To write is to revise.
For some writers their first drafts are already mostly polished, the plot holes minimal, the story functional enough it only needs a few edits here and there.
For many writers, however, we’ll need a bit more revisions than that!
Often a draft will go through several rounds of revisions before it’s ready to be sent to an agent or published. These revisions will ensure characters are fleshed out, the plot makes sense, boring scenes are fixed, that our point of view works, and anything else that needs to be figured out.
As with many things with writing (and in life!) there are many different ways to approach this and everyone may have a slightly different strategy that works for them. But here are some resources for revisions to get us started.
Because sometimes revisions can be a bit overwhelming!
It can be daunting and emotionally taxing to think about needing to make changes to this story we’ve worked so hard on.
You’re not alone.
And don’t worry! If we take our revisions a step at a time, we can make it through.
Our story will be stronger for it, and so will we. 🙂
Resources for Revisions
Steps to Success: Revisions – Bethany Henry
Here I share 7 basic steps to revisions and why they don’t need to be scary! This is part of the Steps to Success series on writing a novel which I obviously highly recommend 😉
I won’t repeat myself here, but the post covers a lot of ground so if you’re thinking about revisions this is a good place to start.
Revisionist Attitude: Mentally Preparing for Revisions – Fiction University
The mental side of revisions can be just as vital as actually putting pen to paper. This is where we think about revisions as a big picture and make sure we’re mentally prepared.
At-Home Workshop: Revise Your Novel in 31 Days – Fiction University
This is a jam packed trip through a month of revisions that you are definitely encouraged to do at your own pace.
Rewriting Checklist for Authors – Writers Write
Checklists help us stay on track! Here’s a handy one as we evaluate what in our draft may need to be changed.
Now What? Why Revising Your Novel Can Mean Filling It With Stuff You Like – Nanowrimo
A more personal look at a particular approach to revising, which can be both interesting and inspiring to learn from whether or not we use the same approach or not. I love the reminder here that revisions can be a great chance to fill our novels with fun stuff!
Revising Your Novel- Make It A Playground Not A Torture Chamber – Book Baby Blog
Another good reminder that revisions don’t have to be terrible. This writer encourages us to make a plan for our revisions so we can get the most out of our work.
20 Famous Authors on Rewriting – Writers Write
Great quotes, wisdom, and humor from famous authors on the rewriting process.
Revising our work is vital to make our stories the best they can be.
And we are in good company with lots of resources and help to guide us along the way!
For more resources for revisions and the writing process, check out my pinterest board and my resources page. And feel free to share your favorite resources below!
