So many books on writing can be dry and stuffy, and especially long. Strangely, somewhat ironically, they can be filled with poor writing. Rock Your Revisions was not one of these. It was focused and broke down Miss Yardley's analytical and step by step method of revising (what I consider to be the hardest part of writing). It was also extremely well written. Concise, to the point, prompt, and readable.
I liked the way she gave advice on revisions, this in-particular:
That said, you’re going to be creating some new scenes, and if you think that you not only have to change the whole dramatic action and come up with something polished, paralysis can set in.
Personally, I’d approach this as story only. Don’t let yourself get caught up in the polish. That’s coming next. Write new scenes, tinker with existing that need tweaking, and cut those that need it.
Then, you’re going to look at each scene, examining the prose: looking at how a reader will experience the story you’ve so carefully laid out. Which is the next stage in the revision plan.
I'm doing this now with my third novel (tentatively titled Vapor Trail) and so far so good . . . or should I say, so far so better.
Personally I've always had trouble with setting or with setting the scene. Miss Yardley's advice:
Take the scene, and write it as if you’re writing a play.
You can describe your character. You can describe the setting. You can write the dialogue and give stage directions.
But you cannot write one word about how the character is feeling, what his/her back-story is, or what he/she is thinking about.
I look forward to Miss Yardley's other books. Next up . . . Rock Your Plot.
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