Through good days and bad days (and, if you’re like me, days of far too much caffeine which makes the day neither bad nor good, but more void-y) you’ve finally done it; you’ve finished your first draft! Time to celebrate all your hard work with a dance (that no one should ever see) and maybe some yummy treats.
While I don’t want to ruin your celebration (or stop you from dancing…that’s how you dance?) your work isn’t over yet; it’s time to enter the gloriously arduous phase of REVISION.
Alas, do not be afraid, my sweet, writerly gumdrop! Revision has a bad rap for being a slog, a time when the hyper critical examination of your work can lead to sheer agony and many sleepless nights, but this is only because it’s…well, I suppose it is true.
But revision is also an extremely exciting time, for both you, as the writer, and for your story. To ensure you’re not going into the process blindly, here are some highs and lows of revision that I’ve personally* encountered, so that if you encounter them too, you can know you’re not alone.
*Everyone’s writing journey is different. Keep that in mind.
The Lows
Everything Sucks
As you start reading through the first pages you wrote, you may realize that after all this time…everything…sucks…
Okay, take a deep breath. It probably doesn’t ‘suck’, but it’s easy to fall prey to the panic that begins to creep in when you realize those stellar sentences are, perhaps, not so stellar anymore. Whether it’s spotting a multitude of pleonasms or thinking the writing sounds like a completely different person, overcoming this hurdle can be a hard one (and yes, it IS only a hurdle). Fortunately, this also goes hand in hand with a point listed out in the HIGH’s below, but we’ll get to that in due time…
Plot Holes
“Oh dear, it seems my wee plot is riddled with holes,” said the writer, with tears in their eyes. (It’s me. I’m the writer.)
As you’re going through the ‘everything sucks’ stage, you may also happen upon a few (hundred or bazillion – there is no in-between) plot holes – parts in the story that suddenly make no sense, that have issues with continuity, or that rip apart the seams of the rest of the story with a simple, easily avoided tear.
If it isn’t an easily avoided tear and is instead a massive slash that completely ruptures the plot, stay calm, stay cool, stay golden, Pony Boy. You can fix this because this is YOUR story. Just take a break and go daydream for a little while. It’ll help.
Remember, no matter the size of the issue: plot holes can be repaired.
But Am I Wasting Time?
You’ve battled through the ‘everything sucks’ stage, you’re fixing those pesky plot holes, and now you’re stuck wondering…am I wasting my time? Most of us aren’t already bestselling authors or people who have that luxurious thing called ‘time’, so writing is a decision. It’s a deliberate choice on how and when we can squeeze writing sessions into our over-flowing days. And when you’re feeling doubly down about your writing or your ability (because questioning your writing ability is a writer’s way of life) you may come to a crossroads, where one direction is calling out to you…convincing you to stop spending any more time on this ‘hobby.’
This is something you may have come across during your first draft, which means you’ve silenced that voice before. But silencing it once doesn’t mean it gets any easier. Take it from someone who apparently walks in circles and consistently ends up at this crossroads, make sure you have your compass with you.
No, I don’t mean a literal compass (but if you want to have a literal compass with you, I applaud your efforts). I mean your reason for wanting to write or for wanting to tell this story. This is what will point you in the right direction. This will keep you from giving up.
Please don’t walk down that other path, no matter how loud the voices yelling at you are, or how tempting and nicely paved that path appears. Even if the path of the writer is crooked and uneven, and you may twist your ankle, or be unable to see through the fog, or need extra layers to keep you warm, there is a reason you started writing in the first place: hold on to your compass.
The Highs
Taking Shape
As you keep moving through your revision, something spectacular starts happening. All that sand you were putting into buckets are becoming castles (who just butchered a famous quote? Me).
Before your very eyes, your story is starting to feel like a real book and is coming together better than you could have ever imagined while working on your first draft. If your first draft is building the bones, then revision is the healing of broken bones, adding the muscle and veins and skin and hair (are you grossed out yet?) until finally, you have something staring back at you, ready to get up and walk by itself.
What an amazing feeling.
Growing Your Ability
Remember in the ‘everything sucks’ stage when I said it also went hand in hand with a revision high? Looking back at your work and feeling down on yourself is one part awful, one part incredible, because if you can spot the flaws, it means all these weeks/months/years of writing have improved your skillset: you’re a better writer now. You’re armed with improved knowledge of the craft, your voice, and what you want your story to be, and catching poor writing from your first draft means that you know you can do better…and are about to.
Don’t take your progress for granted. You’ve come so far, and so has your writing!
Learning to Persevere
Through it all, no matter how many highs or lows you experience, revision is hard. Strike that. Writing is hard.
Revision is a test in patience and dedication. Let yourself feel those lows, let yourself celebrate those highs, but don’t give up. If you dream of getting your story into the hands and hearts of readers, you need to keep going. Books have this odd phenomenon in which they don’t write themselves (rude), which means you’re going to have to do the dirty work.
Writing is perseverance. And guess what? You’re doing it.
No matter where you are in your writing journey, always celebrate your wins, keep tight hold of that compass, and remember…You’re not alone.
Bio
Eliza Louise (she/her) is a fantasy writer whose stories are driven by fantastical imagery. With a BFA in painting, her focus and passion shifted to writing when she began seeking more ways to escape reality (because real life is terrible).
She has since studied creative writing at the University of Oxford (Exeter College), University of Toronto, and was a participant in the Yale Writers’ Workshop at Yale University in 2023.
When not writing (or working as a corporate witch), her hobbies include self-deprecation, thinking about writing and convincing herself it's the same thing as actually writing, and staring blankly into the void.
Eliza is currently working on an epic YA fantasy, with Goddesses, corrupt Chosen Ones, and a misfit group of bandits. She hopes to begin querying soon.
For more, and to be a part of her journey as a writer, follow Eliza on Instagram at @by.elizalouise or check out her website.