There are several styles of revision and no right or wrong way to revise. Different writers choose different styles of revision. Whatever works.
One type of revision is the type I remember my English teacher, �Flint� McCulloh, forced us to adopt. Basically it was using colored pencils to slash out all the bad words (and if she had had her way, our entire compositions would have been slashed out) and replacing them with better words. Then we were to expand paragraphs or ideas, perhaps rearranging them to make it look like we had done actual revision work.
In another type of revision the writer constantly adds and slashes along the way, changing the elements of the story as she goes along.
Other writers write their first drafts without stopping until the end without worrying about choosing the perfect word or whether the story flows. It�s not until the entire story is written when the revision process starts.
And some writers use a combination of the styles mentioned above. Like I said, whatever works.
I was going to write an overview of the elements of revision, but instead I�m going to just present the exercises, because each exercise has its own set of checklists. We can discuss any element in more detail through discussion posts. These exercises are adapted from Josip Novakovich�s Fiction Writer�s Workshop. Do the exercises in order, because each exercise builds upon the last.
The Exercises:
#1 Write a first draft of a story (or pull out one you�ve done recently�key word being recently.) Don�t spend weeks on this draft. Do not do any revising yet. Do not censor yourself. Let go and follow your instincts. Don�t fight your characters, and don�t worry about logic or cohesion at this point. When you�ve written your story from beginning to end, you may move onto the next exercise.
#2 Print your draft. Reading your story on paper prevents computer bug-eyed fatigue. Also, something starts happening in your brain when you feel the sensation of paper in your hands. Read your draft carefully. On a separate piece of paper write the major conflict, scene, plot. Write a simple plot outline. Mark your main characters and scenes. Now ask yourself:
*Do you have too many characters? Are your characters three-dimensional?
*Do you have too many key scenes?
*Can you make fewer characters and/or scenes? Can you eliminate your flat characters?
Mark your major two or three scenes.
#3 Delete your first draft and work only from your printed version and written outline. This way you�re not merely tinkering with the cut and paste function in your word processor. Now type only the parts of the story that advance the story or contribute to its understanding. Change them as you retype these sections. Add more details if needed. Don�t worry about backstories or background at this point.
#4 Print your new draft. Now reread it and ask yourself (and make notes wherever needed):
*Does something happen in your story?
* Is the plot clich�? Is the plot logical?
*Is the conflict clear?
*Does the story start at the right point?
*Do you need to add minor scenes to show the build up of conflict? Or to enhance characterization?
*Does your main character change or come to a resolution or epiphany by the end of the story?
*Is your setting authentic? Are the details appropriate to time and place?
*Are there places where you can describe the setting? Can you work in setting details as you introduce your characters? Or during dialogue? During scene transitions?
*Can you shorten passages of exposition and let your other scenes combine exposition and drama?
*Have you used sensory details?
*Does your dialogue ring true? Do your characters have distinctive voices?
*Is your story told from the right point of view? Is your point of view consistent?
*Does your story show what happens, who did it, where, and most of all�why?
*Is your ending logical? Did your story end at the right place, or did you over write it?
#5 Now tell your story to someone. Novakovich says, �While it may dissipate your energies in the drafting stage to tell your story aloud, once you�ve done a draft and the first rewrite, retelling the stories will concentrate your energies.� Telling your story to someone will help you find out if your story works as a basic story. You will see what�s missing from the story and what parts do work, and whether anything really happens and holds others� interest. Rewrite again if it�s necessary.
#6 Print out your newest draft and spread out all your pages. Read your story all the way through again. Ask yourself:
*Are there any places that don�t work?
*Is anything missing? Details? Dialogue?
*Are the character�s motives believable. This may where you need expanding. You may need to restructure your story and change your plot outline.
#7 Examine any metaphors you might have included in your story. Do they fit with the story�s theme? Are they trite and clich� and stick out like a sore thumb?
Cross out any adjectives and adverbs and see if you can replace them with concrete nouns and verbs.
Find any words that mention feelings. Replace with concrete images and action. Instead of saying, �He was angry,� show he was angry through action.
#8 Now it�s time to start polishing.
*Cut out any words that have no purpose.
*Check your spelling. Don�t always rely on your spell checker.
*Examine your paragraphs. Except in dialogue, they should contain more than one sentence.
*Check your punctuation and grammar.
*Examine your sentences for variations in length and structure. Don�t start every sentence the same.
*Check each sentence for clarity.
*Do you have too many modifiers? Passive voice constructions? Clich�s? Prepositional phrases?
*Cross out superfluous words and redundancies.
*Check your paragraphs for the use of the same word more than three times.
*Check your dialogue tags for modifiers or variations of �said.� Usually �said� is adequate. And delete any unnecessary indications of who�s speaking. It�s not necessary to use a dialogue tag each time someone speaks. Can you distinguish who is speaking?
*Use dialect sparingingly. Usually it�s more effective to imply dialect through syntax and word choice.
*Avoid clich�s unless it�s part of dialogue.
#9 Now ask yourself:
*Is there anything you can cut out without damaging your story? If your story is getting worse instead of better, it�s probably time to stop revising.
Tolstoy said: �Often in rewriting, I omit things, substitute others, not because the new idea is better, but because I get tired of the old. Often I strike out what is vivid and replace it with something dull.�
*Is your story easy to follow? Ask several readers to read your story and get their feedback.
As you go through the revision process, you will discover what works for you. You may not need to go through all these steps. You might even find you do it more effectively while looking at the computer screen. Whatever works for you. This is only one type of process.
