Methods of Revision

My friend Margaret is running an intensive workshop at Forward Motion this month about the use of an outline for revising a novel (or short story).

I decided to begin work on my 2006 Nano, The Girl Who Cried Squid to take advantage of the workshop, so I’ve been spending time beginning the analysis of the novel’s structure and how the subplots tie into the main plot. This kind of thinking hurts my head. I’m not sure why. I don’t know if the whole story comes into my mind with such a whoosh (don’t I wish!) that it doesn’t seem to have parts, or if I’m just darn good at weaving in the subplots so well that the main plot can’t stand up without them. Either way, it’s hard to separate out the parts and look at them objectively.

After the revision of Marks took me the majority of last year, it occurs to me that there might be an easier way to do things. Or at least a way that keeps better track of where I’ve been and where I’m going. So this time around I’m trying Mar’s way. I suppose it would be an improvement if I got most of the headaches out of the way at the beginning!

That’s not to say I’m ignoring Quest to be Queen. That edit remains my top current priority, and I’ve processed nearly 7K so far this week.

I’m curious. How do you revise things? How much do you analyze and plan? Or do you just jump in and hope for the best? And how does that relate to how you wrote the story in the first place?