Author María J. Estrada
  • Home
  • Mi BiografĂ­a
  • Un Blog de Writing Musings
  • Author Interviews
    • Eric Allen Yankee
    • Mehreen Ahmed
    • Steve Carr
    • Martin Eastland
    • P.S. Malcolm
    • P.C. Darkcliff
  • The Harvested Draft
  • Books
  • Poetry
  • My Patreon Page
  • Useful Bits
  • Contact

Un Blog de Writing Musings

Revision Prison and Mona's Return #SupportIndieAuthors #HugAnIndieAuthor #barrioblues

24/7/2019

0 Comments

 
Picture
It has been like that this month: Exaggerated expectation and then sadness regarding the revision of my novel. In the past, once I set a schedule, it took me over two years to write The Harvest (which I am re-titling because someone already used the titles I was planning for my series). I have no idea why I thought I could revise it in a few months. The funny thing is I was giving a reading of Not Your Abuelita's Folktales, and I got asked by a friend what happened to that story. I said, "I'm revising it this summer and hope to pitch it in September for Pitch Wars." You know that sound a deflating balloon makes? Insert it here. 

One thing I am sure about, once I revise this one, the next one will be easier. At least that is the hope and prayer.


This week, I put my big girl panties on and decided to outline a novel revision plan--like I would for a short story revision. I set an outline for issues I am going to work on, issue by issue. This list, of course, may make no sense to you, but it does for me. My characters are well-developed, I think, but here is what I landed on. 
  • Verb tenses (I changed the verb tenses of Alan's point of view and the inconsistency in the chapters drives me bonkers.)
  • Character Main Goals
  • Plot
  • Vacuums (thanks Grant)
  • Conflicts
  • Narration
  • Character Development
  • Dialogue
  • Theme
  • Symbolism
  • Proofreading
  • Chapter Divisions
I am reading the novel once over and making side comments, probably changing the verb tenses. Then, going through the list. I'm taking part of the advice from Stephen King from On Writing (which is not a conventional book about writing, but is really insightful) and Grant Hudson's How Stories Really Work. The second book is pretty amazing and analyzes what constitutes great fiction. So, for the foreseeable future, I will be in revision prison.

This week, I am also finalizing Mona's Return. I have a great editor going over that piece, so the Kindle book will be out August 1. The printed version, probably a little after that. 

So frowny face, smiley face.


You have any advice for successfully revising a novel? By all means, share some useful comments.

0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    RSS Feed

    Become a Patron!
    Picture

    Jesú Estrada
    Pen Name: 
    María J. Estrada
    Chicago, IL

    You follow me everywhere @drmariajestrada, except Twitter.
    Subscribe to my YouTube channel, Radical Books and Activists.

    *********************
    MARIA J. ESTRADA is an English college professor of Composition, Literature, and her favorite, Creative Writing. She grew up in the desert outside of Yuma, Arizona in the real Barrio de Los Locos, a barrio comprised of new Mexican immigrants and first-generation Chicanos. Drawing from this setting and experiences, she writes like a loca every minute she can—all while magically balancing her work and family obligations. She lives in Chicago’s south side with her wonderfully supportive husband, two remarkable children, and a menagerie of animals.

    Archives

    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    November 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    December 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    December 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    January 2015
    November 2014
    October 2014

    Categories

    All

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.
Photos used under Creative Commons from shixart1985, Phuketian.S, yourbestdigs, yourbestdigs, Brett Jordan
  • Home
  • Mi BiografĂ­a
  • Un Blog de Writing Musings
  • Author Interviews
    • Eric Allen Yankee
    • Mehreen Ahmed
    • Steve Carr
    • Martin Eastland
    • P.S. Malcolm
    • P.C. Darkcliff
  • The Harvested Draft
  • Books
  • Poetry
  • My Patreon Page
  • Useful Bits
  • Contact