Rewriting: The First Step to Improve Your Story

The process of revision takes place over several phases, and often those phases not only overlap each other, but also have to be repeated. This is because there are dozens of layers and elements you need to tend in your novel, and “one pass” just ain’t gonna cut it.

Rewriting is one such phase and it can be daunting if we don’t apply strategies and boundaries beforehand.

This article will discuss the rewriting phase of revision and some techniques to help make this process a little more bearable.

Let’s hop to it!

WHAT DOES REWRITING ENTAIL?

Rewriting can refer to any changes you make to your original draft. Often “rewriting” and “editing” are terms used interchangeably, but they really are two different processes.

Rewriting focuses on structure, story premise, flow, plausibility, emotional thrust, narrative drive, character motivations, plot, and all the other “big time” storytelling elements in play.

Editing streamlines and clarifies and tightens chapters, scenes, narrative passages, dialogue, paragraphs, sentences and even individual words all the way down to punctuation.

Because these two phases can overlap they can be confused as one and the same. The drawback to this is that we can get ahead of ourselves and start editing a scene or an entire chapter before it’s actually been rewritten—if that scene ends up getting cut through a major rewrite, then all the work you did on detailed editing is tossed too.

On the flip side, rewriting is also a lovely security blanket. Rewriting keeps you in the Zone of Comfort and far away from the Zone of Criticism. This can also work against you.

All writers will manage their revision processes differently and you are no exception! To figure out what strategies and techniques will suit you best, keep a journal on hand where you can log daily how things are going.

You’ll make mistakes as you’re getting to know your process, of course, so jotting them down in the journal can give you the opportunity to walk yourself through solutions for next time.

Your journal is a great place to talk about any bad habits or writing weaknesses you have and how you plan to crush them. It’s also a fab place to write down things that are going well with your revision process!

TREAT REWRITING LIKE DISCOVERY

Yes, I know that you’ve already written your rough draft. And I know that you likely think everything you got down from your imagination to the page (or screen) is exactly what you want—otherwise, you wouldn’t have written it. And I know that it probably took you M O N T H S  to even get to this place at all, so the mere idea of changing a single thing is heart-wrenching.

But, I’m here to tell you, kindly and gently, that your rough draft isn’t ready for reader consumption. It just isn’t. Even if you plotted the heck out of it prior to writing it, and even if you worked with a writing group throughout, and even if your mom adores it – no rough draft is the final outcome.

With this in hand, you should look forward to rewriting as another shot at Discovery. Yes, I know we’ve been through Discovery when you were fleshing out your idea for the rough draft…but I argue that Discovery is never-ending, a magic spell you want to always be casting upon your story.

In the Rewriting phase, you’re “re-envisioning” your story, so you need to be open to changing major elements. This can be really difficult, especially if we’re tied to something. If you’ve heard the phrase “Cut your Little Darlings” that’s what it means—taking the steps back to objectively assess your story and if it works for your ideal audience.

USING WORD COUNTS

Writers often have a love-hate relationship with word count totals. While word counts can help us gauge our progress, they can simultaneously limit our progress.

One of the most effective ways to deal with word count is to first decide your target total word count, which is largely dictated by genre. Then, plan to write 50% of that total for your rough draft. The reason I suggest writing under the word count total for your rough draft is because you’ll be more likely to get down the important events and story beats—the stuff you know belongs in the story—and be less likely to write filler.

This is only a suggestion! If you’re someone who must write a 200,000-word rough draft, then you need to embrace that and go for it. Your revision process will be considerably more involved, but all processes have drawbacks. There is no simple, uncomplicated, obstacle-free path in revision. Pick your poison!

Once you’ve written approximately 50% of your total word count, where you’re pretty clear about the beginning and end, then you’re probably in good shape to begin rewriting. At this point, you can now do what you need to do to get your story up to its total word count, and this will include adding, modifying as well as cutting material.

The reason word counts help us in the rewriting stage is because they keep us on schedule. Remember what I said earlier about how rewriting keeps us in the Zone of Comfort. If we don’t pay attention to how much we’re writing (or not writing, for that matter), then it’s extremely difficult to gauge our progress, which in turn makes it easy to tell ourselves “I’m not ready to XYZ.”

Never assume you’ve written quality material simply because you’ve written a lot of words, and never assume a chapter is “finished” simply because you hit your target word count for that chapter. Word counts have nothing to do with quality of story.

However, they’re wonderful pacekeepers and serve as helpful landmarks, which is extremely helpful in the early stages of your book development.

REWRITING TIPS

TIP #1: SET DEADLINES ON YOUR REVISION PROCESS

Setting a deadline for rewriting drafts will keep you on track. If you don’t do well with self-accountability, then get a writing partner who will hold you to your due dates.

TIP #2: READ YOUR DRAFT OUT LOUD

The story will sound much different out loud than it will in your head. This will help you pick up on inconsistencies and anything that just feels “off”.

TIP #3: MAKE NOTES AS YOU READ

You can either mark up your draft or keep notes in a separate document or notebook. Try to avoid making actual changes. This will interrupt your flow and put you in editing mode, and you’re not quite ready for that right now. Simple, easy-to-follow notes in the margin or in a separate document will allow you to get into Discovery mode because you’re not pinning yourself to anything yet.

TIP #4: BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR LITTLE DARLINGS

These will be difficult to catch because they hold a special place in your heart. However, if it doesn’t serve the story, then it needs to go. With practice, you’ll get better at catching them and it’ll be easier to cut them. Writing partners, coaches or groups are useful in this regard as they aren’t emotionally tied to the issue in question and can help you come to a decision.

TIP #5: CREATE A STYLE GUIDE OR STORY WIKI

This is a reference document that will contain all the correct spellings, details, directions, nicknames, locations, dates, etc. in one place. You can create several that fulfill various categories like CHARACTER DETAILS, SPELLINGS OF NAMES, DATES, etc., so that your information is clear and organized.

You’ll be able to refer to this guide (wiki) throughout your entire revision process and let me tell you, what a time saver it will be!

Just remember, when you change something in your manuscript, like your antagonist’s hair color, be sure to update your style guide.

TIP #6: USE CHECKLISTS

Checklists are really handy throughout your entire revision process. I highly recommend compiling questions and topics to check before you begin rewriting. That way you’ll have something to guide you and keep you on track. Just like with a style guide, you can work with multiple lists and organize them by categories such as Genre, Character, Setting, etc.

TIP #7: SAVE RESEARCH FOR ITS OWN TIME

Ahh, research. What writer doesn’t love a good ol’ afternoon full of research? Well, most writers seem to love it, and partly because it is a great escapism tool. When feeling bored or stressed or anxious or blocked with our revisions—research often fills the gap without the guilt.

Yes, research is hugely important but it needs to be kept on a tight leash. Set your timer for however long you think is necessary to get a good chunk of information, but not too long to start going down rabbit trails. This will take some practice. Try to avoid using precious writing or rewriting time for research. Schedule it in its own dedicated time and space.

TIP #8: BE PATIENT AND BE KIND TO YOURSELF

This might be the most important tip of all. Be patient & be kind to yourself. Rewriting is a long, taxing, arduous process. You will hit blocks. You will get tired. You will start not liking your story. You will have some doubts. Something will get on your nerves at some point. Patience and self-love will help you through.

If you need a break, take it. If you need to bounce ideas off of a writing pal, do it. If you need to vent, do it. If you need pizza, be sure to share with me…just kidding. In all seriousness, rewriting can kick your butt, and you need to learn some techniques to kick it back.

My go-to method when things get tough is to uplevel my mindfulness practice. I spend more time meditating, tapping, visualizing, and journaling. When the going gets tough, the tough get mindful!

Do you enjoy the rewriting process? What are some techniques that you use? Share below!