I usually make edits on print-out copies and on the computer). This time, I decided to try something one of my favorite authors, Jeff VanderMeer, has suggested in Wonderbook and on his Twitter.
I printed out a copy of “Goodly Creatures,” made some edit notes on the print-out, then wrote the entire story out again in longhand, using pen and ink. This brought me back into a mindset very similar to when I first drafted the story—you get lost in the flow, you’re in the thick of it with the characters, you can see and smell and experience everything going on. In short, you’re plugged in to the story on a completely organic level. I added in new scenes, new dialogue in a way that felt like they had been there all along, just waiting for me to uncover them. Then, I typed this handwritten revision back up on my Mac, and made further revisions within this new document.
Will I use this method again? I think so. I don’t know yet if it will become the method I use from now on for revisions, but there is something about it that was very helpful for me creatively. If anything, it’s shown me that trying different things as a writer is a great way to flex your creative muscles and inject your work with a freshness that can often get lost after getting down that first draft in a fury of pure, passionate creation.
“Goodly Creatures” still has another round of revision to go through, but I’m confident that it’s almost complete and ready for submission. I’m thinking this will probably happen within the next week or so.
I’ve also about ready to start drafting a new story, as well as revising and expanding another story I drafted earlier this summer.
That’s it for now. Thanks for stopping by! Stay safe and healthy out there, and as always, keep writing and keep reading!
