For fiction writers, the revision process can involve several categories or methods, but most writers refer to the process of setting the work aside for at least a day or two and then coming back to your work with fresh eyes.
When you reread your own work, remember what your peers wrote and how they responded to your submission. Then, consider the following:
- Does the story offer the overall effect I am seeking? Is there a section that needs more dimension?
- Where is the plot less clear? Are there “holes” in the plot? Are there sudden shifts in action that need to be smoothed out?
- How can I deepen the character or characters? Do the character arcs work? How has at least one character changed through the course of the story?
- Where is the language unclear?
- What do I like best about this story? How can I emphasize the story’s/stories’ strengths even more?
You might also consider your work in terms of the elements of story that we have discussed in class: plot, character, a sense of “truth” to the story (though you are creating fiction), and dialogue.
Many writers in the beginning think of “revision” only as cleaning up what some call “cosmetic” problems, copy editing for grammar or working on spelling.
Here are two very helpful resources:
“Self-Editing Tips: How to Revise a Novel or Short Story” on MasterClass offers a solid overview of how fiction writers revise and the importance of accepting this as part of the process for good writing. Among the objectives they focus on are ways to think about adding story dimension; filling in “gaps”; looking at character arcs; and considering the story pacing. All of these parts of fiction writing are observable only after a story has been put into a first draft. (Remember, do not pay for any articles on MasterClass for this course. Go to the article for free.)
Also on this site is “Twelve Contemporary Writers on How They Revise,” an article on LitHub shows the methods a few well-established fiction writers revise their work including George Saunders and J.K. Rowling (who wrote the Harry Potter series).
