Revising Revised Revisions

Undercover · Sep 6, 2012

I've been querying for about 4 months now and so far I've revised 3 times. Twice with one agent that requested more revisions the third time around, which I passed on because it was getting too out there. And this 3 time now for two other agents requesting changes. One of them mentioned detailed changes, which I agreed on. And the other mentioned the writing needs to be tighter and stronger, but made no mention of changing the plot, scenes. etc. Still haven't sent it to either on of them because...

After I revised it, yet again. I tested the waters and sent out a few more queries, one request right away, but...

He got back to me just yesterday after not even having it a week and said I should "fine tune" it and get a professional edtior and I could send it to him again. This was AFTER I revised it for the other ones. Now I am afraid to send the revised version to them because I still don't think it's up to snuff.

I posted for a beta and haven't gotten many bites. So far only two, and one bombed on me already. The other I am not sure she is interested in reading the whole thing. Plus the beta system, at least for me, always takes forever and I don't want to let too much time go by with these agents.

I was going to have my mom look at it. I know, I know...she really won't be much help. But I can at least clean up any errors in there. Not sure what else to do.

EllenBrock · Sep 6, 2012

Maybe post a chapter on SYW? Then maybe you can get some advice on the over-all writing style? It sounds like there is a pervasive issue with your voice that might not have been resolved in the revisions. The lovely SYW folks could probably give you concrete examples to carry throughout the ms.

Good luck!

Undercover · Sep 6, 2012

Thanks, I've done that and it's helped somewhat, but I don't think it's enough to help me with the whole ms. It's actually posted in there now. I appreciate all the comments I've gotten so far, but like I said...not sure what else I can do. I can't please everyone.

Meems · Sep 6, 2012

Hey undercover. I don't post much but felt I had to in this case because I was somewhat in your position a while ago.

I think that the thing you need to take heart in is that you have obviously written something that agents are taking a lot of interest in. Getting that many requests is a great thing, and though it might not seem like it now, getting revision requests is a great thing too.

Now, you're right that you can't please everyone. I had a lot of revision requests too, ranging from the very broad to the very detailed, and I was in despair at what the hell I needed to do because they were all so different. I think that sometimes we feel so awed at getting attention from agents that it's hard to take a step back and really hear what they're saying. It's even harder to understand that they might not be right, because you're so eager and grateful for representation.

Obviously, if you're getting so many revision requests, different agents agree that your manuscript isn't there yet. If you've been querying for four months and have already revised 2-3 times, it means you're revising pretty fast, and that's something to think about.

Take a step back and look at what they're really asking for and then take a look at your story and figure out if it's something that you're comfortable with. And if you do agree with one or more of them, sit down and take your time revising. Don't be impatient. Once you've revised and the agent says no to the revision you've burned the bridge for good (for this book I mean).

Other people might advise you different, but it sounds like you really do need an editor who is going to work closely with you at a structural level. Of course, that could be a really good beta, but I don't think it'll be your mom. Though I'm sure she's a lovely lady.

quicklime · Sep 6, 2012

if you got 2-3 (REAL) agents to actually suggest concrete changes, and those changes are at all in line with one another, make the changes......they're telling you what they wanted fixed, no?

as for more detailed help, some idea what they wanted fixed might enable anyone who posts to offer more specific and relevant advice.

MandyHubbard · Sep 6, 2012

Well, i guess the question is: Do you know what you would change? Do you have a game plan?

One of two things is happening here: You've got something special that agents are seeing and it needs work, OR you're just REALLY close, and it's about finding the right fit. Every book I've sold, even the ones at auction and in six figure pre-empts, have editors who are close-but-not-quite, it needs work here and here, etc. But the editor who buys LOVES THE HECK OUT OF IT.

So... my thoughts are that you're really close, and if you have ideas and somewhere to revise/tighten/smooth, you should absolutely do that, but if in the end you're at a loss, get back into the query trench and search for Mr/s Right.

Undercover · Sep 6, 2012

Thanks guys. I've been going back and forth with one of the agents and it sounds like I have a good amount of errors in there that need to be attended to. He mentioned my grammar and punctuation, the little things that would make it stronger. I asked him if that was it and if the story itself was okay. He has yet to get back to me.

Gosh if that's it, then that should be easy. Perhaps I revised it too fast, I do get through my revisions quickly...good in some ways (like adding and creating new scenes under pressure seems easy for me) and bad in that it's just plain sloppy. Ooh, that's embarassing. But in a way, I hope that's it and not changing my writing and everything else.

Thanks for replying everyone, I'll keep ya posted as to how things go.

kmelrose89 · Sep 13, 2012

Undercover, what kinda of writing do you do? It seems like there's a lot of interest in it!

Sage · Sep 16, 2012

I agree that it sounds like you might be rushing these revisions, and I wondered with the "fine tuned" comment whether you were having grammar problems (although I don't notice any major problems in your posts). Yes, you don't want to have agents waiting too long, but if they are asking for revisions before offering, they expect the revisions to be major and to take some time. My experience with betas is that they can take a few days to a month (as a beta, my time varies based on detail of crit, how excited I am by it, whether I critted on a computer or on paper, and what else is going on in my life). Taking an extra month to make sure it's right is not going to put off these agents.

Also, I have heard a lot of stories of people who did revisions for an agent who rejected them in the end. And plenty where they took that revised novel and found a different agent with it. The amount of requests for revisions does make it sound like your novel is really close, because agents tend to find a lot to love about the novel before they start asking for an R&R.

NicolaD · Sep 16, 2012

Sage is absolutely right, Undercover. I spent nearly 3 months rewriting half my first book for an agent who had requested a R&R. After resubmitting I waited two months then got impatient

and queried 3 more agents with the revised edition. One of these requested the full and offered rep - and the original R&R agent withdrew because she hadnt had time to read it. I'm now very happily signed and Book 1 is out on submission.
But like others have said, if you agree with the suggestions, make them, if you don't necessarily agree but know in your heart of hearts they will make your book stronger, grit your teeth and make them. And yep, sometimes it still won't work out with the agent who suggested them, but keep on keeping on. And GOOD LUCK!

Undercover · Sep 17, 2012

Thanks guys. Kmelrose, I write young adult suspense/thriller/mysteries with a ghostly element of the paranormal. One agent who requested the R&R (the sweetest and the most thorough) talked about the market being flooded with the paranormal. At first she didn't think my novel was, but I explained it was in fact a ghost story. I mentioned it's more vampires and werewolves that's overtaking the market. She agreed and just repeated, "Well, that's what the editors are saying." After explaining to her, she seemed to like it even more because things were clicking with the storyline idea. Made better sense.

Thank you Sage, here's a question for you. Two of the agents requested an R&R, okay fine. But the other one just mentioned the "fine tuning" with the editing. After talking to him, it seemed like the technical thing was more of an issue for him. I asked him editing as in how? He said mainly fixing the errors, like for example he pointed out I had "packed" instead of "pact". Things like that. So is it still considered a revision? Not sure really because I'm not majorly changing anything.

Anyways as things have it, I got a beta and she got back to me about a week and a half later, which was awesome. And yes, there were definitely a fair amount of errors. Things like "passed" "past" and "lay" "lie" "your" "You're" (which I totally know the difference between your and you're but my brain seems to like to type the opposite...i do have a mental illness so i'm gonna use it as an excuse, the only thing it's good for.)

SO, I sent it back to two of the agents and am holding back on the one. I kind of want it as a reserve in case the others don't work. She's only been waiting for it a month now. She actually has my other YA novel too that she's currently reading. In all fairness, I think she stands out the most. I don't know though. I hope I'm playing my cards right on this one. I'll let you guys know what happens. Thanks again.

Susan Coffin · Sep 17, 2012

Congratulations, Undercover, on all your hard work and getting some requests.

It just sounds like you need to go through and do some self-editing to catch the errors. For me, this means printing out the manuscript, getting out my red pen, and doing changes by hand. Everybody misses stuff, though. It just sounds like you might have edited too fast.

Revising Revised Revisions

Undercover

I got it covered

EllenBrock

Undercover

I got it covered

Meems

quicklime

all out of fucks to give

MandyHubbard

Once Upon a Time....

Undercover

I got it covered

kmelrose89

Sage

Supreme Guessinator

NicolaD

This will all make sense tomorrow

Undercover

I got it covered

Susan Coffin

Tell it like it Is