Revising tips

We’re in revising mode, and literary agent Nathan Bransford posted a Revision Checklist on his blog today. It’s a good list, with lots of things to consider when you’re looking at your work critically.

I’ll add one that was in the comments: Have you used all five senses? This is somemthing I mention in critique groups a lot. Writers write about things the characters see and hear always; that’s description and dialog. Taste comes if eating is involved in the story anywhere. And writers usually remember to add touch in description. But smells are often overlooked, and smell can really add to a story’s authenticity. To truly create your character’s world for your reader, give your reader a full picture of the world by incorporating everything the character senses, including taste and smell. The reader will be brought into the story that much more.

Here are some other links about revising:

Revising a Novel: The Importance of Structure

Plot Revision for Novel Writers

Revising Your Novel by James Scott Bell

Tips on Major Character Revision

Darcy Pattison’s Revision Notes

And of course, Holly Lisle’s One-Pass Revision Method, which I’ve written about in a couple posts (Revising Your Manuscript and Revising on Paper vs. Computer).

If you know of others, please give us the links in the comments.

Write On!