That's Enough of That

Okay-- enough with the multi-colored updates. I'm starting a fresh clean new post.

So. Three days left to September, and only one thing left on the GPRP: 

Make changes to a copy of the first draft MS. Cut and move scenes, fix chapter breaks, spin new scenes where they belong.

Doesn't sound so bad, right?

Well, it is. I'm dreading starting it, and am in fact putting it off right now by posting.

I did this once with Eleven Names, and it's just so much more work than it seems it should be. Here's the process:

1) open up a copy of the MS (always save an untouched original in case of cut-and-paste disaster!), as well as the list of the scenes and chapter breaks as they exist now, and the list of how they should be arranged.

2) Start on page one of the MS and scroll through, until you hit the first scene that needs adjusting.

3) If the scene needs to be moved, cut and paste it into a blank document, making sure you find the true beginning and ending of the scene. Keep the blank document up until you hit the part of the MS where the scene belongs, and paste it in.

4) If the scene needs to be cut, cut the whole scene and paste it into a document titled "Cut Scenes". Don't delete it! You never know what you'll need later. Oh, and remember to read it before you move on, and make notes about any necessary character development or worldbuilding tidbits that will have to be worked in elsewhere now that you're axing this scene.

5) If there's a new scene, spin or write a phase outline for the scene in the appropriate place.

6) Don't forget to fix the chapter breaks as you go!

Bleah. It's worth all the annoyance of this process to have a structurally sound first draft to work with, but it's not fun.