How to Approach Revision: A Checklist for Reluctant (or Tired) Writers

How I'm getting my revision done this week, even though I'd rather be outside in the garden!

What’s new in my writing room: Honored to be included in the wonderful “How We Spend Our Days” series by author

Cynthia Newberry Martin

who has interviewed so many amazing writers (the likes of

Cheryl Strayed

and Steve Almond and Dani Shapiro!) about a day in their writing life. It’s an inspiring look into the life of working writers. You can read about my (not-so-typical) writing day here.

Photo by Glenn Carstens-Peters on Unsplash

I never loved revision until I worked as a copyeditor and developmental editor for eighteen years. I loved the creating but not the refining. Editing taught me the beauty of renovation, rethinking, re-seeing that initial burst of creative effort. That it’s rarely as good or deep as it can be, when it first comes out.

Now I anticipate revision with eagerness. And I’ve learned the different kinds of revision that happen along the way to finalizing a piece of writing.

I divide revision into these stages:

• substantive (sometimes called developmental) editing, which examines the overall story for its thru-line and sense

• line editing, which tweaks sentences, paragraphs, small units of story

• final revision, which assumes the story works and the language is strong but checks for continuity (is the Fiat in chapter 1 still a Fiat in chapter 10?) and non-obvious mistakes

All of these types of revision are part of the writer’s job, now. Agents and professional editors certainly help down the road, but we writers are expected to have handled this before the manuscript is submitted.

First stages of revision

Substantive editing happens most often when you have completed a first draft, however terrible. My first draft of a new book is usually leagues away from my original vision of it. I tell myself to be proud of writing those 60-80,000 words, more or less. I tell myself only about 60 percent of writers reach this glory. To count my blessings and get on with the first stage of revising.

I've learned from writing over a dozen books that substantive revision is where a book really emerges, becomes itself, and fulfills the writer's vision. But it takes work and detachment to get it there.

I owe a lot to Robert Boswell, author of The Half-Known World, for keeping my sanity during substantive revision for my books. (Check out his amazing article on transitional drafts here), Boswell’s theory of transitional drafts lets me relax any sense of urgency to finish too soon. Such urgency can push me to be satisfied with OK rather than good or great, which in today’s competitive publishing world just doesn’t cut it. Readers have so many choices in books. Make sure they'll want to read yours.

I call this first stage of revision where we begin to invite the reader into the conversation. The goal is to examine your story and ask if it will speak to a reader or just to you. I have a couple of steps I take to get to this lofty viewpoint without sacrificing my creativity.

Plan enough time to revise

One hero of my writing life, Ken Atchity (author of A Writer's Time) says that revision comprises about 60 percent of the total book-writing journey. In other words, when you finally finish that draft, you have not even crossed the halfway mark.

Of course, this depends a lot on how the writer crafted the draft. If your first draft was bulleted out, say, via Nanowrimo or #1000words-type accountability deadlines, it may be a truly shitty first draft, to quote writer Anne Lamott. In other words, a cool idea, great progress on word count, but still exceedingly rough.

Chapters might be nothing more than placeholders for ideas. If the writer has storyboarded or charted their book in some way, spent time on the characters or plot or flow of ideas, the draft might be more solid. I used to dash off my drafts, hoping for generous help from others in revision. Now I take longer to plan and develop that early concept of a new book, using my storyboard, charts, outlines, character questionnaires, and other tools.

I estimate that if my draft takes nine months from idea to 80,000 words, my revision after that point will take about a year, maybe longer. If the draft takes two years, revision will add on another three. That's my pace, and it might not be yours, but it's great to know these estimates and not hope for revision in a month!

Shortcuts—aren’t

Shortcuts look tempting. Skip a few steps, get it out the door into other hands. You're bored with it, essentially. Or you’re stuck and can’t imagine what to fix next or how to fix it. You risk a reach-out to your ideal agent, editor, publisher--and oops. A rejection. The manuscript really wasn’t ready. You have a lot more to do to get it there.

I know so many writers who have pitched a story idea at a writer’s conference, gotten a glimmer of interest from a prospective agent, and sent something too soon because they are afraid the agent will forget about them. Or a writing friend offers to tell their agent about your work and you push through revision not to miss that valuable window.

Put the brakes on. Calm your worried writer self. Remember what's at stake. What do you stand to lose, if you rush through these final steps? A lot!

I had the terrible experience early in my novel-writing career of getting more than a glimmer of interest from an agent I would die to be represented by. I didn’t take the time to revise enough. I got a so-sorry email. And that door closed. Most agents and editors only give a new writer one look. I had to look elsewhere, and eventually I’d revised enough to get a yes. But not from the agent I really really wanted.

Beta readers versus in-progress readers

During the substantive revision, I often need eyes on my draft. I have a writing partner and a writers group who become my in-progress readers. I also find readers in good online classes, which I regularly take to keep myself fresh. Hiring a sympatico instructor (many work as freelance editors as well as teachers) is another option if you feel stuck in developing your story and need suggestions.

These are all readers who gear their comments to opening doors for you. Rarely at this stage will you find comments on spelling, sentence structure, punctuation, or other line-editing needs. That happens later, and getting too much feedback at that level now can shut down your ideas. You become picky and end-result-oriented, rather than foster the expansive, creative spirit that’s needed.

So I never send my early substantive-revision drafts to beta readers. These are friends or fellow writers who have agreed to read the entire manuscript, usually once. I select them very carefully. I don’t abuse their generosity by loading them with an early-stage draft. Even those who ask/beg to see it.

The urgency to deliver it into someone else's hands, to give them the power, to make them tell you what you need to do next, is compelling—I’ve been there too. You're also, understandably, proud of what you've done and want to show it off! But please. Consider where you are in the revision process, first. It might make the difference between actually finishing your book and not.

Let it rest

Atchity recommends a real break, like a two-week vacation, before revising a rough draft. I add to that: between types of revision stages, a rest break is so helpful.

You need time away to be able to see the draft clearly. When you're first finished, there's often a passionate love for the story. And you know, love is blind. You may not see what's needed. Or you might be really tired. That jades your view too--you see stuff to fix that doesn't need fixing.

How long to let it rest? Once I’m finished my big revision, the substantive editing, and I’m reasonably sure the reader is now part of the conversation, I make a long list of next steps and ideas. Then I step away for two to four weeks.

If I can really get away from it--read other people's books, do another creative task, binge watch Netflix--I know I’ll do better with the next stage of revision.

Revision list

The purpose of making a revision list before your break is to create a pull inside to go back to the work. During your break you will likely get more ideas. You can certainly add to the list, but I still recommend not reworking during this time. Let the well fill. When you've rested, you're ready to tackle the ideas with full energy.

Don't bother organizing your list by severity of task or amount of time it's going to take, even if you know it. Just open a document in your computer or a page in your writer's notebook and begin.

On my list is EVERYTHING I can think of, small or large. Ideas may come slowly at first. Here are some items on the revision list for my second novel, A Woman’s Guide to Search & Rescue, just to give you an idea:

1. Check make and color of Molly's car for consistency throughout.

2. Why does Kate not confront her husband about the texts? Solve this.

3. Midbook is way too slow--cut about 10,000 words someplace.

4. Check if the ending loops back to the beginning.

5. Search for overused words ("deeper" is one of mine).

6. Search for "ing" verbs and replace with active verbs.

7. Draw better map of cabin and layout of farmhouse--check location details in each scene.

8. Check opening of each chapter--revamp for more variation.

9. Check transitions--last sentence of each chapter, first of next.

Read it aloud

My first task when I return to my list is to read the entire manuscript aloud. It gives me a sense of the whole story. I either send it to my iPad and open in my e-reader or I print the revision and sit down with a highlighter or pen. These two methods are simply to see the words the way a reader would.

My goal is to read it in one sitting, two at most, if I can. And to not stop to rework it. Reason: I want to keep that reader's view. I want to imagine being a reader, picking this book up in the store or online, and diving in.

The pen or highlighter is just to mark where I stumble, not to stop, get critical, and fix. Again, this switches me from reader to writer/editor. Don't need that yet.

Often, I'm delighted by the changes so far--and I see others that need fixing. That's good, welcome even. I reach for my revision list, adding the new ideas and tasks. Then I dive in once more.

How long does it take? The formula I gave above counts for multiple times down this particular garden path. Revising until you can't see the forest for the leaves on the trees, stepping back for a bigger view by reading aloud, recreating your revision task list, then starting up again. I'm not aghast at fourteen rounds of revisions in this manner; I'm grateful for fewer, but I know some books need more.

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Your Weekly Writing Exercise

If you haven’t read Boswell’s article from Fiction Writers Review, check it out as your exercise this week. Consider how he approaches revision and see if it might fit for you.

Try making a revision list, even if you’re just starting your revision process. Keep adding to it as you continue—it’ll become more and more valuable.

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Shout Out!

I love to give a shout out to writing friends and former students who are publishing their books and encourage my newsletter community to pre-order or order a copy to show your support of fellow writers. Be sure to let me know if you are a former student and will publish soon (pre-orders of your book are available now), or have in the past two months! Just email me at mary[at]marycarrollmoore[dot]com to be included in a future Shout Out! (I’ll keep your listing here for two months.)

Jim Bonilla, An Eye for an I: Growing Up with Blindness, Bigotry, and Family Mental Illness (University of Minnesota Press), November

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I’m a lifelong artist, and I love to inspire and support other creative folk, which is why I write this weekly newsletter. My goal with these posts is to help you strengthen your writing practice and creative life so it becomes more satisfying to you.

I’m also the author of 15 books in 3 genres. My third novel, Last Bets (Riverbed Press), was published in April, after becoming an Amazon bestseller during pre-orders. My second novel, A Woman’s Guide to Search & Rescue, was published in October 2023 and also became an Amazon bestseller and Hot New Release from pre-orders. For twelve years, I worked as a full-time food journalist, most notably through my weekly column for the Los Angeles Times syndicate. My writing-craft book, Your Book Starts Here, won the New Hampshire Literary Awards “People’s Choice” in 2011 and my first novel, Qualities of Light, was nominated for PEN/Faulkner and Lambda Literary awards in 2009. I’ve written Your Weekly Writing Exercise every Friday since 2008.