Category: Revisions

  • The Van Helsing Paradox – Revision 3

    Given my schedule for the next couple of months, I decided forgo my normal pause. Putting my revisions on hold would have me revising the Van Helsing Paradox during a business trip and that would have been fairly disruptive.

    Revision 3 is now complete and I ended up with about 500 less revisions. There was an increase of 350 words despite the there being a net loss for most chapters. Two additional scenes were added to describe Clara physically, which led to a net increase. Revisions are getting smaller in scope and I rarely need to rewrite a few sentences are rewritten.

    So what does this tell me? That I am on track. While this revision is far from perfect, my metrics are improving and I plan to restart the process end February.


  • Visually Comparing the Grand’s Revisions

    A visual comparison between revisions for the Man and the Sea, a chapter for the Grand. This particular video demonstrates how the Spiral Development method can apply to the review process of a novel; namely how chapters are refined over time.

    This is a follow to my Comparing the Grand’s Revisions post, which goes into why and how this particular chapter was selected for comparison. This video also demonstrates how the amount of changes gradually recede to leave behind a coherent manuscript and that is something any author wants to see!

    Direct comparison between Revision 2 and 14

    This video is a composite comparison of 12 chapters in all. While there are 14 versions of the chapters, some had no changes to bring forward so there was nothing gained by showing them. For those curious, the above image below denotes the total changes between Revision 2 and Revision 14.


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  • Comparing the Grand’s Revisions

    When I wrote the Grand, I made sure to collect statistics on changes and kept a copy of revisions. This enabled me to measure my progress and gauge how things were moving along. I detailed this process before under the post titled Spiral Development for the Literary World.

    There was one element I never explored at the time and that was comparing the earliest revision available against the newest. In the back of my mind, I half-expected it show me a document filled with corrections and would find very little original text remaining. What I found was pretty much exactly as I imagined.

    To find the ideal candidate, I looked through the amount of changes made per revision and originally found that the Van Helsing Paradox had the highest number. Not a revelation per sey, considering it is also my largest chapter.

    Instead, I compared total revisions made against the amount of words and discovered that the Man and the Sea had highest percentage of corrections over it’s lifetime. Since this chapter is also one of the shortest, it also allowed me to show visually how the bulk of the chapter was altered.

    For those curious here is a list of the number of changes based on revision:

    • Revision 2 – 62
    • Revision 3 – 30
    • Revision 4 – 17
    • Revision 5 – 12
    • Revision 6 – 4
    • Revision 7 – 3
    • Revision 8 – 2
    • Revision 9 – 1
    • Revision 10 – 3
    • Revision 11 – 2
    • Revision 12 – 1
    • Revision 13 – 1
    • Revision 14 – 1

    Overall I found it humbling and fascinating. It allowed me to see how dramatic 12 revisions could be when compared directly!


  • The End of the Fourteenth Cycle

    Even Things That Go Bump in the Night Need a Place to Unwind

    I have completed my fourteenth review of the Grand. This review resulted in a 42% decrease in corrections when compared to the thirteenth cycle. Ethereal Nights had the most substantial drop of 88%, while Penny Dreadful increased by the 400%. Overall, there were 45 corrections which averages 3 changes per chapter.

    About half the chapters saw a drop in changes during this cycle. Of note, One Flight Over averaged of 4,452 words between corrections. Here is a summary for this cycle:

    • There was a 42% drop in corrections when compared to revision thirteen;
    • 45 modifications for the entire work;
    • 3 modifications per chapter;
    • Ethereal Nights had the most substantial drop at 88%;
    • Penny Dreadful increased by 400%; and
    • One Flight Over averaged 4,452 words between corrections.

    These revision took far less time than revisions prior to seven and for the following reasons:

    • It takes far less time to run through the material;
    • There are far fewer errors to find with an average of 1,951 words between corrections. This improves on the 1,209 words per change seen in revision twelve and is the first above a thousand; and
    • Changes implemented are minor in scope.

    This is effectively makes this revision my last. I have handed the work over to a copy editor and will include those changes in what would be officially known as the fifteenth revision. Also, since revision zero was my first revision the grand total would be sixteen total revisions to get this novel ready!


  • The End of the Thirteenth Cycle

    Even Things That Go Bump in the Night Need a Place to Unwind

    I have completed my thirteenth review of the Grand. This review resulted in a 15% decrease in corrections when compared to the twelfth cycle. Journey Through the River of Belief had the most substantial drop of 50%, while Old Soul increased by the same amount. Overall, there were 77 corrections which averages 5 changes per chapter.

    About half the chapters saw a drop in changes during this cycle. Of note Penny Dreadful averaged of 4,292 words between corrections. Here is a summary for this cycle:

    • There was a 15% drop in corrections when compared to revision twelve;
    • 77 modifications for the entire work;
    • 5 modifications per chapter;
    • Journey Through the River of Belief had the most substantial drop at 50%;
    • Old Soul increased by 50%; and
    • Penny Dreadful averaged 4,292 words between corrections.

    These revision took far less time than revisions prior to seven and for the following reasons:

    • It takes far less time to run through the material;
    • There are far fewer errors to find with an average of 1,209 words between corrections. This improves on the 819 words per change seen in revision twelve and is the first above a thousand; and
    • Changes implemented are minor in scope.

    I expect to keep pushing through these revisions until the total amount of corrections drop well below 50 for the manuscript. So as it stands, I expect there is one revision left.


  • The End of the Twelfth Cycle

    Even Things That Go Bump in the Night Need a Place to Unwind

    I have completed my twelfth review of the Grand. This review resulted in a 40% decrease in corrections when compared to the eleventh cycle. Siamese Dreams had the most substantial drop of 64%, while Penny Dreadful had a 25% increase. Overall, there were 91 corrections which averages 6 changes per chapter.

    About 94% of the chapters saw a drop in changes during this cycle. This is the first cycle where the amount of changes are less than one per percent and the Mad Hatter’s Mirror averaged of 1,423 words between corrections.

    Here is a summary for this cycle:

    • There was a 40% drop in corrections when compared to revision eleven;
    • 91 modifications for the entire work, the first time changes are less than one per percent;
    • 6 modifications per chapter;
    • Siamese Dreams had the most substantial drop at 64%;
    • Penny Dreadful increased by 25%; and
    • The Mad Hatter’s Mirror averaged 1,423 words between corrections.

    These revision took far less time than revisions prior to seven and for the following reasons:

    • It takes far less time to run through the material;
    • There are far fewer errors to find with an average of 819 words between corrections. This improves on the 520 words per change seen in revision eleven; and
    • Changes implemented are minor in scope.

    I expect to keep pushing through these revisions until the total amount of corrections drop well below 50 for the manuscript. Since there was no change from the previous revision, I expect there are 2 revisions left.


  • The End of the Eleventh Cycle

    Even Things That Go Bump in the Night Need a Place to Unwind

    I have completed my eleventh review of the Grand. This review resulted in a 13% decrease in corrections when compared to the tenth cycle. One Small Step had the most substantial drop of 40%, while Journey Through the River of Belief had a 29% increase. Overall, there were 151 corrections and gives us an average of 9 changes per chapter.

    About 56% of the chapters saw a drop in changes during this cycle.  Penny Dreadful is the first chapter to have an average of 1,073 words between corrections.

    Here is a summary of the cycle:

    • There was a 13% drop in corrections when compared to revision ten;
    • 151 modifications for the entire work;
    • 9 modifications per chapter;
    • One Small Step had the most substantial drop at 40%; and
    • Journey Through the River of Belief had a 29% increase in changes.

    These revision took far less time than revisions prior to seven and for the following reasons:

    • It takes far less time to run through the material;
    • There are far fewer errors to find with an average of 520 words between corrections. This improves on the 432 words per change seen in revision nine; and
    • Changes implemented are minor in scope.

    I expect to keep pushing through these revisions until the total amount of corrections drop well below 25 for the manuscript. Since there was no change from the previous revision, I expect there are 1 to 3 revisions left.


  • The End of the Tenth Cycle

    Even Things That Go Bump in the Night Need a Place to Unwind

    I have completed my tenth review of the Grand. This review resulted in a 17% decrease in corrections when compared to the ninth cycle. Penny Dreadful had the most substantial drop of 46%, while the Man and the Sea doubled. Overall, there were 173 corrections and gives us an average of 11 changes per chapter.

    About 63% of the chapters saw a drop in changes during this cycle. This revision cycle is the first to fall below 200 corrections overall.

    Here is a summary of the cycle:

    • There was a 17% drop in corrections when compared to revisions eight and nine;
    • 173 modifications for the entire work;
    • 11 modifications per chapter;
    • Penny Dreadful had the most substantial drop at 46%; and
    • The Man and the Sea had a 200% increase in changes.

    These revision took far less time than revisions prior to seven and for the following reasons:

    • It takes far less time to run through the material;
    • There are far fewer errors to find with an average of 432 words between corrections. This improves on the 424 words per change seen in revision nine; and
    • Changes implemented are minor in scope.

    I expect to keep pushing through these revisions until the total amount of corrections drop well below 25 for the manuscript. Since there was no change from the previous revision, I expect there are 1 to 3 revisions left.


  • The End of the Nineth Cycle

    Even Things That Go Bump in the Night Need a Place to Unwind

    I have completed my ninth review of the Grand. This review showed no decrease in corrections when compared to revision eight. The Cheshire Cats Grin had the most substantial drop of 62%, while the Van Helsing Paradox increased by 63%. Overall, there were 207 corrections and gives us an average of 17 changes per chapter.

    About 20% of the chapters saw a drop in changes during this cycle. This revision cycle is unique in that there was no drop in corrections, although changes varied greatly from chapter to chapter.

    Here is a summary of the cycle:

    • Overall was no drop in modifications when compared to revision eight;
    • 207 modifications for the entire work;
    • 17 modifications per chapter;
    • The Cheshire Cats Grin had the most substantial drop at 62%; and
    • The Van Helsing Paradox had a 63% increase in changes.

    These revision took far less time than previous revisions and for the same reasons:

    • It takes far less time to run through the material;
    • There are far fewer errors to find with an average of 424 words between corrections. This improves on the 371 words per change seen in revision eight; and
    • Changes implemented are minor in scope.

    I expect to keep pushing through these revisions until the total amount of corrections drop well below 25 for the manuscript. Since there was no change from the previous revision, I expect there are 2-3 revisions left.


  • The End of the Eighth Cycle

    Even Things That Go Bump in the Night Need a Place to Unwind

    I have completed my eighth review of the Grand. This review marked a 27% drop in corrections when compared to revision seven. Into the Fire had the most substantial drop of 71%, while changes to The Cheshire Cats Grin increased by 333%. Overall, there were 207 corrections and gives us an average of 17 changes per chapter.

    About 20% of the chapters saw a drop in changes during this cycle. The Cheshire Cats Grin saw the greatest increase, in stark contrast to the last revision where it saw the greatest decrease.

    Here is a summary of the cycle:

    • Overall a 27% drop in modifications when compared to revision seven;
    • 207 modifications for the entire work. The first time revisions are under three digits;
    • 17 modifications per chapter;
    • Into the Fire had the most substantial drop at 71%; and
    • The Cheshire Cats Grin had a 333% increase in changes.

    Like last couple of revisions, this revision took far less time than previous revisions and for the same reasons:

    • It takes far less time to run through the material;
    • There are far fewer errors to find with an average of 371 words between corrections. This improves on the 307 words per change seen in revision seven; and
    • Changes implemented are minor in scope.

    I expect to keep pushing through these revisions until the total amount of corrections drop well below 25 for the manuscript. If these trends hold, I expect there are 2-3 revisions left.


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