What do I do now? A Beginners Guide to Revisions

Scrolling through Twitter recently, I came upon this post:

I immediately thought of one of my writing friends who is always reading books on craft. She has so many good ideas about what to do with your initial draft! But I rarely follow her advice.

Why? Simply because my methods are different than hers. If I make only one point here, the point is this: Just as the way you write your novel is different from someone else, the way you revise will be different from someone else. And that is just as it should be!

But for those looking for a place to start, here's a basic rundown on revisions.

(Disclaimer: This is by no means an exhaustive list of everything you can do, but it should give you somewhere to start.)

First, realize there should be an order to your revisions. I've read craft books and I've attended conference sessions on revision. While some methods are more complex than others, they all have the same basic structure. Start Big. End Small.

That is to say, you don't want to nit-pick all your word ticks and grammar issues to clean up chapters that may not support your plot and will end up being deleted. So start with the bigger picture, then narrow it down. Your process should look something like this:

Stage 1 Revisions - Developmental/Structural Edits:

These changes are best made when you've had a chance to take a break from your story. You need a little distance to be able to see your plot and your characters correctly. I recommend waiting at least one month between finishing your first draft and starting your edits.

When you're ready to start, there are a few easy methods to use.

1. Write a new outline. My stories always change as I'm writing, no matter how detailed my outline was. Take the time to map out what actually happened. Use a visual, like Freytag's pyramid or a 3-act plot structure diagram and make sure your plot follows some sense of order.

2. Write a synopsis. I know, I know, it's like beating your head against a wall. BUT forcing yourself to simplify and break down the plot elements and character development will help make sure those elements are there, and that they are in the right order.

3. Make a list of your characters. Study their involvement in the plot arcs and their own development over the story. Make sure you understand why they make the choices they make and the emotional impact on them.

4. Print your ms in itty-bitty print. You know these lithographs that are so popular lately? Print your entire ms out and draw your outline over it. This will give you a good idea of how your arcs progress through the book. This is also fantastic for taking a look at how your dialogue is balanced with prose and if your pacing is working.

Stage 2 Revisions - Copy Editing:

1. How long are your scenes? Now that you have the general structure, make sure your chapter breaks are in the right spots. I once read a ms that had five scenes in the first two pages. It was extremely choppy and distracting as a reader. While there are exceptions, each scene should cover a few pages, and chapters should fit your genre (shorter for MG, longer for YA and Adult.)

2. Read your manuscript aloud. Or have someone read it to you. If that's too embarrassing, use a text to speech program. This method highlights awkward phrasing and bad dialogue. I find it extremely painful, but I make a lot of good changes this way!

3. Use your "Find" tool to check for word ticks. You know the ones. That, just, very, now, so, like. I use Wordle to find the words that come up specifically in my writing, for example, the word "back." I don't know how, but it is my most-used word. Also remove filters: I felt, it seemed, I realized. Also remove words like reached or turned. Instead of reaching for something, grab it. Turning to someone is often implied in context and doesn't need to be written out. Cleaning these things up makes for stronger prose.

Stage 3 - Proofreading

1. Brush up on your grammar rules. You don't want to get caught using "their" when it should be "there." Review when and where to use commas. (At least know what an oxford comma is, even if you choose not to use it.) Look up "lay vs lie" and make sure you're using them correctly. Actually run a spell and grammar check. We tend to skip those steps these days because our programs already underline problems, but our eyes become used to sliding over them. Take the time to look at every single one.

2. Read it through in a different font. Or on a different device. Small changes can help us see things we haven't already seen.

3. Have someone else look at it. Hopefully you will have beta readers and critique partners all along this process. By this point you will know your ms so well you might not actually see what's on the page, but what's in your mind. Outside eyes are a huge asset here.

4. Read the book backwards, one sentence at a time. Okay, I only really recommend this if you're intent on proofing the ms by yourself, but reading it backwards helps you to look at each sentence individually, without getting caught up in your story.

When you get to this point, you are going to feel like you've climbed a mountain, but fair warning, don't be surprised if you find yourself starting over at the beginning. A new critique partner, agent, or editor may point out problems you didn't notice. You may attend a session at a conference that makes you re-envision the whole plot.

So when do you stop? When you feel any changes you could make would make the book "different" but not necessarily "better." If that sounds vague, it's because it is. Only you can really know when your work is done.

I hope this gives you somewhere to start. Best of luck!