Tips for revising a first draft
Everyone’s first draft is some variation of a hot mess. You may not think it is, but if you don’t then that’s one reason you need to read this. I’ve written many first drafts, and thought “This looks good, I don’t know what I’d change.” And whether it’s weeks, months, even a year down the road I realize it NEEDS WORK.
Here’s some helpful tips I’ve learned while editing different books. I hope this is helpful in your own work. Different things work for everyone, but I think some of this is good advice all around.
PUT IT ASIDE: This is imperative when you're done with your novel. If I’ve been staring at a book for months and scrolling through words, reading the same conversations over and over again, I’m not going to know what needs fixing. I’m going to be so sick of looking at it, the whole story will be a blur.
If you put a book down and spend the next couple months looking into other things, then your mind will get clearer and clearer the farther you get from it. We’ve all had that right after movie effect, where you leave the theater and go “It wasn't bad.” Hours, sometimes days later you reflect on the film and it gets worse and worse. Don’t edit your novel right away, set it on the shelf and look back on it for at least a couple months.
BE BRUTALLY HONEST WITH YOURSELF: It’s not easy to do, but it’s worth it in the long run. Look back on your book, and really think about what you did and didn't like. Ask yourself these questions:
What did I love about the story?
When did I love the book in the context of the story and why?
What were my favorite parts?
What parts were dull and unengaging? Why?
Is there anything that happened in the story I would do differently? Did something rub me the wrong way or not send the message I wanted?
What was I trying to say with the story and did I succeed?
Did my characters undergo all the development I wanted? If not, why?
These are all good questions to think about when looking back at your book and reflecting on it for those couple months. Before you open that Word document you need to know what you want to change and why, asking all these questions helps. It makes you very intentional with your editing process. That way you know exactly what you need to change.
AS LONG AS IT NEEDS TO BE, AND AS SHORT AS IT CAN BE: I don’t know about you, but I’ve often fallen prey to the problem of over extending content. Whether its word count, scenes, conversations, all of it. Look back on your book and see what scenes are golden, that absolutely MUST be in the book, and try to find the ones that aren't necessary. A way of sifting through these is thinking about these questions when trimming content:
Is this scene simply filler? Meaning, do I just have it there to have it without serving another purpose?
Do I explain things in this scene that are explained later? Meaning, is it just telling the audience something that might be better revealed in another more relevant scene?
Does anything develop or progress in this scene? What purpose does it serve?
Some scenes are there because they are entertaining, funny, romantic, and that’s all good material. But you want to be sure every scene does serve a purpose, and that it tells you something about the characters, the plot, or moves the events of the book in some way.
TALK WITH OTHER PEOPLE ABOUT IT: This one might be obvious but it really helps. You can’t always see what's wrong with your book, but getting an outside perspective helps. Even if it isn't a flaw with your story, another reader might observe something you don’t and then give you a brand new solution to a problem or a plot thread. They also answer valuable questions:
Does the plot flow smoothly?
How did the characters come off?
What made the book worth reading and why?
We know why we love our work, but getting an outsiders opinion is always good.
MAKE THE BIG CHANGES FIRST: If there’s a reason you aren't connecting with the story as much as you should be, or if it just isn't the story you love that you’ve always imagined: fix it. Brainstorm, plot, write, scribble, come up with solutions to the big problems first before you go back in and start line cutting or revising. Ask yourself if it's really the story you’ve always wanted to tell. If it isn't, it’s never too late to revise.
Better to make big changes than to publish a story you have strong issues with later.
MAKE IT GREAT OR NOTHING: These are the things that have helped me over the years with my editing, but one of the things that's helped me the most is to always go big or go home. Basically think about this:
Did I write a fight scene that's good instead of great? Why? What would make it better?
Is my romantic couple tolerable but not phenomenal? What is lacking in the story, or both characters to make it that way?
Is my finale Superman reversing the world or is it meh? What does it need to be bigger and better?
It’s your story, your masterpiece, see that you give it all the consideration it deserves. In the end you’ll be much prouder of the book and yourself for taking the time.
-Jubilee
