Find Your Own Revision Strategy - Part 1

As you write your novel, you're immersed in your story. You know your characters intimately, but that crystal-clear vision is inside your head. Revision allows you to see where you need to add detail, and where words are in the way of your story. Nothing is perfect in the first draft. Making revisions is the only way to take your story from good to outstanding.

Find Your Own Strategy - Revising your story doesn't have to be daunting. You can break it down into steps, such as working on characterization in one pass, description in another, dialogue in a third, and so on. Others do one major revision, focusing on all aspects of characterization, conflict, and description, and then do a final, polishing revision. Some revise as they go, which can help you through rough spots that hold your plot back as you write.

Getting Started - You can either revise your story on the computer, print it out, or both. It's your choice. Oftentimes, it's good to compare the printed page to the screen because it gives you a different view of the written word.

Arc, Characterization, and Pacing - In your first read-through, you'll want to look at your story as a whole. Does the action flow? Do the characters seem real and do they behave realistically? Is the story's flow smooth? Do you have enough action to carry the story? Many writers focus on the bigger picture, and then tackle grammar, punctuation, etc. Some writers revise chapter-by-chapter. Again, this is up to you, the writer, on which method works best.

Story Flow - Does it Work? Your characters and their actions, along with the dramatic arc, work together to build the flow of your story. Your reader should be carried through your scenes through a wave of action and dialogue. The description helps to fill visualization, but the action and words thrust the story forward. Be sure to have balance between dialogue and action. If you have two to three paragraphs of description without any action or strong dialogue, you'd better consider this a warning flag. Don't bog the reader down with too many details. Readers are intelligent and can create a vivid setting in their minds.

​The Balance of Building Tension - Is your story running or walking? The action and detail should reflect the events in your story. Reducing descriptive details can increase the sense of urgency in a scene, and adding details when dramatic tension is low can show more of your story world to your readers. Rich visual details can enhance your story when they don't interfere with the story.

An example could be if your character is strolling down a city street to meet a friend, she'll be relaxed noticing shops and details around here. Whereas, if she were being chased by a threatening stranger, she wouldn't take notice of any details. She would more than likely be looking for a policeman, or a place to hide.

Action & Narrative Description - Another Element of Balance - Too much detail can bog down a story, but insufficient detail can leave your readers wanting more, or worse yet, getting bored and putting down your book. We all are visual, and we love colorful worlds. Details balance action and dialogue, which adds interest to your story. You'll also want to balance the pace so as not to bore a reader, or exhaust them through a scene at breakneck speed.

Here's an example of a scene that has interesting dialogue, but doesn't give any visualization for the reader. We're not quite sure what is going on:
"You need to get out of here. You're not in a position to make a rational choice about your future right now," Jim said angrily.
"You're not my mother," Sarah replied. "It's my choice to be here. Nobody's making me stay."

Here's the scene with added visualization:
"You need to get out of here." Jim blocked the doorway, shoving Sarah back into the tiny bedroom.  "You're not in a position to make a rational choice about your future right now."
"You're not my mother." Sarah wrenched free. "It's my choice to be here." She backed against the single bureau, breathing hard. "Nobody's making me stay."

Be sure to think about the emotional state of your viewpoint character in each scene and pay attention to description. Is your character angry, scared, tired or in fear. If so, they'll be too distracted to pay attention to a small detail, such as the flicker of a goldfinch against a dark screen of trees.

Stay tuned next week for Part 2, and remember...Keep on writing!