I want to close out this week with a few more thoughts on revision. Author Darcy Pattison uses a method called the “Shrunken Manuscript.” This process involves removing the white spaces and page breaks in your story, then using a marker highlighting the strongest chapters. For full instructions please select this link. This more visual form of revision helps you to locate areas that drag in the manuscript. I think it would be interesting to try.
For more interesting and unusual tips for revision check out Darcy’s book: “Novel Metamorphosis: Uncommon Ways to Revise” (Mim’s House, 2008).
If you want to look at “revision” from a little different perspective, Boston’s Artists for Humanity have an apprentice program that is housed in an award-winning “green” building that inspired the teenagers to create a line of green furniture. After months of research and development, the teen-artists produced ReVision, a line of furniture that incorporates magazines and junk mail into no-VOC resin.
Here is a sample of their work:
I know that the revision process is a long and sometimes tedious process, I hope the tips this past week make the job a little easier.
Happy revising!
Suzanne Santillan
Writing on the Sidewalk
Love the re-visioned furniture! I could probably make a whole house worth…
Interesting take on the shrunken manuscript – I’ve heard about shrinking with the white space – so you can see how your patterns of dialogue and long narrations are balanced. I guess it comes down to whatever helps you to see your work in a fresh new way.
Sarah