My revision process and checklist

Whenever I finish the first draft of a manuscript, my impulse is to whip it through revisions, get a few quick glances from beta readers and then shove out it the door as soon as possible. Over the years, I’ve realized this hastiness forces me to often return to a manuscript and realize it could’ve used a lot more work before being exposed to sunlight, and that there were good reasons it received many rejections at the time.

So I’ve learned to take a bit more time in the revision process, giving myself at least a couple weeks to gain mental distance from the manuscript before diving back in. I know there are some authors who edit and revise as they go. Dean Koontz, for example, states that he writes and rewrites each page until it’s perfect, and only then moves on to the next page. That technique would kill any momentum I gain during the writing, so without the on-the-go editing, I’m aware that I’ll usually end up with a pretty messy first draft. And that’s okay. Really, it is. *twitch*

Once I do get to revising, my process is to give the manuscript several passes, each with a different focus. The first pass is for basics such as spelling, grammar, tightening phrases, trimming the word count, putting the scenes in proper order, and dealing with obvious character and plot inconsistencies. This also gives me a better idea of the overarching problems that might be affecting the story. I mark scenes and notes to myself with asterisks (***). That way I can just use the search function in Word to find these spots and work on them later.

The second pass then focuses on those marked issues, plus addressing notes I’ve made, such as “***NEEDS HIGHER TENSION” or “***THIS DOESN’T MAKE SENSE.” I do bigger rewrites of scenes, maybe adding or deleting whole sections. I’ve often found it’s the first five or so chapters that require the biggest amount of revision because that’s where I was finding the groove of the story and characters. Once bigger revisions are made, then I do a last look-through to ensure the rest of the story is consistent with the changes that have been made. Then it’s on to beta readers. Once their feedback comes in, I make any necessary revisions and do a final pass for that last bit of spit and polish.

Because there are so many things to consider while revising, I’ve cobbled together various checklists of questions and issues to keep an eye out for during all these passes. Here’s a list of the main ones:

• Has my novel got enough highs and lows?
• Do I have too many scenes on the same emotional note?
• Should I slip in a quieter scene to give the reader a breather from the tension, or perhaps a bit of humor?
• Do I need more tension or suspense?
• Is the opening gripping, and true to the story?
• Is the ending satisfying? Is it surprising yet inevitable? Does it properly answer the question set by the story? Do I need to plant more seeds to make it work?
• Have I given the prominence I want to the characters who are most interesting?
• Does one character monopolize the story, and do I want it that way?
• Has the sub-plot(s) taken over or dried away completely?
• Are there any other loose ends?
• Does my sub-plot relate to the main plot or has it drifted away?
• Are my themes coming through? Do I even have a theme?
• Is the voice consistent?

When getting feedback from beta readers, I have a checklist of questions I ask them to consider while reading (and these folks really are great!):

• Are the characters boring/inconsistent/two-dimensional?
• Is there too much exposition/backstory?
• Does the plot make sense? What confuses you?
• Is the pace too fast/slow? 
• Is there enough tension, both in action and emotion?
• Is the dialogue natural?
• Do you want to read more, or are you just forcing yourself for the sake of reviewing this?

It’s a lot to absorb, but it’s a much more organic process than it might look. Based on my gut feelings and the themes my beta readers pick up on, I can usually point out the biggest issues that need dealing with before turning to minor things, like characters’ eye color changing mid-scene.

So there you go. That’s revisions de l’Vogt. What’s your process? Similar? Extremely different? It’d be fun to compare notes.

Also, I’ve got an increasing number of books that I’ve reviewed or will be reviewing in the near future. As much as I’d like to keep most of these copies, my shelves already groan under the weight of my library. Would people be interested in mini-contests and giveaways held on here and Twitter for the chance to nab books like Passion Play, Tome of the Undergates and The Strange Affair of Spring Heeled Jack for free?