How to Write a Novel. Part 8: Revision as Creation
Summary
- Reread your draft with distance, allowing a fresh perspective to identify core structural and thematic issues.
- Tackle revision in distinct stages, addressing major structural elements before refining prose at the line level.
- Strengthen arcs and sharpen characters by cutting, reordering, and clarifying elements to maximize narrative impact.
Rereading with Distance: How to See the Book Anew
After completing your first draft, the most crucial step in revision is to reread with distance. This means stepping away from your manuscript for weeks or even months, allowing you to gain fresh perspective. When you return, you’ll likely see the work with new eyes, unburdened by the immediate memory. This distance allows you to identify plot holes, inconsistent character behavior, pacing issues, or underdeveloped themes that were invisible during drafting. It transforms you from a writer into your own first critical reader, enabling you to assess the book’s impact and effectiveness.
Structural Rewrites vs. Line-Level Refinement
Revision encompasses two distinct processes: structural rewrites and line-level refinement. Structural rewrites address the overall plot, pacing, character arcs, and thematic development. It might mean moving entire chapters, adding significant new scenes, cutting subplots, or completely re-envisioning the ending. Line-level refinement focuses on the prose itself. This includes polishing sentences for clarity, rhythm, and impact; checking for repetitive phrasing; tightening dialogue; and correcting grammatical errors. Approach these stages separately: tackle major structural issues first, as changes here will inevitably impact the smaller details.
Strengthening Arcs, Sharpening Characters
A core goal of revision is strengthening arcs and sharpening characters. Review your protagonist’s journey. Ensure that their desires, flaws, and transformations are clear and compelling from beginning to end. Are their motivations consistent? Does their growth feel earned? Similarly, examine the arcs of your secondary characters; do they serve a clear purpose in supporting or challenging the main narrative? For all characters, look for opportunities to deepen their motivations, enhance their voice, and make their actions more impactful. Sharpening means cutting anything that dilutes their essence or doesn’t contribute to their overall development.
Cutting, Reordering, Clarifying
Revision is an act of meticulous sculpting, often involving cutting, reordering, and clarifying. Cutting means removing anything that doesn’t serve the story: redundant scenes, unnecessary descriptions, weak dialogue, or extraneous subplots. Be ruthless; less is often more. Reordering involves moving scenes, chapters, or even paragraphs to improve pacing, build suspense, or enhance emotional impact. A scene might have more power earlier or later in the narrative. Clarifying ensures readers easily follow every plot point, character’s motivation, and thematic thread. This involves rephrasing confusing sentences, adding brief, necessary backstory details, and connecting scenes and chapters clearly through explicit shifts in time and location.
Think of revision as the most potent act of creation. It’s not merely correcting; it’s sculpting the raw clay of your draft into the story it was meant to be. This is where you elevate every arc and sharpen every character, building a book that resonates long after the final page.