Revision:  When, How Much, and Why?

By Mary Rosenblum

 

            Revision…you either love it or you dread it.  But no matter how you feel about it, it’s part of writing...a major part.  No matter how wonderful your story is, how perfect that article seems, resist the temptation to print it out, stick it into an envelope and send it off.  Why?  Because you know it too well.  You’re too close to that story or that article.  You simply cannot see the weak places, the spots where the characterization breaks down, the holes.  Put that piece aside for a day or two and then go over it again.   That break will allow you to notice problems that you just can’t see when you first finish a piece.

            If you’re working on a novel, you’re probably better off to simply keep writing until you finish the first draft before you tackle revision.  The editor and the writer are two different entities and they don’t share your brain well.  If you put the editor in charge, it can inhibit your writer.  Give that first draft to the writer brain and turn the editor loose on it after you have finished that first draft.  If you think of things you need to change as you write that first draft, make yourself notes or go back through your printed out pages and affix a sticky note to the page where you need to make the change.  Then deal with it later, after you have finished draft one. 

 

How Many Times?

            It’s a good idea to revise a piece at least three times.  On the first pass, look for big problems – a weak spot in the dramatic arc, a subplot that doesn’t go anywhere, information in your article that doesn’t really tie into your point.  Make those big changes first. 

            On the second pass, pay attention to language.  Are you using active voice?  Are your images clear, is your dialogue realistic?  Does each scene follow the  Rule of Three;  does it advance the plot, deepen the characterization, and enrich the scene?  Do you have any ‘flat spots’ where nothing much happens? 

            On the third pass, polish your story.  Really turn the microscope on your words.  Could you use a stronger visual here, is the description strong enough or do you need a better word here?  Listen to the sound of your words. Read them out loud, whether you’re writing fiction or nonfiction.  Listen to the rhythm of your words.  Yes, this matters.  A story is more than just an idea, it’s a finished unity of idea, imagery, dialogue, and the rhythm and flow of language.  You want all aspects of that story to shine.  An article is not just information slapped down on the table top.  It’s engaging, the information flows smoothly and reads easily, images are clear and sharp. 

 

But When Do You Stop?

            For many writers, the issue isn’t the revision process…it is when do you stop revising and send the article out?  This can be a difficult decision.  You tweak a word here, tweak a word there.   You change a sentence.  You think one more revision.  But keep in mind…if you revise for ever, if you never send your work out…you will never be rejected.  Hmmm.  Could this be part of your need to revise yet again? 

            Yes, revision is necessary, but at some point you need to stop and send the story or article out.  Ask yourself what you changed, last pass through the manuscript. Did you really change the content or did you just tweak a word here, a word there?  If you are doing nothing but replacing one adjective with a better adjective, one verb with a slightly more precise verb, it’s probably time to send this piece off.  Your changes at this point are not going to make the difference between a sale and a rejection.   Time to bite the bullet and put that that story or article into the envelope and send it off. 

 

The Post Rejection Revision

            By now, you’ve probably heard the news that rejection slips are part of the business of writing.  As you send your early work off, you’re going to receive a lot of rejection slips.  That’s just part of the process of breaking into the business and everybody had to go through it.  You’re not alone.  But a common response to a rejection is I’ll revise it and send it out again.    Wait!  Stop!  Hold on there!  Why are you revising that story?  Because you now think it has a weak spot?  Or are you just revising it because it got rejected?  If you chose the latter answer, think again please.  Unless the editor wrote you a note on the rejection form…I’m sorry the end is weak or I just didn’t believe that Arthur could jump that high  then you really don’t know WHY the editor rejected that story.  Because it’s not good enough?  That’s what you’re thinking, aren’t you?   That’s why you plan to revise this.  But …that may not be true at all.  Your editor might have just bought a very similar story last week.  She doesn’t want two similar stories in the same issue so she’s going to pass on it.  Yeah, it would be nice if she said so, but editors are overworked, they get a LOT of submissions, and they just don’t say so.  But don’t assume that changing the story will make it better.

            The next editor you send it to might have bought it before you changed it…but the change makes the ending seem less believable, so he passes on it.  Oops.  The reality is that there are a lot of reasons editor pass on stories.  Yes, quality is one of those reasons, but if you’ve worked hard on this story, your readers like it, you have polished it – don’t assume that the story quality is at fault. 

 

Make a List and Stick To It

            One way to avoid the ‘revise it again, Sam’ reaction is to make a list of all the possible markets for your story from best paying to worst pay.  Now, once you’re satisfied with your story, send it to the top market on the list.  If you get it back, pop it into an envelope, address it, and quick, send it out before you are tempted to revise it.  Do this every time it comes back, until you run out of markets. Then and only then put your story aside for now.  Return to it later …much later…for a new look.  In the meantime, a new market may open up, perfect for this story.  But revising after every rejection with no clear sense of what is wrong is a sure way to slowly weaken a story that might have been very saleable the first time. 

 

Readers Are Your Best Bet

            The best way to get a sense of whether your piece is ‘finished’ or not is to hand it over to good readers.  No, that probably does not include the average family  member, although some are good readers.  But another novice writer is more likely able to give you specific responses; the plot seemed slow here, I don’t understand your character’s motivation, the ending seemed a bit flat to me.  If possible give your work to several readers.  While any person may simply ‘miss’ what you re trying to do, if several people give you similar input; I didn’t understand why he did that… then you probably need to pay attention. 

 

Sending it Out

          Remember…you will never sell a single piece of writing if you don’t send it out.  While revising is necessary, sending your work off to an editor is even more necessary.  After that revision where you do nothing but substitute a few words, tell yourself it’s time and send the piece off to the first market on your list.

 

            There.  Now you’re a writer.