LEARNING HOW YOU REVISE
Last week I talked about learning how you write (piece found here), and this week I thought I would delve into another part of the writing process, and one that I am mostly focused on now, and that's revision. First I need to kinda define that because some writers view revision and editing as interchangeable words, and I don't. Revision for me is working through the drafts without outside feedback. Editing is when you get the professionals involved.
So with that said, how can you learn how you personally revise? I've been doing revision the whole of my writing career because it's something where you have to get into it. I never really enjoyed it, and worried that it was a time suck that didn't make a massive difference. It's only in the last five or six years that I've latched onto a way of doing things that helps me both stay focused, and also brings about a better end product.
Too often people feel like you write the first draft, you make no changes, send it off to betas, maybe an editor, and you kinda ignore the feedback and then boom, you're done and you can publish. For me, I will put a project in revisions way before it goes to the editor. I do this for many reasons, one being that I know sometimes I overwrite, and I know that there are already going to be inconsistencies and I want to correct those before an editor, or anyone really, reads through it. It's worked for me, I've caught things that would've been horrible to miss, and I've also had ideas to change some of the plot and such throughout the story.
So for me, revision is a necessary part of the process. I've spent the past year or so revising older projects so that I have more time with them. When I first took on that task, I was super anxious about how I was going to find a way of working that actually fitted with the way I worked when drafting. I needn't have worried because I dove into the revisions and found that actually it worked out pretty well, and because of the way I worked, it meant I could add more projects to my work load as needed.
Now I'm not trying to suggest that everyone should be doing multiple projects at once. I'm just talking about the way it works for me. But if you're sitting there and wondering how on earth you work out how you revise, then I have some tips for you.
#1 HAVE A GOAL IN MIND
The thing with revision is it can be never ending. I mean there isn't anyone who's going to tell you exactly how many drafts and such you'll need to do before you're finished. That's going to be up to your own judgement and it can be kinda overwhelming when you don't actually know what you want at the end of it all. So make sure you have some kind of end goal in mind, and when you reach that goal, know that you are done.
#2 DEADLINES CAN WORK
I've never been someone who's good with deadlines. I get anxious, I push myself too hard, and then I end up flailing around and find it just distracts me more than anything. But when it comes to things like the editing cycle, there need to be deadlines in place. Otherwise it just creates a mess for you, your editor, and everyone else involved too. So if you can, set some kind of deadline, it will help you work out what you need to be doing when, and going from there.
#3 DON'T BE AFRAID TO CHANGE THINGS UP
Like with drafting, there can be a lot of ways to revise. I personally do outlines and have goals for each draft. Some people will work on only one chapter at a time and when that's perfect, they'll move onto the next one and so on. If you've found a way that works for one project, but doesn't for another, don't be afraid to change, to pivot, and find a new way of working. Nothing is set in stone here.
So there we go, my tips when it comes to learning how you revise. Take what works, leave what doesn't, and make sure you pay attention to those deadlines.
Good luck!
Any questions? Lemme know in the comments!
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