Monday, October 24, 2011

Revising?

Are you knee-deep in revisions?

Or maybe you dove in and now you're completely submerged?

You know there's an amazing diamond in that rough, and you just need to keep chipping away until it's revealed? Do you want to polish until it gleams so brightly you can see it a mile away?


But do you keep seeing people's posts on NaNoWriMo, and it makes you sad because you really WANT to do it, but you really NEED to get through revisions first and you know that even if it sounds like bucket loads of fun, NaNoWriMo is just out for you?

It kinda gets you RIGHT HERE, doesn't it.

Well, guess what? I have the perfect solution!


NaNoReviMo

(The NaNo folks will be okay with me distorting their name and using it for my own purposes, right? They're cool like that, RIGHT?)

Here's the deal: I think we can have it all. NaNo craziness AND revisions.

I think that all of us who plan to really rock the revision scene during the month of November should do it together the way NaNoWriMoers write together! I first got the idea when Carrie Butler left her comment on my NaNo post last Wednesday. We could have a group email and give each other a kick in the pants, inspire one another, and best of all, report our progress!

We could REVISE 50,000 words in November. Or, we could make a different, personalized goal that fits with our needs better. FINISH revising. CUT a certain amount of words. ADD a certain number of words. Work on the revision letter I just got from my agent. :) EDIT a certain number of chapters. Whatever works. We just each decide what our goal is, then WORK LIKE CRAZY TO GET THERE. And have fun while we're doing it!

So who's with me?

Feel free to leave your RSVP or your regrets in the comments.

If you'd like to join, I'll need your email address at some point. You can leave it in the comments if you'd like. If you're weirded out by that and you have it somewhere on your blog, I can click over and find it. If you don't, email me. Peggyeddleman [at] gmail [dot] com.

Let's do this!

42 comments:

Leigh Ann said...

Oh, hey, guess who's 6K away from finishing a first draft AT THE END OF OCTOBER?

THIS LADY.

(Translation: I am so, so in.)

I just read Elana Johnson's post on NaNoWriMo and I love her support group's idea of emailing with the day's accomplishments and the last line written (edited.) Just a thought.

rabbikopans (at) gmail.

Wheee!

Denise Baer said...

It's a good idea. I hope I don't have THAT much revision left...but I might attempt Nano.

BTW, I nominated this blog for the Versatile Blogger Award.

Talli Roland said...

That's a fab idea, Peggy! I'd do it, but I'm just gearing up to launch my next novel. Good luck!

Angela Cothran said...

What a great adaptation :) I just finished revising 93,000 words, so I'm ready to do something new.

Shilpa Mudiganti said...

Great idea! I am still half way through my first draft though. So, that means I would miss at least half of the time (I am expecting the first draft to be over by then!)...so sorry to say I am going to miss this. But hey! knowing you, I am sure I will get another fab opportunity at another fab idea of yours! :D

Janet Johnson said...

I am working on cutting a bunch, so count me in (might as well since I'll be doing it anyway!).

Great idea!

Mara Rae said...

I'm in! I just finished one set of revisions, but I've got more readers' input on the way, so I definitely plan on revising in November. (I just realized October is basically gone. How did that happen??).

i'm erin. said...

Yeah, I'm thinking that I'll be revising with you. Sounds good to me.

J.L. Campbell said...

Still hemming and hawing over what I'm doing for NaNo. Never been able to resist a crazy challenge.

Tara Tyler said...

that is me, revision three, to my knees...
i'm so daffy editing, I'm rhyming!
taratylertalks $ at $ gmail $ dot $ com
Consider me in, much less pressure!
=)

Abby Fowers said...

Fabulous thinking Peggy! Great idea.

Iain said...

Count me in! Not sure if you have my addy still, so here it is again.
fridge.criminal(at)gmail(dot)com
Seeing as I'm from the other side of the pond, shouldn't it be IntNoReviMo?

Tonja said...

I may be a little nuts, but I'm going to write AND revise in November. I only have a few chapters of revisions left, but I don't think I'll be done by November 1. I am committed to NaNoWriMo and have a plan for a novel.

I will absolutely be dropping out of blogland though. Something's gotta give.

JeffO said...

That's a great idea, Peggy. And I'm sure the folks at NaNo won't mind--I'm surprised they aren't already using it, to be honest.

I'm hoping to be shipping my WiP out to a couple of people in the next week or so, so hopefully I'll get some good feedback and be able to join you on this great crusade.

johandley20 (at) gmail, etc.

Maggie said...

What a cute idea and I love the reconstitution of the name. Sadly, I'm not up to revisions yet. I have two books on sub and one I'm half way through, and I'm not doing NaNoWriMo anyway, but good luck to you!!!

Romance Reader said...

All the best with you all's NaNoReviMo ing!

Jessie Humphries said...

You know I'm in. How do you want me to help? I think LeighAnne's idea to email the group at the end of the day is good. Accountability.

Raymund Hensley said...

Thanks for the "diamond in that rough" reminder! ^_^

Carrie Butler said...

Oh, you know I'm in! (I'm pretty sure you have my e-mail address, but if not, let me know.) Let the NaNoReviMo festivities begin!

...In a week. *grins*

Jenny S. Morris said...

Awesome idea!! I left my e-mail on Jessie's blog. This is exactly what I need.

Peggy Eddleman said...

Leigh Ann-- I'm so excited for you to finish! Congrats again! So happy you're in. I read Elana's post, and I totally agree! Nightly accountability sounds perfect.

Bea-- Best of luck if you decide to do NaNo! And thanks so much for the blog award. So sweet!

Talli-- Yeah. Launching a new book is a tad more time pressing. :) So happy for you!

Angela-- Whew! I can bet you're ready to do something OTHER than revisions!

Shilpa-- So sad you're going to miss this. But I totally understand! Dang. Now I'm feeling the pressure to come up with another fab idea. ;)

Janet-- Yay! You're in! I'm so excited!

Mara-- Yipee! So glad you're in! Idk where October went. We blinked?

Erin-- :) :) :) I can't wait for you to finish! (Especially since that means I'll get to read it!)

J.L.-- Hahaha! Crazy challenges FTW! Best of luck deciding.

Tara-- I'll take you and your rhymes, because I know it'll mean good times!

Abby-- Thanks! It's always funner with friends, right?

Iain-- It's now officially IntNoReviMo. Welcome!

Tonja-- Holy canoli! That's amazing and crazy! Something's gotta give? I'd think about a million things have gotta give. :) Best of luck with it all!

JeffO-- The NaNo folks definitely SHOULD be using it! Welcome aboard!

Maggie-- Best of luck with the ones on sub, and with finishing your WIP!

Riya-- Awww, thanks!

Jessie-- And it makes me all kinds of happy. Hmm... How shall I have you help? I'll have to think of something. :) And I totally agree about the accountability.

Raymund-- You're welcome! Sometimes it's hard to remember. :)

Carrie-- :) Thanks for the inspiration! Just one more week. We'll party hearty. Nothing's quite as fun as revising, right?

Peggy Eddleman said...

Jenny-- Yay! Glad you're on board! We're going to rock it.

Lan said...

This is such a fantastic idea Peggy! I wish I wasn't already planning on doing NaNo next month :( If you happen to do the NaNoReviMo (LOL) again, I am definitely up for it!

Cherie Reich said...

Your NaNoReviMo sounds like a great idea, although I'm putting aside edits/revisions to do NaNoWriMo. I think most of next year will be NaNoReviMo. *laughs*

Nancy Thompson said...

Haha! That's a great idea! Sadly, I am way past this point, but the idea still rocks!

Anonymous said...

Love your idea... and why not... a month of full on revising should move the book along, though there is the slight side effect of your brain melting...:)

Alleged Author said...

I'm definitely revising this month!

Laura Pauling said...

Yes! I'll be revising during Nano. Not every single chapter but a lot. Cutting some. Adding totally new ones. I'm in.

laurapauling at yahoo dot com

Shell Flower said...

Great idea, Peggy. I'm going to go for the new first draft, because to me revising is beyond difficult, but I love that you are doing this. It's all about the community.

WilyBCool said...

I really enjoy your blog! I am learning so much from you and a couple of other blogs. I didn't realize that you had already been nominated when I put you on my list for the most Versatile Blogger Award!
;D Keep it up!

Angela Brown said...

I'm giving NaNoWriMo a shot so won't be able to give NaNoReviMo a go. However, I must say, it's an excellent idea. Many people who aren't doing NaNo mention that it's because of revisions. So this is a perfect idea.

Susanna Leonard Hill said...

What a great idea! You're a genius! Unfortunately, I don't have time for NaNo, and I don't have a novel to revise. How about a stack of picture books? :)

Peggy Eddleman said...

Lan-- I'm excited for you to do NaNoWriMo! Who knows. Maybe we will do NaNoReviMo again soon!

Cherie-- Haha! Have great fun with NaNoWriMo, and have even more fun with a year of revisions! :)

Nancy-- Thanks!

TF-- So does that mean you're in? Brain melting and all?

Alleged-- So are you in?

Laura-- WooHoo! Welcome aboard?

Shell-- Community definitely makes it more fun. Have fun with the new draft!!

WilyBCool-- Thanks so much for the compliment and the award! I really appreciate it.

Angela-- I know, right? When I did my post last week asking who was doing NaNoWriMo, I couldn't believe how many people said it was because of revisions. Since that's MY reason, too, I decided NaNoReviMo would be a fun alternative.

Susanna-- Haha! But thanks!! And picture books rock.

Emily R. King said...

Sign me up! I need a kick in the pants. I've been sick a lot lately and I haven't been doing what I should be doing. This way I'll HAVE to do it. Thanks, Peggy!
erittelking (at) gmail (dot) com

Peggy Eddleman said...

E.R.-- Yay! Welcome aboard!

I'll send everyone an email about the details soon.

Melissa Sugar said...

Ouch. Now I am so confused. I mean I knew that I should not have even considered NaNo this year. Why? I just completed my first novel in September and I really need to revise and edit before I query. I also started my second novel (I mean bare bones minimum), but technically I have started because I have written some very rough scenes. So I debated NaNo and figured that this was just not the right time for me to start a new project. I considered running with my current WIP-which is in the early stages, but hey that would be cheating wouldn't it?

I signed up for NaNo today. I felt like everyone else was about to have this fun pow-wow month long write and I didn't want to regret not participating.

But there is no reason why I can't just quietly drop out. I men it's not like there is a penalty for early w/d.

Can I think on it tonight and let you know in the morning? Hey that is a Meatloaf song, isn't it?

Sophia Chang said...

My friend Sarah Skilton told me about a NaNoRevMo, don't know if it's the same but I'm game! I'm basically doing a combination since I have to do a massive rewrite that's akin to coming up with new stuff. Emailing you with my email!

Peggy Eddleman said...

Melissa-- If you decide you want to join us anytime during the month, let me know!

Sophia-- I'm glad you found it! I'll send you an email letting you know all about it.

Anonymous said...

Now that was Awesome!!!!

Deana said...

Hopefully I'm not to late to get in on this. This is exactly what I need:) Sign me up please!

deanabarnhart(at)gmail(dot)com

Anonymous said...

Well tarnations, am I too late? jincomt@gmail.com :)

Anonymous said...

Oh lol.. like a year too late-- i just followed the link. Hmmm