HOW TO REVISE YOUR NOVEL BEFORE EDITING

Finished writing your first draft? Congratulations ! I am so proud of you :)

Don't know what to do next? Well, firstly, clap for yourself, and then it's time to REVISE your book and add that final touch to your work.

Returning to your manuscript for the self - editing process is about considering your work with fresh eyes and determining what's working and what's not working in the big picture. Don't rush this process. You want to take your sweet time with this.

Tip #1 - WRITE DOWN YOUR BOOK'S NICHE

Try to narrow your focus and remember what it is that's most compelling about your book, and you want the readers to know about. Try to read your draft and judge if it is actually able to covey the ideas that you want it to.

BONUS TIP - Ask your relatives / friends to read your book. You can ask one person to read one chapter if that helps. What's most important is that you need to ask them to give you 5 main ideas that they derived from your book. This is the most helpful tip for ensuring that your novel is perceived the way you want it to.

Pay special attention to the blurb, the back cover, introduction to determine the pitch that you would be using in your product's description to motivate readers to pick your book. Focus on the themes that you are trying to communicate to establish the vision of your book.

Tip #2 - TRY TO LIVE THE LIVES OF YOUR CHARACTERS

TRUST YOUR GUT. Try to identify the scenes, moments in the plot, or pieces of character development that do not sit right with you. Get curious about those hesitations and uneasy feeling. Try to live within your story and determine if everything fits right. You might wanna focus on off-character development, unrealistic dialogues and liveliness of your characters.

Try to identify the areas you are lacking in and look up for resources specific to your need. This is the time to hone your craft and polish your work. You don't wanna give up just yet !

RESEARCH. RESEARCH. RESEARCH. Seek out for help. Get help within community. Ask for tips that are specific to the area you are lacking in. Try to re-read the work of your favorite author and determine how you can improve yourself.

"Good dialogue gives us the sense that we're eavesdropping" - ANNE LAMOT

Tip #3 - DIG DEEPER

Let's say you are writing a fantasy book, and you want to get inspired. You start looking at other fantasy writer's work. That is a great idea, but don't just stop there. Look up interviews by those authors. Try to find podcasts, articles, blogs, and other resources where they talk about their actual craft or the process behind their work. Be a student of your craft and do everything you can to get better at your technique.

Tip #4 - BE TRUE TO YOURSELF

You need to know your writing habit and be as possible with yourself about what your book actually needs. It's important to know if you need to take some time away to recharge your creative batteries or you are someone who needs to ride the wave of momentum and get straight into self - revising.

BONUS TIP : If you decide to take a break before revising your book, make sure to return to it on a specific date. Don't abandon your story if you are passionate about it. It's easy to just forget about it and then when you'll try to return to it after a long break, you will be going to face some serious challenges trying to get into the momentum and feel.

Tip #5 - SUPPRESS YOUR INNER GRAMMAR POLICE DURING YOUR FIRST REVISION

Once you make your big picture substantive changes to your book, that's when you should return to your manuscript and check for typos, grammar, and punctuation usage. Don't stifle your creativity before you get there, and don't get bogged down by syntax and grammar. Your job as an author is to get the story on the page. Leave the grammar job for the editor.

Tip #6 - CUT OUT UNNECESSARY SENTENCES

Revision is all about trimming down and only keeping what enhances the story. Try to be on a lookout for sentences that deliver the same point. I know it's not easy as an author to trim down your work, but you don't have to perfect at it. Try to trust your instincts and do as much as you can to solidify your story without exaggerating it too much.

I hope these tips have been helpful for your self - revision process. Writing a story is difficult, no doubt, but revising it with a critical eye is challenging, and therefore you have to be kind to yourself and give yourself a break. Whenever you feel stuck, re-reading your work, try to imagine the moment your readers are going to read your work and appreciate it.

Don't forget to comment if these tips worked for you and if you have more to share with our lovely community.