Where Do I Start?

Just when you thought your novel was done, it’s time to revise! That’s where I am right now.

Most experienced novelists recommend setting your project aside for a while–at least several weeks–before beginning the revision process.

You can find lots of articles and books on revising fiction. I read several before beginning my project. The first thing I did was read the entire novel. It took me two sittings to finish it and I made little notes in the margins of things that I felt needed clarified.

The next thing I did was go through and make a scene list. This is helpful to know how revisions will affect the story as a whole. I also jotted down characters as they came on stage. This will help me as I go through to make sure I didn’t introduce a character and never mention him again.

What I’m in the midst of now is a scene by scene check. I had over 90 separate scenes when I started. I’ve already cut a couple and combined a few because the beginning of my book skipped around quite a bit. There are several things to look for during the scene check, and I’ll be sharing what I’ve been looking for during the process.

Your questions, comments & suggestions about revising fiction are welcome!

Happy editing!

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