Tyler Has Words is the blog of Tyler Patrick Wood, a writer/musician from Texas. You'll get free book excerpts twice a week. On the other days, you'll get words. If you would like an original take on everything by an expert on nothing, this might be a cool place to hang out.

About Making Changes

About Making Changes

Post 657:

            I’ve heard and read all kinds of advice about how to complete a first draft. Here’s why I think revising as you go is the smart choice.

            It strikes me as a bit weird to open up a document and not want to tinker a bit with some of the wording. Your mind is constantly reworking things, whether it be a sentence or a plot point. I put up my stuff online just in case people want to see the changes the manuscript takes each time I do a good writing session.

            “Just get it done” writers seem to have the wrong priority. “Just get it right” seems a better choice. Of course there are deadlines, but I believe a good writer has to be willing to acknowledge that retooling along the way is part and parcel of the job.

            This is good news. Who wants to start at the beginning when it comes to the mundane and mechanical? Boring. Get the technical out of the way and allow the creative bits to come to the fore.

            The better you are and the better you get, the better you’ll want to be. I don’t know how to ignore this simple fact when I open up a half-finished novel.

            But that’s me.

            Not looking in the rearview seems a sound method for quick production, but this is hardly a noble goal. Probably not why anyone chose to be a writer.

            Maybe the goal is to put out the best thing possible at the time, considering your skill and talent. Noble. Yes. Hard. Yes. Worthy. Yes.

            And that’s my advice, for whatever it’s worth. I know. Advice is gross. You have my apologies.

            Cheers and see you after.

About Two Upstarts (From It Didn't Happen)

About Two Upstarts (From It Didn't Happen)

About Being Next to the River

About Being Next to the River

0