Hello #ReVISIONweekers!
We are SO excited for our first #ReVISIONweek Tune-Up Day of the year!
For a change of pace, we thought we’d share a couple of videos for your viewing pleasure. These videos are chock-full of revision tips to help you on your journey.
What type of ReVISION-ary will you be today?
Are you going to be a:
- Word-count cutter?
- Visual-scene star?
- Critique culler?
- Make-each-word-count critiquer?
- Hone-in-on-your-humor hotshot?
- Narrative-arc checker?
- Emotional-arc polisher?
- Critique-partner commenter?
- Musical revisionist?
There are so many options! Check out these short videos to learn more about each approach.
But most importantly:
Be true to yourself.
Revise from the heart.
And trust the process.
In the worlds of Charlie, “You’ve got this!”
And now, let’s talk about prizes. As long as you revise today or tomorrow (even if it is just for a moment), you can enter to win a prize. Here’s how…
Visit: https://laurenkerstein.net/%23revisionweek on Friday to enter the Rafflecopter. You will have one week to enter. The Rafflecopter will shut down on Friday, January 29th at 12:00 am MST.
Winners will be announced on Monday, February 1st.
Here are the fabulous prizes:
May you have a day filled with revision magic!
Feel. Write. Risk.
Lauren, Joana, Katie, Lynne, Michal, and Shannon
P.S. I hope you’ll join Natalia Moore and me as we launch our latest book, HOME FOR A WHILE into the world on February 7th at 2:00 PM (MST). You can email Lauren Casey (address below) or visit: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/book-launch-with-lauren-kerstein-and-natalia-moore-tickets-136506601921
Insight and Inspiration 
I absolutely love your list of different ways of revising – it’s so useful! Thank you!
Oh great! I’m so happy to hear that! Happy polishing!
Great post, Lauren!
Thanks so much, Laura!
Thanks for the post and videos! Looking forward to revising today and all week. 2021 is the year of revision for me.
The year of revision! LOVE IT! Write on!
So happy to see the schedule, yay! Loved the post and videos for inspiration! I will be looking at both adding humor and looking at the emotional arc. And hopefully as I look at those – a few places to cut will also be noticed! Yay for Revision Tune-Up Days!
Hooray! I am excited you will be looking at adding humor and emotional arc. What a great combination! Go! Go! Go! Yay!
So helpful! Love the comment about the thread throughout. Thank you very much for sharing!
So happy to hear it was helpful! Yay! Revise on!!
Thank you for the revision videos. I’ve never paid attention to whether I’m using different types of humor in a manuscript. I’ll be aware of that now.
Awesome! I hope you were able to stretch your funny bone today!
You always have such great tips and tricks. Thanks for sharing so many ways to revise and edit.
Awww! Thank you! I am so glad they help!
Over the years, I have found even more value in leaving time for reflection in between revision thoughts. For example, today I was a “partial” critique culler because I was reflecting on narrative arc. Instead of printing my critiques out and using markers, I always open all of them on the computer and reflect on the feedback.I look for commonalities and things that resonate with me. I also open up a new version of my manuscript, and while reflecting on critique comments, I write all of my new brainstorms and thoughts about why/how something might work. Today’s “revision thoughts” were all about a new narrative arc. Instead of moving right into the MS to revise, I take the time to let it sit and reflect on it. There are several plot directions that I wrote about, and they nibble on my brain while I go on to do other things. I will continue to reflect on it and revisit those thoughts before digging into the MS. In this case, word cutting, characters changes, and language economizing/strengthening aren’t possible until the new arc decisions are made. So there is sits with revision thoughts. It’s similar to journaling, and I will revisit it for reflection later, or sooner if a light bulb goes off.
Hi Carrie! It was so interesting and helpful to hear about your process! You are so right, until the narrative arc is smoothed out, these other strategies won’t be as useful. I love, “nibble on my brain” so much! That is so true! I do feel as though plot directions nibble and nibble until BAM, I have a clearer sense of what to do. Thanks so much for sharing all of this helpful information!
LAUREN: WOW! Your post and videos were TRULY EYE-OPENING!!! I am a writing tutor for a university, so I know a bit about revision and editing; but you REALLY gave me some WONDERFUL new ideas to use for my writing–as well as for my students! THANK YOU!!! And THANK YOU, Joana, Katie, Lynne, Michal, and Shannon, for creating this AMAZING forum of learning! I AM BEYOND THRILLED to start using the techniques you’ve taught us today–always keeping in mind to do so “from the heart, to trust the process, and to trust myself.” (Those words are going up where I will see them DAILY!) THANK YOU!!!
Your message made my day! Thank you so much! I’m thrilled you have some new ideas for both your writing and for yuor students! Great idea! I just may post that in my office as well! Thank you for being a part of this community! Write on! Revise on! And know we are walking beside you on this journey!
These are so helpful. I feel like I’m stuck going in circles on my revisions (draft 50 is looking a lot like draft 15)! So I like picking a lane and just focusing on that. Thanks again!
I sure hope that helps! Going in circles is so frustrating. One thing I try when I’m going in circles is that I print out the manuscript and read it aloud as I edit it (or better yet, have one of my daughters read it to me). Jane Yolen always talks about how the ear is a different listener. Perhaps a combination of “picking a lane,” reading it out loud, and having pen to paper will help. I’m sending you lots of good revision vibes!
Thanks so much Lauren! I will definitely try that out -hopefully I’ll get out of my fishbowl soon 🤪
Such great ideas! And I have to say the video of Falcor, the Luck Dragon made me smile. When my kids were little, we watched that all the time. 🙂 Thanks for all the great advice.
Loved the videos and all the information! I think I revise daily on one manuscript or another. 2020 taught me to love revision!
Thanks. This was great! can’t wait to try every method on other manuscripts too. As for printing out all the critiques, I often retype the notes on one copy of my critiqued manuscript and then print that. I can’t wait to try color coding it! Another option? My sister saves all her letter-sized junk mail and prints temporary items on the back of them to save/recycle paper. When she’s finished with whatever she is working on, she either saves it despite the garbage on the back or sends it the way of all junk mail. Maybe that will work for some of you. See you tomorrow!
Thank you Lauren for taking the time for putting together this revision post and the added videos. I can see myself going back to them in the future.
*Adding your new book title at the end reminded me to put in a library request.*
You’re welcome! I am so happy it was helpful.
OH YAY! Thank you so much!!!
I was in my revision chair today. Your list and videos made my day a success. I’m looking forward to your tips and advice as I take out my mss for revision.
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