Monday, August 23, 2010


We are now going to tackle the vast subject of rewriting.

And before I even start, please remember that taking time off from your first draft before you jump into revisions is far more important than anything else I’m going to say here today. One week is the bare minimum, two is better, three is even better. (This is advice I have to force myself to take, but it ALWAYS pays off).

But once you have taken the time off… how the hell do you proceed with the second draft?

Well, first you have to read it. All the way through. Not necessarily in one sitting (if that’s even possible to begin with!); I usually do this in chunks of 50 pages or 100 pages a day – anything else makes my brain sore.

(And yes, if you’ve been following the posts on The Three Act Structure and The Eight Sequence Structure, that would mean I’m either reading one sequence or two sequences a day).





The Three-Act, Eight Sequence Structure

The Index Card Method and Story Structure Grid






1. Cut, cut, cut.



2. Find a great critique group.


3. Do several passes.





5. Know your Three-Act Structure.











* Opening image
* Meet the hero or heroine
* Hero/ine’s inner and outer desire.
* Hero/ine’s problem
* Hero/ine’s ghost or wound
* Hero/ine’s arc
* Inciting Incident/Call to Adventure
* State the theme/what’s the story about?
* Allies
* Love interest
* Plant/Reveal (or: Setups and Payoffs)
* Hope/Fear (and Stakes)
* Sequence One climax
* Central Question
* Central Story Action
* Plan (Hero/ine's)
* Villain's Plan
* Act One climax



* Threshold Guardian (maybe)
* Hero/ine’s Plan
* Antagonist’s Plan
* Training Sequence
* Series of Tests
* Picking up new Allies
* Assembling the Team


* Completely changes the game
* Locks the hero/ine into a situation or action
* Can be a huge revelation
* Can be a huge defeat
* Can be a “now it’s personal” loss


* Escalating Actions/ Obsessive Drive
* A Ticking Clock (can happen anywhere in the story)


* Answers the Central Question





1. Getting there (storming the castle)
2. The final battle itself

* The protagonist’s character change
* The antagonist’s character change (if any)
* Possibly allies’ character changes and/or gaining of desire



Elements of Act One

Elements of Act Two, Part 1

Elements of Act Two, Part 2

Elements of Act Three

Elements of Act Three: Elevate Your Ending

Elements of Act Three: What Makes a Great Climax?

Act Climaxes and Turning Points

Part 1:

Part 2:

During the next week I'll be posting more about how to do different kinds of passes for particular effect.

And I'd love for people to share their own rewriting tricks!

- Alex



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- Amazon UK

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Jessie Mac said...

I've emailed your page to myself as I'm getting to editing soon.

Even though you concentrate on screenwriting, I think it applies to most stories.

Thanks for the post, Alexandra.

Debbie said...

I'm approaching the beta readers stage but I'm do you find a writer's group? How do you personally (at the beginnig) surrender trust? I took a synopsis writing course (huge leap of faith) that also tackled premis eight months ago and only yesterday wrote something that sounded even remotely compelling (thank you for your post What's Your Premise). How do you get the kind of feedback that's helpful?

Alexandra Sokoloff said...

Jessie, that's funny, I think of myself as concentrating much more on novels. It's just a lot easier to use film examples because more people have seen certain films than will ever read - any - novel.

Alexandra Sokoloff said...

Debbie, I think a good way to find a writing group is to join your local RWA (Romance Writers of America)or Sisters in Crime or MWA or HWA chapter. These organizations have local chapters all over the country and they almost always have critique groups. Your local library or bookstore might also have writers' groups.

Trust is a tricky issue - some writing groups are just bad. You have to be able to listen carefully and discern what is of use to you and what's useless or even harmful. Some people just like to hear themselves talk.

N. R. Williams said...

I think that I could spend several days just reading all your post. They are educational and a good reminder of what we once knew and forgot. Since I enjoy this blog so much I gave you an award. Come pick it up.
N. R. Williams, fantasy author

Saumya said...

This is so incredibly helpful. I am about to start my editing (after taking a month off) and am using this as my guideline. Thank you so much for always giving such invaluable advice!

Joylene Nowell Butler said...

This is awesome advice, Alex, and I've redirected several new and old writers to read for themselves. You are a treasure. Thanks for all you do and for all your help.

liakeyes said...

Alexandra, you're one of the best I know at explaining this stuff candidly, clearly, and without holding anything back to preserve mystique. You are my hero! Thanks for this. It's going into my "writing advice gems" file.

From a former student...

Anonymous said...

Thanks for the tips!

I'm definitely going to read through this again and again every time I rewrite a piece.

This is some awesome advice and write on!

Gayle Carline said...

I have a digital voice recorder and record sections of my novel, then listen to them while I'm driving. It's an entirely different experience than reading aloud.

Unknown said...


Just wanted to say this website inspires me to do my best work.

Alexandra Sokoloff said...

Thanks, Nancy! You said it exactly - this is stuff we know and forget in the brain freeze that a first draft is. But c'mon - how many movies have we seen in our lives? How many books have we read?

Of course we know all this.

Alexandra Sokoloff said...

Saumya, it seems like everyone needed a post on rewriting just about now, me included. Good for you for taking a whole month!

Alexandra Sokoloff said...

Thank you for checking in, Joylene, Lia and Vatche! It always helps to know I'm being of some use.

Alexandra Sokoloff said...

Gayle, that's a really interesting way to hear your book. Isn't it scary, though? I guess I should try it!

Largo Chimp said...

I think the idea of reading your draft for specifics like suspense, sensory details and emotion is innovative.

I'm on what I hope is the last draft of my novel, but I may have to try some of these techniques.

Thanks for helping us writers out there.

Gayle Carline said...

Alex - it's no scarier than recording your outgoing message on your phone. I find that, when my mouth isn't involved, my brain processes what I'm hearing differently.

laughingwolf said...

i agree with you, alex... and find doing an audio tape of my tale, rather than just reading it aloud... then playing it back, some time later... really shows - all the flaws - in their pristine glory! lol

most of the time i can't believe those gremlins got into my stuff, again, and screwed up my tale :O

T. B. Wright said...

Wow, this post came along at the PERFECT time. I Just finished the first draft of my novel THE FALL OF THE HOUSE OF BURNE about a week ago and have been gathering as much information I can regarding editing and revising.
Thanks, Alexandra. Your posts have always been so enlightening!

Robert Burton Robinson said...

Alexandra, I recently discovered your blog, and have been thoroughly enjoying and learning from every post. I've made some very nice improvements to my WIP as a direct result of the wonderful, detailed tips you've given here.

Thanks so much. Please keep it up. :)

Alexandra Sokoloff said...

Largo Chimp (love it!) - I'm really just stealing the technique from TV writer rooms. At least, there's always that comedy awareness going on in comedy series rooms. But why not steal the idea for suspense, horror, romance, etc?

A genre is a PROMISE to the audience that they're going to get a certain sensation, or experience. What could be more logical than making absolutely sure you're delivering on that promise?

Alexandra Sokoloff said...

LW, now that's a great idea - recording your reading of the ms and playing it back later when you have more distance.


Alexandra Sokoloff said...

T.B., Huzzah!!! on finishing that first draft!

Everything else now is cake.

Glad you're finding the ideas useful. Anything that helps. Anything.

Alexandra Sokoloff said...

Robert, thank you for saying so - I'm so glad you're finding this stuff of use.

Better books, is what we're after. However that can happen.

laughingwolf said...

thx alex... to make it really bizarre, videotape yourself reading it, including the gesticulations you think belong there... then hire/fire that goofball! ;) lol

Anonymous said...

Impeccable timing Alex as I am also nearing the end of my first draft. I must admit, until I get a innate feel for this process I reread and study your posts over and over again. I am so looking forward to doing a horror pass to amp up my story even more. I am very lucky to have found a critique group of passionate writers. Two of the writers in our group do substantive editing and have been remarkble in my process thus far. You are sooo on it about the writing process. -ACE ANTONIO HALL

Ed Love said...

Thanks for the post, illuminating as usual. As a huge Fawlty Towers fan (recovering ex Brit), I can also recommend him in Clockwise, where the ticking clock is the basis of the whole thing. Very entertaining!

Alexandra Sokoloff said...

Hey Ace - excellent that you found the right critique group. It's all the difference!

Alexandra Sokoloff said...

Ed, there's nothing to recover from. BE a Brit. Love you guys.

But esp. John Cleese. Will have to check out Clockwise, hard to believe I haven't seen it.

Margo Berendsen said...

Fantastic advice about letting yourself think about a cut before actually forcing yourself to do it. And the pass-throughs focussed on specifics such as suspense, emotions, etc. Definitely gotta do this.