Tag: review
I review my own work all the time. But why? Isn’t editing enough? Welll, not quite.
Why Review, Ever?
Beyond standard editing, I think it is important to kind of see the forest amidst that big ole bunch o’ trees.
Editing, I feel, is more for the weeds and the trees. It is, in essence, the nitty gritty guts of a piece.
It’s selecting the word luggage instead of the word baggage, for example. I had to do this for The Real Heart of the Universe.
But reviewing, I feel, is a whole other ball of wax.
Here, I feel, there is a space to get a faraway, bird’s eye view of the piece.
Did the characters work? Did the plot move along well? And did the conclusion satisfy?
I feel that reviewing is also where I start to see the similarities in my works, even when a shared universe is not my intention.
A review is a good place to spot and to highlight Easter eggs in my work, as well.
When is the Best Time for Reviewing?
I would say the piece has to be more or less complete. But it does not have to have a bow on it or be published, etc. And I do not necessarily think that it even has to have gone to beta readers.
Do not hesitate! If you want to check your work in this particular fashion, then you have my blessing, for what it’s worth.
You do you.
What Does Reviewing Accomplish?
Probably the best part of this kind of an exercise is that it can be a great place to spot plot holes. And plot holes are essentially opportunities.
Consider your standard fan fiction writer, if you will.
The show or film or book has a fade to black for a love scene. But the fan ficcer wants to make it clearer as to exactly what happened. That fade to black is an ideal opportunity.
Now, of course it does not have to be about a love or a sex scene. But look for the gaps. You might just find a sequel or a prequel in them—and you would never know that unless you reviewed your work!
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