You can handle novel revision in many different ways—probably too numerous to mention. One method: You can rework pages one at a time, trying to get everything right before going on. A second: You can take the novel section by section, attempting to get everything right.
Or how about this third method? Once you have a fairly complete draft, just commit yourself to twenty-page sessions of revision.
Unless you hit real snags, you can do this in about two to three hours.
Here’s the kinds of things to look for/work for:
–Characters that seem rather flat. What can you do to spice them up a bit? Maybe some interesting description? Maybe an interesting remark in a scene? (If this changes the nature of the scene too much, this will of course require more time and effort.)
–Plot details. Did you leave something out? Do you need to take something out that you won’t be dealing with after all? Do you want to echo something or foreshadow something?
–A descriptive passage to make a setting more interesting. Or a setting more important?
–A passage that is confusing or cumbersome to read.
–Bloated sections, whether expository, descriptive, or scenic where you could cut some and achieve more impact.
–A hint at theme or idea, whether in character thought or dialogue.
–Dull writing that needs spiced up to fetch your reader’s interest more.
Okay: All of this sounds like the typical fare. But what’s daunting is a long laundry list of changes you so often face before you can put your project to rest.
But do it in twenty-page sessions where you can make incremental progress. If you’re absolutely burned out, do it while you’re watching TV. Do it while you’re listening to music. Some days you will simply read over the twenty pages and not expect to accomplish a lot because you just don’t have it in you to get very serious. But you’ve still gone over those twenty pages, and you’ve taken care of the kinds of problems that really jump right out at you (or some of them anyway). Other days you’ll feel more like revising, and you can dig deeper and make more content changes (e.g. rewriting scenes) or structural changes (e.g. relocating a section of the novel) that seem too daunting on certain days. On the days you don’t feel like tough work, just note what you need to deal with later.
Revision at twenty pages a day is usually doable, and it’s not a huge task to face. Over time you’ll probably accomplish a lot. In three months, you will have gone over a 300-page novel six times. Surely something will come of that.
Write and Revise for Publication , Writer’s Digest, 2013, and Hog to Hog, winner of the George Garrett Fiction Prize, Texas Review Press, 2008.
Hi Elizabeth,
Thanks for sharing this.
This is no doubt a great
help to the writers.
I am here via Alex’s Insecure
Writers Support Group.
Keep Inform
Best
Phil
Elizabeth – Thanks for hosting Jack.
Jack – Thanks for your ideas. Whenever we break a big task like revising down into smaller bits, it’s a lot easier to manage it. I like that twenty-page goal very much.
Jack, this is great information. I’m keeping this post to revisit. Thanks!
Hi, Elizabeth.
Thanks so much, Jack, for posting today. And I like this tip–anything is doable if we break it down into manageable bits and have an organized plan for dealing with it. Nice tip!
Hi Elizabeth and Jack – great list to remember to think about as you write … bloated put its little face first!
Cheers to all authors – Hilary
Thanks so much, everyone! I really appreciate your comments.
Jack, that is exactly how I edit – in batches of 10-20 pages. I just pick sections and go over them and then move on to the next batch.
Is there a fourth, one where the author just plows through it from beginning to end many, many times? Hope so or once again, I’m doing it all wrong.
I think that certainly works–and you always see something new each time. At least I do.
I’ve found using character logs is a huge help for me. Otherwise, they do seem to loose some air or act and talk alike as the story progresses.
I keep detailed accounts big and small, down to mannerisms and things they say and how they say it.
Bite sized chunks are much easier to plow through, for sure. 20 pages is doable! Thanks
Hi, Elizabeth,
I think this is a big problem for all of us who write. We prefer to spend our time writing. However, it’s frustrating to have our work published and yet we remain unknown. So promotion and publicity are necessities. I put together a helpful to do list for those of us who can’t afford to hire a PR firm. You can check it out at:
http://authorexpressions.blogspot.com/2013/09/how-to-reach-readers-publicity-and.html