The Revision Process

I've recently revised my middle grade novel that I'm preparing to shop around. I've already rewritten and revised more times than I care to count. The first revision, more than a year ago, was much easier. I was a lot pickier this time. Here's how my process goes:

1. Take a good look at the manuscript. Stand back and take a long look.

For the purpose of illustration, I'll use my old mare, Cupcake, as the manuscript.

2. Maybe look at it from several angles. Notice that the manuscript is too fluffy—too many excess words, maybe some excess characters. It is definitely in need of trimming.

3. Decide what can be trimmed. Sometimes whole chunks of the manuscript have to be removed. No point in keeping anything that doesn't serve the plot.

4. Cut mercilessly. Lose the clichés, the adverbs, the excess adjectives, anything that dangles, etc. Remember, the delete key is your friend. Before long, you'll be amazed at how much fluff you got rid of.

I know you want to see my finished manuscript, Faithful Readers, but it's still a work-in-progress. I still have several more revisions to go. . . . 

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