Photo courtesy of juhansonin
This article is by WTD Chief Editor Mary Jaksch
Sometimes I write a Frankenstein piece. It looks fine until I notice that arms sprout where the legs should be - and unfortunately I forgot to attach a neck.
I don’t always notice that straight away. Why? Because when I finish writing a piece, I’m in love with it. I adore it. It’s great. No, not just great: it’s brilliant! …Until the next day…
Next day I’m shocked to see that my piece needs intense reconstruction. What happened? Overnight I took off my writer’s wings and donned the editor’s white coat and stethoscope.
Let’s say that you are ready to do the same. What now?
Those of you who can wave a First Aid certificate will know. First you do triage. Find out whether it’s a case of CPR or whether a plaster will do. Is it an oh-gawd-this-just-doesn’t-hang-together-at-all piece? Or is it a well-this-will-only-need-a-tweak piece?
In the following I’ll focus on how to get a piece to hang together. It’s about structural editing, or, how to reverse engineer a piece. Structural editing makes sure that all the bones of a piece are in the right place.
Here’s how you can operate successfully on a bungled piece:
1. Reassemble the Bones
- Write down each point of your article in its shortest form.
- Re-arrange the points into headings and subheadings.
- Add missing points.
- Cut and paste each part of the old article into the new structure.
- Add or delete sentences to make transitions.
2. Check Your Transitions
Once you’ve got your bones right, check for smooth transitions. The reader wants to be led from one idea to the next - without any jolts. I find that transitions sometimes happen in my mind but don’t land on the page. Maybe it’s perfectly clear to me how I got from cucumbers to cataracts - but my readers might need a pathway from one to the other.
3. Make a bold entry
Before you settle on an a beginning, ask yourself if it provokes sufficient curiosity in the reader. - Leo Stein
Take a look at the start of your piece. There are two questions you need to pose:
- Does it grab your readers?
- Does it introduce your theme?
Here’s a behind-the-scenes look at my writing to show how editing the entry made a difference. Some months back I wrote my first guest post for Write to Done: Juicy Writing: 5 Ways to Glue Readers to the Page
The draft I sent to Leo Babauta had this beginning:
Do you want your readers to sit up and read your stuff in one gulp?
Here are five ways to glue readers to your page, whether you’re writing a blog post, an article, or a book.
1. Sweep in; don’t creep in
Leo wrote back:
Could you add a couple paragraphs to the intro, explaining why gluing the reader to the page is a good thing and how it’s worked in your experience — I find that having a bit of background leading into such a list is helpful to readers — less abrupt.
My version number 2 was as follows:
I love reading. But not just anything. Some writers arrest me on the spot and shackle me to their page. But others fail to keep my attention: I soon start playing with the cat or surf off to other sites.
Our readers are exactly like that. Their attention is fickle and they will wander off if we don’t grab them with our words.
That’s why it’s important to seize them from the moment they hit the page and get them to read our stuff in one gulp. In the following five steps I’ll show you how to glue readers to your page, whether you’re writing a blog post, an article, or a book.
I think you’ll agree that the second version is more elegant and leads the reader into the theme.
4. End on a high note
Check out your ending.
- Do you fizzle out?
- Do you cut off in mid-stream?
- Do you wrap up your theme?
It’s important to wrap up your piece and hand it to your readers at the end. Don’t just throw it at them and walk away!
When you look at these four points, you’ll understand that a structural edit can rescue a bad piece, as well as enhance a good one.
There are some simple things you can do to improve the structure of your writing. One is to plan your piece before you write it. (All the pieces of mine that needed reconstructive surgery were ones I wrote on a surge of inspiration - but without prior planning). The other is to analyze articles by other authors with the eyes of a structural editor.
Ask: is it a Frankenstein, or does it skip, dance, and sing?
I’d love to know whether you too have ever written a Frankenstein. Where you able to rescue it? If so, how?
If you enjoyed this article, please visit Mary’s blog GoodlifeZen.com. where the focus is on personal growth for intelligent people.
27 Comments, Comment or Ping
Eric Hamm
I often write a Frankenstein when I am just trying to get the ideas out of my head and onto the pages. Without concern for order I find it easier to let the thoughts flow. But it’s after this that the real work begins. Thanks, Leo, for laying out some great tips to help this process go a little smoother. Eric.
Oct 5th, 2008
Mary Jaksch
Hi Eric!
This article was actually written by me. I just forgot to pin my name on it :-(
Your way of working is interesting. However, I find it more difficult to pull a piece together, if I don’t plan the bones first. But, I agree with you that creativity works best without such prior constraints.
Cheers
Mary
Oct 5th, 2008
Jim Bessey
Very good gathering of thoughts, Mary! Did you have to “fix” it after your first draft? -grin-
Yes, have written a Frankenstein that continues to trouble me. I’m passionate about the subject, really liked the way the first edited draft worked out, have done two rewrites, and yet it still tanks in ratings.[Helium.com's competitive article rating system]
I’ll have another look at that one, and a couple other low-ranking pieces, too, with your rehab ideas in mind. Sometimes you just need a fresh approach, or an indifferent eye. (But all my first drafts are simply “brilliant”! Yeah, sure they are…)
Thanks for some very helpful pointers, Mary. ~Jim
Oct 5th, 2008
Meghna
Oh! I thought it is only aspiring young writers like me experience such troubles. It is interesting to note that it happens with all writers sometimes.
You rightly said that when you finish your ‘masterpiece’, it looks just brilliant - nothing less. But when you check it the next day, it appears as the worst piece ever written by me!! It happens with me many times.
The piece of advice on ending on a high note is wonderful. To properly wrap up all you have said from the beginning till the end is a basic necessity.
Thank you for sharing this wonderful piece of advice.
Oct 5th, 2008
Mary Jaksch
Hi Jim!
How would you feel about giving us a link to your Frankenstein piece? Somebody might come up with the MAGIC TWEAK.
It’s also a possible that people will like it, even love it :-)
Oct 5th, 2008
Mary Jaksch
Hi Meghna!
Yes, I think this happens to all writers.
The difference between an experienced writer and a beginner is quite simple. The beginner tends to crumple and say, “I’m a lousy writer!”, whereas the more experienced writer will shrug and say, “That’s a lousy piece!”
Oct 5th, 2008
Jim Bessey
Mary, now I’m a little embarrassed. Franky moved up a bit. Still, here it is:
http://www.helium.com/items/655847-do-board-games-give-educational-value-as-well-as-family-entertainment
Rated 5th of 14 now, has been as low as 8th of 9 in the past. One way or another, there’s “something” wrong with this article. Any tweak ideas appreciated. Or just throw tomatoes instead. (Thanks!)
~Jim
Oct 5th, 2008
Writer Dad
I wrote an entire novel that’s a Frankenstein. His limbs are so twisted, I’m making him some little brothers and sisters before I return to set him straight.
Oct 5th, 2008
Mary Jaksch
Hi Jim!
I read your piece. I don’t think it’ a Frankenstein. The bones are fine. There were maybe a couple of sentences which could be straightened out. But I could sense that you’re passionate about the subject. And I liked it.
My suggestion is to forget about that stupid Hellum rating system. I don’t think it’s valid. Believe in yourself!
Oct 6th, 2008
Mary Jaksch
Hi WriterDad!
I laughed about the little brothers and sisters!
Oct 6th, 2008
Daniel Richard
Your 2nd draft sure looked way better than the first! And the title worked well. :)
Oct 6th, 2008
David Masters
Great article! Thanks for reminding me how I need to edit and for giving me the tools to help me on my way.
How did you get from cucumbers to cataracts?
David
Oct 6th, 2008
John
Just a minor point …
There’s nothing wrong with writing a “Frankenstein”. It didn’t harm Mary Shelley.
However, writing a Frankenstein’s *monster* … that’s a different issue.
Regards
John
Oct 6th, 2008
Mary Jaksch
Hi John!
Well spotted. I sacrificed clarity for a shot at a punchy title.
Oct 6th, 2008
Ali Hale (from Alpha Student)
Mary, I completely agree with you that the “Frankenstein” pieces tend to be ones which are written without pre-planning. Whether it’s because I’m rushed or inspired, failing to outline before I start inevitably results in extra bones sticking out all over the place.
I find that spending just five minutes planning really does save a lot of time setting those bones back where they should be (and lopping off extra limbs) — it also helps get the ordering and transitions right.
Ali
Oct 6th, 2008
Mary Jaksch
Hi Ali!
I agree. But I can hear my creative inspiration whisper in my ear that she HATES my planning!
Oct 6th, 2008
John
Hi Mary,
I forgot to add that I appreciated this post !
I think that your approach is excellent as it encourages one to actually get something written in the first place - safe in the knowledge that it will be re-analysed/re-structured after it has been left to “mature” for a wee while. Cheers,
John
Oct 6th, 2008
Jim Bessey
Thanks very much for having a look, Mary. I don’t mind the tomatoes thrown at Helium’s rating system; we all know it’s not perfect (by a mile, yet…)
I have noticed, however, that the articles I’ve written with careful planning and astute attention to structure and flow DO indeed rate as #1 with some consistency, and they stay there.
For those who aren’t familiar, Helium’s rating system substitutes broad-scale peer review for editorial board screening. Sometimes it works well, other times it doesn’t.
Once again, my sincere thanks for your invitation and follow-up, Mary. I appreciate the courtesy.
~Jim
Oct 6th, 2008
Zoe
Hi Mary,
It’s so useful to have a specific editing process laid out and explained. Since it’s often difficult knowing where to start with editing, this straightforward list should make it easier for me to jump in.
Thanks for sharing your own rewrites!
Oct 7th, 2008
Mary Jaksch
Hi Zoe!
I’m glad this was helpful for you. I notice that me more experience I gather as a writer, the less I’m worried about what my first drafts look like. I just try and get ideas and words on the page and worry about knocking then into shape later.
In my own head, I use the word ‘develop’ instead of ‘write’. So, I’m always ‘developing’ articles That way of thinking helps me relax.
Oct 7th, 2008
Simon Jones
You know after reading this I am inspired to go back and look at all those old and abandoned pieces I’ve written over the years. Now all I have to do is find the time to actually do that :-)
Oct 9th, 2008
Mary Jaksch
Hi Simon!
Ah…all those lost pieces are pining for you. They’re just waiting to be rediscovered, whipped into shape, and offered to the masses!
Oct 9th, 2008
Jenn Fields
I wrote a monstrosity the other day and couldn’t articulate what is was — a Frankenstein! Thanks for the tips.
Oct 10th, 2008
Reply to “How to Rescue a Piece when You Write a Frankenstein”