Revision can feel like the most daunting part of the writing process, but it doesn’t have to be a dreaded chore. In this video, I share a way of looking at revision that makes it feel less intimidating—and even more creative. By shifting how you think about revising, you may discover that it becomes one of the most rewarding stages of your writing journey.
Hello, Jane Cleland here.
The question is, “I know I have to revise, but I don’t want to, help?” Understandable. You’re in good company. Many authors feel the same way. They love the creative process, the discovery of the writing of the original draft, and they loathe revision. Others of us feel differently.
I love the revising process. I love the really thinking about words and getting down and dirty at the sentence level. But for those of you that are struggling with jumping into the revision process, it might make sense for you to think about it as intrinsic to the entire writing process. In other words, we have to be good at so many things to be a writer, but broadly we have to be good at being creative at coming up with new ideas. You know, in my book, Beat the Bots, I specifically talk about bringing creativity to the revision process, but I also talk about the second big chunk, which is bringing our judgment, our discernment.
We have to be creative and get something down on paper, but then we also have to be analytical. We have to have a lens through which to assess our work. So what’s that lens? Ask yourself, what are you trying to express? That’s such a helpful question, isn’t it? If the answer is that the man doesn’t want to go to the store, well, I’m going to be judging the writing of him slogging along as he trudges to the store differently than if it’s just he has to go to the store. I’m trying to express a certain perspective, a certain intentionality, and that’s what I’m going to be revising toward. I know you can do it.
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