I come in contact with diverse people from different walks of life -- students, trade folks, techies, professionals, parents, retirees, creators, doers, talkers, thinkers and even a few other writers. Yet, overwhelmingly, people look at me with surprise, curiosity or a supportive sadness, when I say that I am starting a rewrite of my book. The misconception appears strong that completing a book's rough draft means that one is virtually finished. I experience sparse understanding about the role of rewrites in authoring a novel.
Here are several things rewrites are not (primarily):
- copy editing -- checking for spelling, punctuation, grammar, clarity, word use, etc.
- an indication of flawed writing, or the need to "fix" a problem
- quick and simple
- rare or few in number
- the "polish" on a mostly finished product
- optional (especially for those of us who plan to publish)
So what is a rewrite? I'll share what I have discovered in my next post.
