The Saturday Writing Quote — on revision #5

“I love revision. To me that feels like art[,] pulling the thread of your ending all the way back to the beginning, to work on the grace and fluidity and architecture of a story, that is your real art. Slogging through a first draft is like hoeing a row of corn. You’re just happy when you get to the end.”

– Barbara Kingsolver, quoted in the Missoulian 11/22/09, in an article reprinted from the Minneapolis Star Tribune

The Saturday Writing Quote — on revision

In writing world, November is known as NaNoWriMo, or National Novel Writing Month. Participants pledge to write 50,000 words in a month — that’s about 2/3 of a typical cozy mystery, maybe half of a typical thriller. It takes determination, a comfy chair, and 1,667 words a day. I didn’t participate, but for those of you who did, I offer a month of quotes on revision!

“Get it down. Take chances. It may be bad, but it’s the only way you can do anything good.”

– William Faulkner