Friday's Writer's Tip - Revision -- Draft writers

Last week was about the two kinds of Writers. This week we'll look at the advantages of being a draft writer. Next week we'll look at the revise as you go type.

Not all draft writers work the same way. Some write out the rough draft on paper and the second draft is done on the computer. Others do many drafts by hand. Some print out the rough draft and makes changes until it must be typed again so they can see where they are. The main advantage of choosing this way to write is that the story is down and the revisions can be done chapter by chapter, scene by scene or looking at things like a dialogue revision, a character revision, a plot revision and as many drafts as it takes to make the story the best that can be done.

The rough draft gives the writer a place to start.

Now for some advantages.

1.A bit of psychology as the writer can say this is only rough.
2.The thrill of new discoveries and the excitement of seeing a story unfold.
3. A 2qy to discover where the story is going. For some draft writers the rough draft is little more than a lengthy synopsis sometimes pages and pages long.
4.Having a rough draft lets the writer know the entire story from beginning to end.
5.The early drafts give room to try new directions that may or may not work. Remember "it's only a draft."
The time between drafts allows the writer time to change directions if needed, to plan new scenes or to develop sketchy ones into full and satisfying scenes.

I think of draft writers as painters starting with the base coat and adding the details to make the story, like a painting, come alive.

Friday's Writer's Tip - Coloring your story

Interesting day here and had to re-post Thursday's interview. Took me back to Wednesday. Now on to the writer's tip.

Coloring your writing. When you hear the titles of a number of books, they bring images to mind, especially when a color is added. The Scarlet Letter is one, Using colors when describing a person or a scene can help a reader envision what you're saying. Certain colors mean special things to some people. When describing a fall vists. you could say the leaves flaunted their bright colors or you could say the yellows, oranges and reds of the leaves resembled the jeweled colors of a Persian carpet. The reader might see the first in a vague way but naming the colors brings the image vividly to mind and perhaps a scene they've actually seen,

Often objects are shown the speeding car but the dark green car sped toward the yellow bus. To me the yellow bus means a school bus and right away I see a tragedy in the making.

Ebon eyes like pools of the night ring better than her dark eyes shone. The color of people's clothes matter. For years white uniforms reminded people of nurses. Now nurses wear clothes of many colors. Perhaps the heroine's or hero's choice of colors in their clothing may have a meaning to them and to the reader. I have a granddaughter who refused to wear pink when she was a child. Not long ago, she told me she could wear pink now. Not sure what that means. If she were a character in a book you'd better believe I'd look into the matter.