You finished your novel! Woohoo! Now what?
1. Congratulations are definitely in order.
Give yourself a huge pat on the back, and celebrate a little. A nice dinner, maybe? Bubbly? Sure. When is bubbly not welcome? I think it’s absolutely true that most people who start a novel never finish, so the fact that you did should not be understated. You should be pretty proud of yourself. Tell someone that you KNOW will be happy for you. Tell multiple someones. (Side-eye to the bubble poppers in your life. Don’t let those twits ruin your happy dance.)
2. Let it cool off a little.
I know what you’re thinking. Wait. What? We just got done celebrating, I’m all fired up, and now I’m supposed to let it “cool off”?
Were you hoping I was going to say start submitting to publishers?
Sorry. I know it’s not what you wanted to hear. I’m a bubble popper now, but hopefully you understand that celebrating a milestone is just that. Being happy you finished your first draft, and happy that you’re ready to submit are two different special occasions. Each one unique and deserving.
So the truth is, you’re going to have to leave it alone for a bit if you want to do this thing well. Writing is such an immersive experience that we can get really attached to the product, to our words. You need a little space to become objective enough to do what needs to be done right now to get it ready for professional eyes. Did you ever write something late at night and went to bed thinking you were a genius? And then, when you read it a day or two later, you cringed? That happens to me more often than I’d like to admit. And I know I’m not alone.
Letting your manuscript chill out for a week or two (or even longer if necessary) helps you reset your perspective. Personally? I like to read a book or watch some Netflix. Besides giving me some distance from my own story, this helps me shift into observer mode, which is a more useful mode for revising.
3. After the manuscript is sufficiently chilled, read it through completely. Twice.
Try to do your first read-through in one or two sittings. Read it as if it were someone else’s book, making no changes. That said, I do allow myself to make minor grammar/spelling changes if I catch errors at this stage. As long as they don’t slow me down too much. But the real point of this read through is not for grammar and spelling. It’s for the big picture stuff: content, story structure, and characterization.
Does your novel have a beginning, middle, and end? Do those parts seem balanced based on what you know about stories that are like yours? Are your characters consistent, well rounded, and real? Are they all important to the story? Are they dynamic, meaning do they change because of the story? If you find problems—and you should find a few—some are easier to fix than others. Adding a scene, for instance, may be easier than axing two of your characters because they don’t do anything for the story.
The second time through the manuscript is your chance to make copious notes. Going to cut those characters? Mark each scene they’re in, and make note of each time they are referenced. Does removing them cause any ripple effects through the story? Do you have questions about your own writing? Do you need to research anything to make it more authentic or accurate? Include as many grammar and mechanical issues as you can at this point.
It helps some people to change mediums at the read-through stage. So if you type your first draft, consider printing it out so that you are reading it and making notes on paper. I’ve just started doing this, and it helps me so much more than I thought it would. I know a few authors who write a rough draft by hand and then the version they type into their computer is the second draft, and this is also a great idea.
4. Revise based on self-criticism, creating a more polished draft.
I know that some writers advise that you gather critiques after the first draft. You can certainly do that if you prefer, but there is a pitfall to doing it that way. If your first draft is at all messy, you run the risk of the critiques only addressing the problems that you already know are there and are capable of fixing on your own. And I think the high point of gathering outside criticism is finding out what other people see in your story that you do not. Better to fix those items first and get them out of the way, in my mind. But do be careful not to revise/edit to perfection before asking for outside opinions. You might not be as open to criticism if you’ve polished your words to a high shine.
5. Gather criticism and feedback, and revise again before submitting.
This alone could be a series of posts, and probably will be, so I’ll stick to a couple common questions.
Who should read it? You can share your novel with absolutely anyone you trust and feel comfortable sharing it with. Other writers can read from a writer’s standpoint and may be able to give you some really detailed and useful feedback for revisions. If you write in a certain genre, I highly recommend you gather a few critiques from people who love that genre. Another option is to join a writing club or take a class which will get your work in front of a teacher or other writers at about the same level you’re at. But to be honest, some of the best critiques I’ve gotten have come from a friend of mine who is a teacher and an avid reader. She has really keen insights on plot and character, and I always walk away from talking to her knowing what she loved as well as what needed work. Just be aware that Mom’s critique is too probably going to be a bit partial.
Who should you trust? Well, that’s impossible for me to know. Whenever you share your unpublished work, you’re taking a risk. Yes, there are people out there who steal intellectual property, but you can’t really create in a bubble and expect to succeed either. Most creative pursuits involve a village. It’s all about making an informed choice about who you consider part of your village. Sometimes the only information you have when you meet a person you might like a critique from is your instincts. My best advice is: listen to your gut. You want someone you can trust. For more accountability, I’d suggest formal writing workshops or classes. These tend to be run and facilitated by professionals. Local writing clubs are also a good place to meet writers. Get to know people. Share on small levels before handing over your entire manuscript. If you’re going to work with a book coach of some sort, make sure they have credentials: degrees, certificates, an impressive backlist, or testimonials. This is important.
How much feedback is enough? You want to get enough feedback that you can notice patterns in what people say. It’s not very useful if one person tells you that your main character is boring. But if three out of four people said the same thing? He’s boring.
So yeah, revisions are hard work, but in writing (novels especially), revision really is the long game. We treat it like it’s separate from the art of writing sometimes, but it’s part of the process. Think about it kind of like working out…it’s those last few reps that matter most. So celebrate the little milestones, but don’t quit now. Your greatest work is yet to come.
