Tinkering vs. Big Revision

by Lori Alexander

Nutty as it sounds, I love revising my picture book texts. Revision means the heavy lifting has been done. I have characters. I have a plot and a setting. For me, coming up with a unique and catchy premise is the tough part. A promising idea is like waiting to be struck by lightning. Revision is a sure-thing.

That said, in my early days of writing, I wasn’t always executing the right type of revision. My first picture manuscript, BACKHOE JOE, told the story of a boy who wanted a real backhoe for his birthday. It was written in epistolary format, with the boy hiding notes and letters to his parents all over the house, hinting at what he most desired.

Back then, I didn’t have an agent. I subbed BACKHOE JOE directly to editors. After the long, LONG wait, responses would trickle in. “This has some great bits of humor, but it’s not quite right for us,” or “Unfortunately, this is a pass for us. Keep writing!” or plainly, “Not a fit for our list.” I knew rejection was a writer’s middle name, so I would tweak a few sentences and mail it out to the next batch of editors.

It wasn’t until an editor pointed out the rather flat ending and asked if I would consider rewriting in a more traditional format, that I knew the story wasn’t working as-is. My problem was bigger than swapping around a few verbs.

At about the same time, I happened on a blog post from Mary Kole, former literary agent and current freelance editor. If you haven’t stopped by her site, kidlit.com, run don’t walk. It’s brimming with golden nuggets of writerly advice. The post I read was called Big Revision. It struck a chord with me. This is my favorite part (but go read the whole post, it’s worth your time):

Let me say it here once and for all: unless you make big changes, a revision isn’t worth doing. If you go out on a submission round and get roundly rejected, you’re not going to solve your problem by going back to the page to tweak a few words here and there. I’ve said this before, but look at the word revision…it means “to see again.” To see your story in a whole new light. To make massive plot, character, and language changes. And having so much on the page already often lures us into a false complacency.

I went back to my manuscript with new eyes. I rewrote it in prose, taking my favorite bit from one of the boy’s letters (why a backhoe is better than a puppy) and scrapping the rest. I wrote an entirely new story. It had every bit of the humor as my first draft. And now, a much stronger (twist!) ending. It was this version that helped secure an agent. It was this version that sold in auction to HarperCollins. Yay for big revision!

If you’ve been tinkering with a text and getting the same types of comments from critique partners or the standard “Thanks, but no thanks” responses from editors, it might be time for a big revision. Easier said than done, right? Maybe revising your story from 3rd person to 1st person jogs something loose. Maybe your meandering middle can be cut down to increase the story’s pace and tension. Maybe you brainstorm a completely new and satisfying ending. There’s really no harm in tearing it down and building something new. You can always go back to your original version. But after your big revision, I bet you won’t want to. ☺

Thank you Lori!

 

LORI ALEXANDER writes for young children and their exhausted parents. Her debut picture book, BACKHOE JOE, rolled out in 2014 from Harper Children’s. FAMOUSLY PHOEBE will release with Sterling Children’s Books in 2017.

Lori resides in Tucson, Arizona, with her scientist husband and two book-loving kids. She runs when it’s cool (rarely) and swims when it’s hot (often). She grew up in San Diego, where she earned Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in psychology from UCSD and SDSU, respectively. More information can be found online at www.lorialexanderbooks.com or follow her on  Twitter @LoriJAlexander

Third Annual ReviMo Starts Tomorrow!!!

I hope you are all ready for some revision fun! I know I need it. :D I hope you'll all join us in the Facebook group or commenting on the blog (which you must do on the daily guest posts to be eligible for prizes!) and telling us how your revisions are going. The camaraderie makes ReviMo so much fun, in my humble opinion! And the awesome prizes don't hurt either! :D Register here, if you haven't already! (Registration closes tomorrow night)

For those of you who don't already have it, a little gift... A Revision Inspiration sheet with wisdom from many sage writers! 


Wondering what you need for ReviMo? Check out the ReviMo page and be sure to register! And get inspired by Linda Ashman's post below, reposted from 1/10/14. I reposted it last year and now it feels like a tradition!

 

 

What You'll Need for Your Revision Journey

by Linda Ashman

Happy New Year! First of all, kudos to Meg for using ReviMo to focus attention on revision, often regarded as the ugly stepsister of writing. Lots of people ask me, “Where do you get your ideas?”—but rarely does someone say, “Tell me about your revision process.”

That’s not surprising. After all, ideas are glamorous (Inspired! Brilliant! Clever!). Revising, on the other hand, is painstaking, repetitive, and—yes—sometimes tedious. And yet, as one of my former bosses liked to say, ideas are a dime a dozen. Sure, they’re essential. But turning ideas into something tangible and usable, well, that’s where the treasure is.

And where the real work begins. It’s not easy to transform a scrap of an idea—no matter how brilliant—into a compelling and marketable manuscript, so it’s good to be prepared.

I’m a big fan of lists (they make me feel more organized than I am). So, as you tackle your revisions this week—and beyond, I hope—here’s my list of things you’ll need for the journey:

1. Stamina. Ideas often arrive in a momentary flash of inspiration. Revisions, on the other hand, require hours, weeks, months—sometimes years. Be patient with the process—and yourself.

2. A playful spirit. Carl Jung said, “The creative mind plays with the objects it loves.” Presumably, you’re a writer because you love stories, language and words. So play with them! Experiment with voice, rhythm, structure, point of view. What brings your story alive?

3. Openness. Sometimes the story you begin with isn’t the one that wants to be told. If your idea starts taking you in a new direction, follow it. You can always go back if it turns out to be a dead end (and don’t be afraid of dead ends—sometimes they point us in the right direction).

4. An objective eye. If, like me, you find that the revision process sometimes brings on a severe case of brain fog, it helps to step back. Go for a walk, clear your head, and ask: What is this story really about? What am I trying to say? How can I say it more simply, clearly, and concisely?

5. A sharp knife. (A metaphorical one, of course.) If you’re writing picture books, in particular, be merciless with those long, rambling descriptions, and anything that isn’t visual and doesn’t move your story forward.

6. Small rewards. Writing is hard work, so it helps to have some carrots to keep you motivated. My own carrots? Cookies. Yep, a couple of cookies, or maybe a scone or muffin—along with a good cup of joe—keep me going through the afternoon lull. Walking, gardening, and trips to the library help too.

7. Commitment. There’s always a point in my revision process where my manuscript looks so messy, convoluted, and ugly that I’m ready to abandon it and move on to something “easier.” After many years of writing, I’ve come to accept that it always gets worse before it gets better. And I know it won’t get better unless I keep slogging through the morass. If I’m not willing to do that, I’ll never finish anything.

8. A touch of perfectionism. Save this one for the end of the process, after you’ve gotten all your ideas on paper, experimented, trimmed, and essentially completed your story. Now is the time to be a little bit obsessive—to clarify that slightly confusing passage, find exactly the right word, trim anything extraneous, fix typos, make sure your meter is flawless (if you write in verse), and polish, polish, polish.

9. Faith. I’m not talking higher powers here, although if you’ve got those connections, by all means, use them. I’m talking about faith in yourself. It’s tough when you’re struggling with a story. What’s the point? Who wants to read this? No one’s going to buy it. Chances are, no one’s pushing you to write this manuscript—or any manuscript, for that matter—so the motivation’s got to come from within. No one can guarantee that you’ll sell your story—but you can guarantee that you’ll do your best work and finish it.

Above all, as you pull out those scraps of ideas and half-finished manuscripts this week and beyond, remember why you’re a writer. Because you love words, perhaps. Or love stories, or art, or books, or writing as a form of self-expression. When you’re struggling through your manuscript for the fiftieth time, it’s good to remember the “love” part. Yes, revision can be a slog. But, for me, it’s a joyful slog. Enjoy the process.

Thanks for inviting me, Meg. And happy revising to all!

Thank you Linda! 

 

Linda Ashman is the author of more than thirty picture books, including three new books in 2016: Rock-a-Bye Romp, HenryWants More! and All We Know.  Her books have been named to the “Best of the Year” lists of The New York Times, Parenting, Cookie, and Child magazines, New York Public Library, Bank Street College of Education, the IRA/CBC and others. She's also the author of The Nuts and Bolts Guide to Writing Picture Books, a "how-to" handbook for writers. For more information, visit lindaashman.com.

If you haven't read Linda Ashman's The Nuts & Bolts Guide to Picture Book Writing, I highly recommend it! MM

ReviMo 2016 coming soon!

The 3rd Annual ReviMo - Revise More Picture Books Challenge is just around the corner! January 10th-16th, 2016. Are you ready??

Dust off your picture book drafts. Get your story to your critique groups. Get ready to REVISE!

To register, comment on the ReviMo page on this site (just once, please!). Read the instructions and let's do this! I'm excited to get busy revising. :D

Happy New Year everyone!

Petite ReviMo November with Carrie Finison and a Giveaway!

Welcome revisers!! The amazing Carrie Finison is our guest blogger for today with a post full of writing truth! Carrie has kindly offered to do a giveaway, so comment on this post (before midnight Monday Nov 16th) and you'll be entered to win a picture book critique (rhyming or prose, under 1000 words). Welcome Carrie!

The Seven Stages of Revision
by Carrie Finison 

 

I did something scary recently. (Writer scary, that is.) After a great critique with an editor I met at a conference, I cracked open a manuscript I haven’t worked on in two years.

Happily, she didn’t say it was terrible, or awful. It’s a good story. But could it be better? I decided it could. Mind you, it took me a while to come around to that decision. Getting a tough critique can spark something in me that is akin to grief. It’s grief for the loss of that dream version of the story – the one where it’s perfect just as it is, and the editor raves about it and offers me a contract on the spot. Letting go of that rosy vision and facing the tough reality is difficult.

Like grief, revision is something that must be worked through, and each stage comes with its own characteristics.

**********************************************
THE SEVEN STAGES OF REVISION

Stage 1: Shock or Disbelief
What? My story doesn’t hang together? My characters aren’t appealing? My prose isn’t perfect? My plot lacks surprise? That can’t be right!

Stage 2: Denial
Clearly, Ms. Fancy-Pants New York editor has no idea what she’s talking about. She must not have read my story carefully. She probably doesn’t work in this genre. What does she know?


Stage 3: Anger
I’m not going to do it! I’m not going to make any changes. It’s my story and I’m sticking to it, period, the end! Someone else will probably love it just the way it is.

Stage 4: Bargaining
Maybe if I just change this one little thing, the whole story will work much better and I’ll be done revising.

Stage 5: Depression
She’s right. This story stinks. All my stories stink, and I won’t be able to sell any of them ever. Might as well give up this writing thing.

Stage 6: Reconstruction
Wait.

She might have a point.

OK, I can see that this character’s choices aren’t making much sense. I’ll try one of the things she suggested and see how it works….

Hey, that actually does make more sense. And that gives me a great idea for an even better ending.

Stage 7: Acceptance and Hope
This revision stuff is hard work, but it’s actually kind of fun. My story is much stronger now. I can’t wait to send this to my critique group and see what they think!

**********************************************
Does this seem familiar?

For me, getting out of Stage 5 and into Stage 6 is the hardest part. I find that it works best to sidle up to a major revision, rather than trying to take it head on. For days, or weeks, I will collect ideas that I think might contribute to a stronger story. These might be suggestions from critique partners, new plot points to consider, words or phrases I’d like to include, or some way to twist one of the story elements into something else. When I finally do sit down to revise, I’m not starting from scratch. I also make sure I have coffee or tea and some baked goods on hand. There’s not much that can’t be made better by a cup of tea and a nice scone.

It takes a lot of mental energy to produce a good revision, one that goes deep and makes the story stronger, tighter, and better than ever before. But when you come through to the other side…it’s worth it!

So very true. Thank you Carrie!

 






Carrie Finison began her literary career at the age of seven with an idea, a box of markers, and her father’s typewriter. Some of her more recent work has appeared in Babybug, Ladybug, Highlights and High Five magazines, and in 2014 she won the SCBWI Barbara Karlin grant for picture book writing. In addition, she writes and develops content for educational publishers. Find her at www.carriefinison.com.

Petite ReviMo June with Deb Lund plus a Giveaway!

Good morning revisers!! :D We've got a fabulous guest AND a giveaway! Comment on Deb's post today and you'll be entered to win a deck of Fiction Magic Cards!

Revision Quest
by Deb Lund


What’s the difference between people who dread revision and those who love it? Is it experience, or strategy, or (yikes) personality?

Characters head out on quests, and revision is a quest of its own.

When I talk about revision in school visits, I tell them how I can always tell the difference between little-kid writers and those who are a little more mature (obviously I don’t say this to the youngest audiences). Then I ask what little kids say when their teacher wants them to write more, and someone always answers correctly. “But I’m done!”

Writing is rewriting. You have to mine through lots of rock to get to the gems, and it’s in revision that you arrange those gems, polish them, and show them off in a setting you’ve designed. You might string them together like a necklace, revising the placement of each stone until it’s the perfect combination.

Two of my editors have told me I was their best reviser. I didn’t always fit that title. As writers (or creators of any art), we have these quirky voices in our heads that tell us we can’t do it, or it’s going to take too long, or it’s just too overwhelming to begin. And then those same voices have the audacity to tell us that we’re the only ones who struggle with revision. We look at the completed work of others and know it’s beyond us. We have a vision, but it doesn’t come out of our heads the way we see it before it lands on paper.

Guess what? That’s true for everyone! Nothing creative ever takes shape exactly the way it’s planned. We’re so busy judging others from the outside, not realizing that they may have the same insecurities as we do on the inside. We believe we’re doomed to fail the revision quest. Revision is where the line is drawn for some of us. We hand over our power, quaking, tiring as we near the finish line. We’re scared. We think this is where we find out if we are worthy or not. So we put it off until it becomes a big monster, a worse adversary than any villain we could create. It’s time to transform that monster.

Do you like jigsaw puzzles? Exploring new hiking trails? Are you a collector? Do you hit thrift stores looking for finds? When you read your favorite books, are you willing to go to the ends of the earth with those characters just to find out what happens? You need to kindle that same kind of passion when revising your own writing.

Revision doesn’t have to be the dirty work. Turn it into play! Host a revision party, dress up as your character, act out scenes, or dream up a handful of “What If…” questions for each scene that doesn’t trigger an emotion for you. Use your Fiction Magic card deck! Replace your judgment about revision with curiosity toward it. Tell yourself a new story about revision.

But yes, it’s true. People who like revision are neurotic. I know. I get downright obsessive with revision. And I love it—partly because of experience, maybe because of a few strategies I’ve learned, and (yikes) my quirky personality. But you can develop a love for revision, too. It just takes energy. A boost in passion. A willingness to let go of misbeliefs. And then you’re unstoppable.

The experience will come. There are strategies galore on this blog. Oh, and that personality thing? I lied. Personality has nothing to do with it. It’s something even quirkier than that. But it’s something you can change.

It’s attitude.

You’re a writer, and as I always say (and you can quote me on this), “Sometimes the stories writers most need to revise are not the ones they write, but the ones they tell themselves about their writing.”

Change your story = change your attitude = change your outcome.

Best wishes on your quest…

Deb Lund is the creator of Fiction Magic: Card Tricks & Tips for Writers, a popular tool for revision, now 50% off. She just finished a wilderness quest to (among other things) help her revise her writing life. She knows her brain needs a little play and get-away time, and she knows yours does, too. That’s why she’s using her gifts as a teacher, author, and creativity coach to facilitate a Kidlit Creativity Camp at a New York state park where play will be your work as you transform your current stories—the ones you write, and the ones you tell yourself—and create new ones. Learn more from Deb at www.deblund.com.

Link for “Fiction Magic…”:
http://deblund.com/debs-services/fiction-magic/

Link for “Kidlit Creativity Camp”:
http://deblund.com/debs-services/for-writers/sept-15-18-writers-retreat/