On My First Revision

ebennet68 · Feb 16, 2010

About a month and half ago, I posted a question about whether or not to jump into revising my first draft or to let it sit for a while. Well, the general consensus was to let it wait a couple of weeks and work on something else in the meantime.
I just have to say that you all were so right. I let it set for two weeks and went back to it. I was able to see mistakes right away that I'd made. I think I even had more fun revising than when I wrote the first draft, coming up with ways to make the story better and believe me, it needed lots of work that I just was unable to see. So, here's my question. When I'm done with this revision, should I let it sit for the same amount of time or longer? Just wondering what you all have done. Also, how many revisions do you usually do? I am still a beginning writer and am sincerely interested in learning all that I can to do this right and make it as good as it can be. Thanks.

kaitlin008 · Feb 16, 2010

Have you sent it to betas? If not, that's what I would suggest doing after this revision. Then wait until you've got the majority of their opinions back (you should have more than just one or two, so you can compare what was said) and do your next revision based off their feedback, and anything else you decide needs changing.

cscarlet · Feb 16, 2010

I'm a beginner too but we're at about the same stage in editing: I let mine sit for a while, had some critiques, and I just finished revising.

Now I'm actually adding a few chapters onto the end, and my personal plan is to change the font to something totally different and go through one more time. THEN let it sit a few more weeks and revisit, again in a different font, but this time on paper instead of on the computer screen. Then send to betas again (wash, rinse, repeat

).

I've heard that reading in different mediums really helps things stick out, so I'm hoping it's a good plan! Hope it helps you too.

gothicangel · Feb 17, 2010

I must be on revision six about now.

The first five where all about learning how to write a novel. I then posted draft 5 on a critiquing site. I removed 50% of the novel [about 50,000 words] and I can see so much improvement.

Even now I see further improvements I need to make in draft 7.

Michael_T · Feb 17, 2010

I put my first first draft aside at the end of Dec and when I came back from a trip from Europe this weekend I opened the drawer. I was actually pleasantly surprised at my draft. I thought it would be terrible and I would cry thinking that I'm no writer, but it wasn't half bad.

I made some pretty major changes, erased some characters, changed one's sex, took one character and killed them sometime before the book begins and I'm only on chapter 2 as far as the revisions go...

But yes I do agree that it is much more fun to do the re-writes/revisions than writing the draft because at the end you can take your writing, read a chapter, then read a chapter of one of the "masters" and see how you stack up.

Danthia · Feb 17, 2010

You could do the same thing again. The goal is to gain some distance so you see it with fresh eyes when you go back. That works no matter which revision you're on.

When you're happy with what you have, you can have some beta readers critique it for you. Then just keep polishing until you feel it's as good as it's gonna get.

For me, the number of revisions varies with each book. I usually do three at least (first draft, polish draft, post-crit draft) and then there's a round or two more once it hits my editor (which you don't have to worry about just yet). Troubled books can take several more revisions before they work, and my last one took around seven or eight by the end.

ebennet68 · Feb 17, 2010

Thank you all for your imput. I'm on the last chapter right now. After that and a short epilogue, I'll be done with this revision. I think I'll probably set it aside for two weeks once I'm done before looking at it again. I really like the idea of setting it in another font. I might give that a try. I have a couple betas lined up already but I don't think I'll give it to them until I do a second round of revising.

On My First Revision

ebennet68

Avoids editing by procrastinating

kaitlin008

Seeing newness all the time

cscarlet

AW = Procrastination.

gothicangel

Toughen up.

Michael_T

Physicist posing as a novelist

Danthia

ebennet68

Avoids editing by procrastinating