Some hard truths in magical packaging

I used to think if I learned enough, if I wrote enough books, if I got “good enough” (whatever that means), I wouldn’t have to revise any more. My first draft would just flow out of me all perfect and polished and reader-ready. Eight books in and I can promise you, that was not ever going to happen, nor would I want it to now! Revision is where the magic happens. Where I get to further refine my draft, strengthen the threads, the themes, the characters.

But there are also some hard truths embedded in that magical packaging, and that’s what I’m going to write about today.

In Part 1 of this series, I talked about learning to love revision, but I realize writers have many definitions of what revision even is. Most new writers imagine that the hardest part of writing is coming up with an idea (False!), writing the idea (False!), and selling the resulting book (True! False! I don’t know–the whims of the Publishing Goddesses are fickle!). And they gloss right over what I think the actual hardest part is: revision.

Maybe “hardest part” isn’t the right way to frame it, but it usually is the most time-intensive part. That’s because when I’m talking about revision, I’m not talking about running spell-check, rereading for plot bunnies, making a few tweaks, and sending it out the door. I’m talking about looking at what you’ve written, comparing it to the perfect story idea in your head, and analyzing whether the words on the page match that vision. Most of the time, especially on your first book (but even on your eighth–ask me how I know), what you’ve produced is leagues away from that perfect vision.

Deep revision, then, is re-envisioning how you’re telling the story so that it maps to that perfect story idea in your mind and heart. It involves looking at how your plot arc and character arc come together and ensuring that the structure of your story is sound. It includes making sure your story answers The Four Essential Questions, which will help you identify whether you’ve crafted a story where your main character is forced to change in pursuit of their goal by the events of the plot and whether that needed change makes sense given the backstory and motivation you’ve crafted for them.

Most writers haven’t thought about their story in that way before and that’s OK–you’re in the right place to learn more about how a deep revision can transform your story from just fine to downright magical.

That’s like asking how many licks does it take to get to the center of a Tootsie Roll Tootsie Pop. These questions are similarly unanswerable with anything other than “It depends.” As soon as I say something like “Deep revision can’t be done in a week,” someone will tell me that they did and ended up with the book deal of their dreams. To this I say “Congratulations, but you are an outlier.”

For most writers, a deep structural revision will take longer than it took to write the initial draft. If you’re the type of writer who outlines (or at least plans) in advance and revises are you write, it may take you less time than someone who didn’t plan or who fast drafts without going back to revise.

Neither method is right or wrong. The important thing to understand is that Deep Revision goes well beyond tinkering with line-level concerns. And as such, it typically takes some initial assessment, some planning, and a whole lot of execution. That takes time. So if your revision is taking you weeks, months, or even a year, do not despair. You’re in the normal range.

I do not recommend typing The End on that very first zero draft and immediately sending it to all your writing besties. Instead, plan on working through the things you know you need to fix first and reach out to a trusted friend only when you’re stuck or have done everything you can think of to do. I talk a lot about the types of feedback you should ask for at different stages in Get better feedback on your writing, but definitely plan on getting fresh eyes several times throughout the process, perhaps with each major round of revision. You may not need this much feedback once you have written a few novels or once you are working with an agent or editor, but until then, cultivate relationships with fellow writers at a similar stage to your own. Having a writing community like that is a very good thing at all stages, so start now.

If you came here hoping for a checklist of five things you could do to complete a revision on your novel or memoir, you might be feeling a bit overwhelmed by the idea of Deep Revision. That makes a lot of sense and you’re not alone. As I continue to refine the novel I affectionately refer to as The Evisceration, I spend at least a little time whining about the fact that I’m digging in for another round of revision each time. Stuffing those feelings down or castigating yourself for having them won’t do any good. So feel the feels. Cry if you need to. Kvetch with a writing pal. Write a long letter of formal complaint that revision even exists as part of the creative process. Then burn the note and get to work. I’ll be here to help you every step of the way.

Eventually, as you gain more skills and confidence, you’ll start to feel excited about revising, and even about receiving the feedback that leads to one more round of revision, whether it comes from a beta reader, a critique partner, your book coach, an agent, or an editor. Because you’ll realize what I already know: A problem you’ve identified in your work is a problem you can solve. It’s when something’s wrong and you don’t know it that you risk sending work out into the world that’s not ready. That can get you stuck in the rejection cycle and nobody wants that.

• Registration is now open for the WorldShift Summit August 17-22! If you want to be part of the one and only CP Meet Cute critique partner matching this year AND learn from some of the best in the industry, you won’t want to miss this event next month.

• You found this Substack because you’re ready to dig into the type of deep revision that will go beyond line-level polish and really make your story work at a structural level. You might also enjoy Wyrd Words Weekly, my weekly newsletter where I share the personal side of the writing journey.

Experienced writers with plenty of craft knowledge, stellar critique partners, and a mature draft still struggle to get to the finish line with their books. When you’re inside this struggle, your inability to complete your revision seems like a mystery… one that keeps you banging your head against your desk and crying over your Word document (been there!).

But I’ve cracked the case:

You’re circling the same questions over and over again, stuck in an endless cycle of untangling messy plot and character threads because you are missing the deep revision strategies that will make revision a transformational (and dare I say…magical?) experience.

If you’re ready to experience this transformation, tell me a bit about your story and we can get started. I’ll help you pinpoint exactly what’s not working in your manuscript and recommend tools you can use to revise in a way that’s satisfying and successful. 🪄

Note: I am committed to being transparent and keeping my Substack free of any AI-generated content so you know that everything I post or send out is genuinely a message from me. My team and I use tools that have AI features to plan and edit these articles, but none of the words you just read were written by a robot.