Manuscript Revision is Tough for Writers, But There is Joy to be Found in the Process

by Lynn H. Blackburn @LynnHBlackburn

At a recent outing to Starbucks with a group of writers, I stared at my computer and said, quite loudly, “I hate revisions with every fiber of my being.” 

Y’all…a total stranger happened to be walking by. She looked at me and said, “Me too. Me too.” 

Of course, it was about 3 seconds later that I realized I had said that right in front of a wonderful editor, an editor I call a friend, and a man who has coached many writers to excellence. ***Open mouth…insert foot.*** 

But the thing is…it’s true. I hate revisions. Some writers love them. They enjoy picking the story apart and putting it back together. 

Not me. I want to get the story right the first time. I want it to be perfect. And every time my editor points out things like, “these doors were automatic doors in chapter 1 but this scene in chapter 12 makes them sound like hinged doors…so which is it?” I want to throw my laptop out a window. 

I know not every writer has such a visceral reaction to the editorial process. But for those of you for whom revisions are painful and stressful, allow me to share with you the things I remind myself of during the process to help me stay on track. 

An Acronym for Writers Facing Revision

Here we go:

R: Revisions are hard for many reasons. Some of those reasons are probably rooted deep in your psyche and you may not fully understand why the process makes you a bit (or a lot) ragey. While I’m a fan of the self-examination/self-discovery that will help you make sense of what’s going on, sometimes the best thing you can do is stop fighting it. Accept that you don’t enjoy revisions. Give yourself grace. Don’t let anyone shame you for feeling this way. You don’t get to skip the revisions. You have to work through them. But it’s okay if your method of managing the emotions doesn’t match the way your fellow writers do it. I have writer friends who knock out their revisions in a couple of long sessions and they’re done. I can’t do that. I get through most of my revisions by spending 15 minutes of revising followed by 15 minutes of reading. 

E: Editors are friends. (If you immediately thought “editors are friends, not food” we can be great friends). But seriously, sometimes it’s crucial to remind yourself of this. Especially when you’ve opened a manuscript that’s covered in track changes. Editors aren’t out to make your life miserable. They aren’t out to make you mad. They are the best friend an author can have. Their goal is to work together with the author to create a masterpiece. In most cases, there won’t be another person in an author’s world that will have as much invested in the manuscript at their editor. It’s your book baby, but once they start editing it, it’s also theirs. They want it to be beautiful. Remind yourself of that when emotions start running high. 

V: Vulnerability is painful. I don’t know anyone who enjoys it. And if you don’t think the process of having an editor picking apart every word in a manuscript puts an author in an extremely vulnerable position, then you haven’t put enough of yourself into that manuscript. I’m a professional. I can intellectually understand that the book is not me. But I poured a year of my life into that book. Why would I assume that having someone point out the flaws wouldn’t hurt? The feeling of vulnerability isn’t one that goes away for me. So it’s crucial that I recognize that my feelings/emotions around the process are valid. Then I can work through them and keep going. 

I: Insist on what matters most to you but remember that not everything is critical. The editorial process has been the single biggest factor in helping me “grow up” as an author. When I have to decide if I agree with my editor’s suggestions - and defend my decision if I don’t - I’m forced to take responsibility for every part of the manuscript. I have to take emotion out of it, look at my own work with a critical eye, take input, make a choice, and deal with any repercussions. I have to decide if it really matters. If it doesn’t, it’s usually best to bend.

S: Smooth the path with sweetness. I’m all for standing up for myself as an author, but I don’t have to be a shrew in the process. When I need to push back on something, I make sure I keep my attitude out of it. To do this, I never send my comments back to my editor immediately. I let them simmer for a few days and read back over them to be sure they are spoken in a way that is Christ-like and professional. 

Of course, you could also take this to mean that keeping some sweet treats on hand will smooth the revision process. I wouldn’t be able to argue with you about that! 

E: Expect magic. I don’t expect to enjoy the process. I’m revising my ninth novel right now. I’m not enjoying it. I see every flaw, every mistake, and it irks me to no end. But I know that as much as I struggle through this part, when it’s done, the end product is something so much more than what it was to begin with. Truly, it’s a very special kind of magic. As much as I moan and groan, I would never put an unedited manuscript into the world. Never. When I remind myself of how crucial revisions are to creating the final version of the book, I’m better able to work through the process. 

So…how about you? Do you enjoy revisions? Do you have a favorite method for surviving them? I’d love to hear it! 

Grace and peace,

Lynn

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Manuscript Revision is Tough for Writers, But There is Joy to be Found in the Process, insight from author @LynnHBlackburn on @EdieMelson (Click to Tweet)

Lynn H. Blackburn loves writing romantic suspense because her childhood fantasy was to become a spy, but her grown-up reality is that she's a huge chicken and would have been caught on her first mission. She prefers to live vicariously through her characters and loves putting them into all kinds of terrifying situations while she's sitting at home safe and sound in her pajamas! 

Unknown Threat, the first book in her Defend and Protect series, was a 2021 Christy Award finalist and her previous titles have won the Carol Award, the Selah Award, and the Faith, Hope, and Love Reader’s Choice Award. Malicious Intent, the second book in the series, released March 2022.

She is a frequent conference speaker and has taught writers all over the country. Lynn lives in South Carolina with her true love and their three children. You can follow her real life happily ever after by signing up for her newsletter at LYNNHBLACKBURN.COMand @LynnHBlackburn on BOOKBUB, FACEBOOK, TWITTER, PINTEREST, and INSTAGRAM.

Featured Image: Photo by rupixen.com on Unsplash