Do you have the urge to procrastinate when you sit down to revise your novel? Do you feel unsure of your talents when you look back at that hot mess of a manuscript?

I swear, revising a novel can be like folding laundry- calming in its own way and oh-so-satisfying once completed. But, not if you run at it blindly!

A little bit of structure- a checklist to guide you through the process- can reduce your stress and leave you clear about the road ahead!

Today, I’m here to share with you a simple revision process so that you know where to start with your messy first draft and can revise your novel with ease.

People have different definitions for revisions. For the sake of this post, when I speak about revising a novel, I’m talking about combing through your manuscript at the macro level for continuity and timeline flaws, character development, pacing, and any other large-scale changes that need to be made.

Editing is a process that occurs after revisions are complete in which you reread your manuscript with attention to sentence structure and grammar. You might find yourself doing a little bit of this during the revision process, but you don’t want to focus on it just yet.

Revisions are a necessary step before you can hand your manuscript over to an editor, publisher, or reader. Hiring an editor is expensive and doing the bulk of revisions before giving your work to someone else will save them time and save you money.

Your goal is to have an engaging story that can be clearly understood.

When you revise your novel, you are considering if your goals for this story have been met. You are hoping to satisfy your future readers.

Step one to revising your novel is in fact to not reread your manuscript- at least not for a few weeks.

Take advice from Stephen King who states in his book On Writing to take at least a six-week break from your draft before you revise your novel. The goal here is to become a more objective critical reader when you return to your manuscript.

Taking a break lets you see your work anew and this time review it with your readers in mind.

Your manuscript is near and dear to your heart. Distancing yourself from the magical spell of first writing your narrative allows you to make informed decisions that improve your manuscript.

During this time, truly take a break- socialize, rest, explore the outside world. If you crave writing something, try shorter writing pieces like a novella.

Let your creativity recharge!

Please, don’t try to revise your novel on a screen. We have so much screen time as it is.

Revising can be a lengthy process. Looking at a bright screen for so many hours is sure to have you passively reading through your project before realizing that you weren’t paying attention.

Print your manuscript out and put it in a binder. Grab some pens and highlighters so that you’re ready to underline, ask questions, and make notes as you go. 

When you’ve got a physical copy of your manuscript, you can pick it up whenever you have a few extra minutes to revise your novel!

Actively revising your manuscript means that you’re going to be asking many questions, wanting to jot down ideas, rewriting (although you’re not trying to rewrite everything as you go), and identifying areas that need to be tweaked.

Not all of your thoughts will fit between the lines of your manuscript. Make sure to keep a notebook nearby to capture these reflections before they flit away.

Your story will never be perfect. There is not a single narrative on this entire earth that is perfect. You could rewrite and revise your story forever and still find a flaw, still not engage the millions of people on this earth.

So, take a deep breath!

Embrace imperfection as part of the process. Acknowledge your worry that this story isn’t good enough. Understand that your manuscript is about to get messier before it’s ready for publication. Then, set those worries aside and enjoy the challenge.

At some point you will need to stop rereading and rewriting, allowing others to experience the beautiful worlds you’ve created. You will find readers who adore your imperfectly perfect story!

Depending on how long it took you to write your rough draft, you have vastly distanced yourself from your initial purpose or goal.

Add to that the weeks in which you’ve set your manuscript aside before revising and you may find that at least at points in the narrative you seem to have lost focus.

So, before you revise your novel, take a moment to review your initial notes and preliminary outlines.

Write out the theme that you want your readers to recognize. It’s great to review and rewrite that purpose here for two reasons:

1. Your purpose may have shifted from your initial plan. You’ll want to have it clarified before you dive into major revisions.

2. Centering your novel’s theme will allow you to check each decision that the characters make against this purpose to determine where your manuscript falls short.

Complete this sentence: By the end of this story, the truth that I want my reader to know is…

Now, that you’ve reminded yourself of your narrative’s goal, you can truly begin to revise your novel! 

Take your time. Read through each chapter slowly and take lots of notes. Remember that you’ve got a notebook to jot down questions, concerns, and newfound inspiration as you go.

Avoid the urge to stop too often to rewrite or fix problem areas. We want to stay in flow here.

Right now, you are an “editor” polishing your story’s value to the reader. Jot down notes and move on. You’ll come back to them later.

Here are some major look-fors as you read:

1. Continuity Flaws: Did you change names, settings, timelines, etc? 

2. Character Voice/Consistency: Do all the characters sound alike? Did their physical features or mannerisms suddenly change?

3. Pacing: Is that scene too fast? To slow? Did your big reveal come too early?

4. Character Transformation: What has your character learned? How have they changed from the beginning to the end of your story? Do we see their internal struggle along the way? Map it out!

I still like to work on paper here. But, you may want to open your digital copy of the manuscript and begin reviewing your notes.

Either way now is the time to take a look at all of the wonderful critiques you have made and work those changes into your novel.

Start at the beginning and write, chop, revise! Enjoy another dive into your narrative world as it expands, strengthens, and gains colour.

Once you’ve made it through all of your notes and questions, read over your manuscript one last time- just for final edits (oops, forgot some punctuation there!). 

It’s time to let go of your baby. Maybe that means handing it off to an editor or allowing a trusted friend or family member to read your work. 

I have an amazing friend who is the first to read through all of my manuscripts. I trust her because I know that I’m gonna get the best feedback. Not an “it’s so great,” although that’s always nice. But, after reading through her comments, I’m sure to make further revisions. And, I know that my manuscript is going to be better for having that second opinion.

Make sure that if you do choose to ask a friend or family member for feedback they are not afraid to share their honest opinions. Keep an open mind. They might just see potential in a place you didn’t.

Wow! You’ve polished your manuscript as best you can. The journey to publication isn’t over, but you deserve to celebrate the adventure so far.

Taking time to recognize all that you’ve accomplished is crucial at this stage. You’ve had to take an honest look at your work and make sacrifices and changes you didn’t at first know were needed. 

Celebrating these small wins in whatever way feels right to you will boost your dopamine and harness your determination to keep going. A writer’s job is no easy feat, so reward yourself. You deserve it!

It’s hard work to revise your novel. It takes time and you will hit some bumps along the way. But, it is worth it!

When you start to feel overwhelmed, step back and take a moment to remember why you started this project. Consider why you love it!

Now, it’s your turn!

Give this process a try. Revise your novel to its imperfectly perfect finale.

I’m excited to discover how it turns out!

Share your revision tips in the comments below. Let’s build a roadmap for an enjoyable revision experience.

Now, go forth and revise!

Talk soon!

Julia