We, as writers, spend so much time trying to get words on a page. We struggle through writer’s block, plot holes, and characterization; but what do we do when we’ve finished? What comes after “The End”?
One redditor put it this way:
“Drafting is just throwing words on a page and not caring if they’re perfect. It’s accepting that it’ll be a mess and going on anyway. Editing is where it gets hard. Then you have to analyse your own writing, fix the major plot holes most first drafts have, ensure characterisation is consistent, ruthlessly cut and rewrite even portions you love but that don’t fit the rest of the work, remove or sometimes add subplots, and generally tear this thing you’ve spent hours creating into teeny, tiny little shreds that can be recobbled into something readable.”
The process of revision can be even more daunting than writing. How are we supposed to get into a mindset where we can tear apart something we’ve spent so long creating?
This is a question I’ve faced many times, and I hope that sharing my story will grant some insights into how you can get into that mindset.
My Story
I grew up writing. My mom was an aspiring author, and watching the way her hands flew across the keyboard inspired me. I began joining her each November in NaNoWriMo. Anyone who’s attempted that challenge knows that there are only two ways to complete it: plot mercilessly, or ignore all errors, wordiness, and plot holes that come up.
I would finish proudly, but end with an absolute mess of a first draft to try and recover. I’d spent an entire month putting it together, and I’d spend even longer trying to pick it apart and see what was salvageable.
There are several of my own stories that will never see the light of day; others may be usable, but I’d be tempted to rewrite them completely. That’s a valid revision method, especially near the beginning. The question becomes, though, where does rewriting stop and revising start?
Rewriting vs. Revising
When you rewrite something, you take a section of your writing (large or small) and completely rework it. How much remains depends on the severity of the rewrite. It could end up looking similar, or completely unrecognizable.
All we know when we’re rewriting is that it needs to be different. It needs different plot points, different characterization, different settings, and so forth.
Now, I’m not disparaging rewriting; it has its place in the revisions process, especially when cleaning up first drafts. But as a general rule, rewriting can mean completely reworking your story.
How many times have you fallen into the trap of rewriting whole paragraphs and chapters over and over, each time feeling like it’s not reaching the standard that you’re holding yourself to?
This is where revision comes in; where you’ll need a more fine-tooth comb. You’re not just fixing the big things—you’re trying to make your writing effective and convincing.
Revising is just as much a skill as writing is. In fact, one could say that you’ll never get to your true potential as a writer without revising. The only question that matters is how long you’ll wait before acquiring this skill.
How Do I Revise?
This is a question I’ve found myself facing over and over. Even after I learned the difference between rewriting and revising, I found myself at a loss. I’d sit down intending to simply revise but find myself rewriting whole sections instead.
My writing teacher gave me a worksheet that I could use when doing revisions. It included exercises for making my writing punchier and more concise, as well as an exercise where I needed to double the length. This made me flesh out my arguments, but could also serve sections that need better pacing or more drawn-out dramatic moments.
My favorite exercise, though, was one where I wrote the same sentence seven different ways. It was in this exercise that I realized that this was how I was going to get that perfect sentence. It helped me get that nitpicky wording, the exact vibe of the sentence. It forced me to see what it was I was really trying to say, and how to say it in the best way.
Much like writing, revising is a skill that we need to practice, not simply study.
Practice
I have a challenge for you: Pick up a piece of your old writing, and practice. Practice revising. Revise for big things like character arcs, motivations, foreshadowing, consistency, plot development, or for the smaller things like word choice, conciseness, drawn-out moments, unity in voice, or any other revision skill you’re trying to improve.
Use that old manuscript to practice your craft. Remember that you don’t need to do everything on a single pass! You can do different editing passes, and you’ll catch different things each time.
Challenge yourself! Grow, not just as a writer, but as a reviser, and your work will be better for it.
Remember
“Revising is part of writing. Few writers are so expert that they can produce what they are after on the first try. Quite often you will discover, on examining the completed work, that there are serious flaws in the arrangement of the material . . . . Remember, it is no sign of weakness or defeat that your manuscript ends up in need of major surgery. This is a common occurrence in all writing, and among the best writers” (Strunk and White 2000, 66).
Just because your writing isn’t perfect right away doesn’t mean it’s bad. Writing is a process, and so is revising.
Revising is where you get your story from where it is now to where you want it to be. Be patient in that process!
So go—revise, and see your work get better for it.
By Allie Zaugg
Strunk, William, Jr. The Elements of Style, ed. E. B. White, 4th ed. Pearson, July 23, 1999. https://ia804502.us.archive.org/5/items/pdfy-2_qp8jQ61OI6NHwa/Strunk%20%26%20White%20-%20The%20Elements%20of%20Style%2C%204th%20Edition.pdf.
Dude-Duuuuude (@Dude-Duuuuude), “Drafting is just throwing words on a page and not caring if they’re perfect,” Reddit, September 2, 2023, https://www.reddit.com/r/writing/comments/168bzp7/comment/jyvgg61/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web3x&utm_name=web3xcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button.
Header image by Karola G, pexels.com
