Kudos to the people who are able to rewrite as they go along. I used to work that way and found that I rarely finished anything (definitely nothing full length).

Despite outlining and beating out everything before hand, I usually don't know the story I want to tell until I'm nearing Act 3 in a rough draft. At that point I realize much of what I've written doesn't work, but I push through anyway and by the time I type The End I know exactly where the next draft needs to go.

Thank you for these posts, Scott!

Two stories that I love, wasn't until draft five of Sixth Sense that Shyamalan realized hero was dead (source), and wasn't until draft three or four of Source Code that Ben Ripley realized story had bilateral (train station/lab) structure (source).

Reading about others finding their way through the rewriting is inspirational, gives me confidence that I can find the story I know is there.

I still can't get my mind to that concept. Outlining is rewriting in my mind.

Dry White Wine Types... [...]Writing Mantra: "Writing is rewriting" « Go Into The Story[...]...