Stuck in the Middle: The Revision Process
By Victoria Fortune
The cool nip in the air means Fall is just around the corner. I welcome the back-to-school burst of determination and discipline that comes with cooler weather, because I have a lot of work ahead. I’ve just begun what author Laura van den Berg, calls “the Murky Middle” of revision.
In the spring, I completed the first draft of a novel and attended The Muse & the Marketplace conference to gear up for revising. I signed up for a Manuscript Mart meeting with an agent and attended Laura’s session called The Art of Beginning Again—a fitting title for the process of revision. Here is a summary of her invaluable advice, along with reflections on how it has worked for me so far.
The Beginning:
I have to write to know what I’m doing. . . .I don’t know so well what I think until I see what I say; then I have to say it all over again. —Flannery O’Connor
• To begin, take stock of what you have. Laura recommends making a reverse outline, taking note of patterns, shapes, recurring elements, leaps that don’t track, holes, questions, excitements. She also suggests reflecting on your “whys” for writing the book, what you want to accomplish. How has your “imagined ideal” for the book grown while writing the first draft?
Preparing for the agent meeting at Muse required “taking stock,” which is the reason I signed up for it. (Expect critical feedback, not a book deal, submitters were forewarned.) Writing the synopsis entailed creating a reverse outline, which laid bare the shape, and all the holes and questions and major issues with my book. Writing the query letter forced me to consider my “whys.” They had grown considerably since I began, and my manuscript did not deliver on the “imagined ideal” described in my query letter, as the agent tactfully noted.
• Create a roadmap for revision. The reverse outline helped in determining what needed to be added, cut, reworked, etc. to move closer to the ideal. I followed Laura’s cue and broke the tasks down, starting with bigger picture issues—time, structure, POV.
I realized the story I want to tell needed a wider-angle lens. The narrative drive was lacking and the pacing slow, so I decided to switch the tense from past to present and restructure the chapters, adding more voices.
• Assess your systems. This includes how you organize your work, how you will accomplish the tasks, and how you will track your progress.
I’ve found Scrivener extremely useful for organizing my material. I can easily take notes as I go. The outline view lets me to keep an eye on the bigger picture and I can drag and drop scenes as I restructure. It also keeps my essential research visible and easily accessible. Laura recommends keeping a writing journal to track progress as you go.
• Finally, create a list of “lighthouse texts” for instruction and inspiration These might be a blend of fiction and craft books (or other media—its not limited to books) that you continue to refer back to.
The Middle
Don't sit down in the middle of the woods. If you're lost in the plot or blocked, retrace your steps to where you went wrong. Then take the other road. And/or change the person. Change the tense. Change the opening page. —Margaret Atwood:
The middle is where you will be for most of the revision process, and it will likely be a long haul. When you feel stuck, try something new, look at things from a different angle. To make this phase more manageable, Laura recommends the following:
• Break the bigger issues down and address them in separate passes, focusing on 2-3 elements at a time.
I admit I find it this difficult at times. I started my first pass focusing on switching from past to present tense and restructuring the chapters. However, restructuring entails adding the POV of characters whose roles have expanded, which requires character development and tweaks to the plot. Regardless, it’s helpful to have a couple of elements as the primary focus for each pass.
• Many authors will re-type the entire book during the revision process. (See Matt Bell’s craft book Refuse to be Done.) Laura finds this most helpful once the form is well established and the book is at the point where it needs work at chapter and scene level.
• This is a good time to take a step back and consider “macro” questions:
Is the work getting close to your “imagined ideal”
What are the trajectories of your main characters?
Do you have what you need on the page to fully reflect those trajectories?
How is the pacing?
Are there any gaps or problems you haven’t resolved?
What is your physical response when reading your draft?
• If you haven’t already, now is the time to get feedback from outside readers. Choose wisely and be clear about what sort of feedback you’re looking for.
• Keep revisiting your “whys” with each round. Keep reading “lighthouse texts.”
• Have patience. Find ways to maintain momentum.
The End
It is very common for a novel to have several “false endings”—as in, we think we’re done, like really done, only to find out that we’re not. Don’t lose heart; you will get there. —Laura van den Berg
I have not reached this phase yet. When I do, I will revisit Laura’s advice:
• Find ways defamiliarize the text. Change the font. Read it aloud, if you haven’t already.
• Line edit with ruthless passion. Sharpen sentences and word choices, refine the prose to better capture the music of the world. Look for words, sentences, images you repeat too much.
• Remove any structure or scaffolding you needed in the beginning but that isn’t necessary in the final version.
• If you have not shared the book with readers yet, do so now. You will need rigorous outside feedback to bring your story to fruition.
