By Mandy Boerma, @mandyboerma
Finishing the first draft of your story is incredibly satisfying and an event to be celebrated.
Except now the work begins. At least for me. My favorite part of writing is the first draft. I love the blank page, the creative power of watching the words flow, and the characters coming to life. For me, the first draft is the honeymoon period. But as so many established authors have said, a book is not written, it is re-written.
Revisions mean it’s time for the real work to begin. Now that I’ve gotten to know the characters, I don’t like them as much as I think I should. I start looking at all their flaws, which are only confirmed by the red ink from the editor. It’s literally bled all over what I can now tell is not a beautiful story, but a jumbled mess of words that needs a lot of work.
I have three tips for staying focused through the start of the revision process that keep me from metaphorically wadding up my entire story and pitching it in the closest waste basket.
First, before I even touch a word on the page, I re-examine my character’s goals. Is there enough at stake? What can I do to strengthen their goals and deepen the stakes? Once I re-establish those, I make sure my character’s fear/lie/wound still works with the story. I follow these aspects to the end of my story to make sure it’s all tied together in the end.
After that, I look at each scene and determine what needs to change. Some scenes need very little work, while others may need a complete rewrite. I try to make sure I know what changes need to take place where and when.
Finally, since I work in Scrivener, I make a copy of each scene. A friend shared this genius tip, because once I start writing I don’t have to fear messing up my scene–because I can easily return to the original. Then I start writing. And re-writing. And re-writing again. When I’m done, I simply move the duplicate scene I created into a separate folder.
Perhaps for you, the revision phase is the most enjoyable. If you have tips for staying focused or organized, I’d love to hear them. But if you’re like me, take a moment to really celebrate the win of writing that first draft, and hang in there—because the revisions will only make your story that much stronger.
He just wants to leave the past behind him…
International hotel manager Ben Carter is not sticking around Hearts Bend. He’s just home to sell the inn he inherited from his grandparents. The place holds all his best memories—especially the ones that include regular summer guest Cami Jackson. But she’s been out of his life for years, and she’s not coming back.
She is headed for a glorious future…
Real estate developer Cami Jackson is ready to take over as VP of her father’s company, Akron Development. When the Hearts Bend Inn comes on the market, she wants to swoop it up, if only because of the sweet memories of her favorite summers. The last thing she expects to find is her first love back to sign on the dotted line.
But a first love won’t let them go…
The more time Cami and Ben spend together, the more they realize they have unfinished business. Suddenly, an impulsive decision could turn into a lost-but-found dream. But for Cami’s father, the inn holds memories of a terrible tragedy, and he wants to kill the deal.
Will their lost dreams survive another betrayal?
A heart-healing story of second chances set in the charming town of Hearts Bend!
When Mandy Boerma isn’t hanging out at her favorite coffee shop writing her next novel, she’s a busy mom. After meeting Prince Charming, they started their own version of Happily Ever in the Florida Panhandle. Nothing compares to life at the beach. While those early days included romantic sunset walks with sand between their toes, days are now filled with sand in the mom mobile, affectionally named Scottie, as she chauffeurs her daughters anywhere and everywhere their busy schedules take them. You can connect with Mandy at www.mandyboerma.com.