Are You Revising Your
Manuscript to Death?
By Mary Kole
Mary Kole is a former literary agent, freelance editor, writing teacher, author of Writing Irresistible Kidlit, and IP developer for major publishers, with over a decade in the publishing industry.
I recently got an interesting question about revising a manuscript to death from a Good Story Learning member. Most writers who finish a manuscript but don’t place it with a publisher or literary agent might wonder whether they should shelve their project and start something new, or whether they should keep revising. Does a piece that’s been around the block a few times have a shot at being published eventually, or should a writer take the wisdom they gleaned from writing and revising it … and move on? Let’s dig into this question, which most writers will face at least once in their careers.
Revising Again Versus Writing Something New
This is the ultimate question when it comes to revising or scrapping a manuscript, isn't it? Predicting exactly which projects will be successful with agents and publishers, and which will go on to achieve commercial success, is a real challenge, even for people inside the publishing industry. Even the publishers themselves don't always know the secret formula—as was laid painfully bare during the PRH/S&S DOJ trial. Most of the books that publishers buy don’t earn out their advances. So if nobody has a crystal ball, even publishing directors themselves, how is a writer supposed to know whether their book idea will eventually get some traction?
There are a few questions you must ask if you’re considering revising or scrapping a project. Have you gotten the manuscript critiqued by beta readers or a critique group or even a freelance editor? If not, you might want to get a bit of additional feedback from someone outside of your own head before you throw in the towel on revising. You need some fresh ideas, and since you’ve already invested a lot of time and energy into the project, you might want to invest in expert feedback as well. After all, this is the “make or break” point for your project in its current form.
When it comes to fiction, one element always has an impact on the other, making it difficult to single out the most essential component you’ll want to revise. In addition to soliciting writing notes, get your hands on as many resources about plot, characters and voice as possible to help you with self-editing.
When you’re getting outside feedback, it's important to listen to your own intuition, too. Most often, the problems in your manuscript that might have garnered you writing rejection are already clear. They have been chipping away at your writing intuition, but you don’t know how to go about fixing them. So if something feels off, chances are that it is, and you should fix it. When I point out what could be improved in a manuscript with one of my editorial clients, I'm usually met with the admission of, "Yes, I knew that! I was hoping nobody would notice, though.” Well, if YOU notice, then publishing gatekeepers will notice. Instead of waiting for someone else to say something, tackle the issue at this point. You’ve already struck out with this idea. You’ll want to bring your all to a potential revision.
Unfortunately, it is impossible to predict whether revisions will lead to a book contract at long last, or whether the project is destined for the drawer. So remember that there are no guarantees when you’re revising. If you feel you can’t abandon the project without one last push, you owe it to yourself to revise, or you’ll forever be wondering, “What if?” But if you don’t have any new ideas for how to do a revision, and you’re not getting any helpful feedback, you might want to consider putting the project away … either temporarily or permanently.
One of the best ways to kickstart your creativity is to work on something new. You can still revisit your old project, but you might find that you’ve learned a lot of new things and are able to bring them to bear on a stronger book idea. If something new is calling you, go after it. I don’t want you to become so distracted that you never finish a project, but sometimes, the new idea is deserving of attention.
If You Finally Give Up On Revising
If you’ve gotten a lot of feedback and have already done a lot of revising and you, your answer might be different. The manuscript may have run its course, especially if you have no new ideas to throw at it. (If you love the idea or it’s in a trendy category of the market, that might keep you revising. I understand the urge to pursue something. Just make sure you’re not clinging to a dead project without good reason to do so.)
Creating a manuscript requires a hefty investment of your time and effort. You want to send these finite resources strategically. Sometimes, instead of revising, you will be better served by working on something new. But that doesn’t mean the time you spent on your WIP was wasted or lost. Every bit of progress you made on your work-in-progress was an invaluable learning experience, every moment you spent revising was making you a stronger writer, and all of it has been a critical part of your writing journey.
You should aim to learn something from every writing or revising endeavor. This knowledge will be an invaluable asset going forward, regardless of what happens to the project itself.
I must admit that I love this question, because it implies that writers are considering how much revision is necessary and looking to make thoughtful and intentional choices. Not everyone has that kind of proactive perspective.
No matter what you decide, be sure to give it a little time. Tuck your current manuscript away for a month and start on something new. Give it one last glance to see if there’s anything there that could benefit from revision. You could well confirm that you've created something special, or you might be even more reassured that you’re making a smart choice to move on.
Click here to purchase Writing Irresistible Kidlit, my book on fiction craft for MG and YA novels, out from Writer's Digest Books. This will show you my writing craft philosophy and give you lots of valuable advice, including tips for the novel revision process and self-editing. There are over 35 example novels cited and discussed throughout. It’s a valuable resource for any writer’s toolkit.
Click here to purchase Successful Query Letters, my book on query letters, including over forty examples with comprehensive notes on each one. There’s a ton of submission advice, best practices, and insider information in these pages, and you’ll really enjoy seeing what other writers are doing in the slush.