Surviving Revision Hell
You wrote that novel that’s been in your head for years! You had other people read it and mark it up with notes! And now you must revise and have no idea where to start or how to do it or if you have the ability to sort out the plot holes and shaky narrative arc and that secondary character who will just not do what you need them to do.
Welcome to Revision Hell.
Sometimes revision can feel light and satisfying. You figure out one piece that opens up the story in a way you hadn’t imagined, and now it feels right. Some people love revision and have no problem tackling it. Sometimes revisions on a particular story are smoother and happen without much friction. But other times, a lot of the times, revision can feel like shuffling through a swamp in jeans and a winter coat. It’s slow. It’s exhausting. It makes you wonder if you’ll ever reach the other side.
If you find yourself in revision hell, take heart in that you are not alone. Writers of all levels experience the dread of not knowing how to untangle the mess they made in their first draft. While it doesn’t necessarily get easier, it gets less hellish the more you do it. And you pick up some pointers along the way (our brilliant team of editors can help you with that). While there are many approaches to revision, and plenty of blog posts and tutorials out there on how to revise, the part of revision I often forget to plan for is how I am going to take care of my mental, emotional, and physical wellbeing while in my revision cave. With that in mind, here are a few tips to help you care for yourself as you enter the swamp:
Plan for it to take a lot, A LOT, longer than you think. Revision is all about ripping out four chapters in the middle of the book and moving them to the end. It’s all about rewriting the first third of your book. It’s about writing five new scenes and then figuring out how to make those scenes fit into the story. It takes time to accomplish these things. And life often gets in the way. Give yourself more time than you need. Otherwise, you’ll feel behind before you’ve even begun.
Exercise. You’re probably busy and barely have time to dedicate to this revision, but make sure you keep your body active. Go for a long walk with your dog. Do thirty minutes of yoga. Play with your kid in the snow. Keep your body moving during this time, not only because of your health but because physical exercise gets you out of your head for a bit, which often helps reveal solutions to that plot problem you can’t figure out or how to make that secondary character more relevant.
Don’t start a new diet. Unless you have to for your health, I wouldn’t choose the start of your revision process as the time to go on a sugar cleanse or cut out caffeine. That’s not to say you should not worry about what you’re putting in your body; treat your body well during this time as you’re going to be sitting a lot. But starting a big dietary change at the same time you start revising will likely not work out, which is discouraging, and revising can be discouraging enough on its own.
Communicate your needs with your loved ones. The revision process needs space. You need to be able to mumble to yourself and fall into the world of your story and spend an hour reworking one scene. Consider not just when you have the time to write, but when you have the brain space for this type of work, and then communicate those needs to the people in your life who may be affected. Ask for their support and for them to deliver you tea and chocolate occasionally.
Lean on your writing network. Imposter syndrome during the revision process can kick in without much nudging. Make sure you reach out to your writing network for support. As much as your partner or mom or best friend might be a sympathetic ear, unless they’re writers, they likely won’t totally understand how debilitating it can be to wrestle with your story. Lean on those who know what it is to try to take this world and characters and story that lives only in your head and make it come alive on the page.
If you’re currently feeling overwhelmed with how much work you need to do on your story, be kind to yourself and trust you can do it. You had the power to write this story, and you have the power to revise it. Pour yourself some tea, put the tin of cookies within arm’s reach, take a deep breath, and dive in.
Denise Santomauro is an editor, writer, and author coach who has the cutest dog in the world (no, seriously) and too many houseplants, and bakes way more than should be allowed. You can find out about her here.