Looking back over one's work with a plan to revise (especially if it is a larger work, like a novel) can sometimes be intimidating. The idea of revision can often make even the most eager creative writer decide she's done writing. Writers know that revision is important, though, so what are ways to make the task a little easier to manage and less intimidating? Here are some techniques sure to make the process a little simpler.
Scrutinize the Imagery
Once a writer decides to revise his manuscript one task at a time, he will probably first look at things like sentence structure and the use of modifiers within his work. Another important thing for a writer to examine carefully is the imagery used.
When something is written with little imagery, clichéd images, or poorly imagined descriptions, the reader doesn't feel transported to the fictional place and has a hard time "getting into" the story. One of the most important tasks for a creative writer, then, is making sure his imagery does what it's supposed to - that is, allow the reader to "see" in her head the pictures described on the page.
It's not an easy task, but it is vital. Some writers find writing imagery to be quite natural. Others look through their first drafts and realize that much work needs to be done. While it's not easy, it can be an interesting and stimulating challenge.
Basically, the writer should go through his manuscript and read one line, even one phrase, at a time, trying to picture the words in his head. He should ask if images form in his mind's eye easily. If not, these are words, phrases, and sentences that could stand revision.
The section that follows could use stronger imagery:
- Twilight descended upon them. The car left the little town, and they were driving down the highway. Max winked at Teri, even though he was certain that she didn't know what he was happy about.
While words like twilight, car, town, and highway evoke images, they aren't necessarily strong. In other words, what one person thinks of when she sees a car in her mind might be very different from what someone else sees. Making some of these words more specific will make the imagery stronger, as will changing other words.
- Darkness descended rapidly upon the red sports car that sped down the two-lane highway. The one-light town quickly became a dot in the rearview mirror. Max smiled at Teri, glad to be rid of that little burg, even though Teri would never understand.
The paragraph still isn't necessarily perfect. While it depends on the scene and emotions the writer wants to evoke, readers will still form a much more distinct picture in their heads when they read the second version.
Poorly Written Dialogue Can Destroy a Decent Manuscript
How many stories out there are picture perfect but the dialogue reads like a clunky car? For a reader to be transported to the writer's world, the dialogue must feel realistic. That is not to say that the dialogue is realistic; rather, it must feel that way. There are many things a writer can do to make her dialogue feel more real. The first thing is to be careful with the way she introduces it. Most readers skip the introductions anyway, so a simple "he said, she said" approach is usually best. If the dialogue occurs between two people, it's often understood which character is saying what, so the dialogue tags can sometimes be removed altogether.
That said, what would be considered realistic dialogue? It's not always easy to tell. Sometimes it's best if the writer reads his dialogue aloud. If it sounds or feels unrealistic, he should either rewrite it or get rid of it.
This bit of dialogue probably feels forced and trite:
- He queried, "What can you remember? The police said you have lost your memory. Perhaps we should take you to a doctor right away."
The writer might choose to rewrite it this way:
- "So what all can you remember? The police said you’ve lost your memory. What about a doctor?"
Again, still not perfect but much better. Some simple changes are the loss of the dialogue tag. The reader likely knows who is doing the speaking already. Further, the simple addition of "so" and "all" are the kinds of small words speakers often add in their day-to-day speech (not to mention "ums" and "ers" which are not usually written in fictional dialogue). Also, the rewritten dialogue uses a contraction - "you've" instead of "you have." Most people, when not speaking in a formal situation, tend to use contractions. This kind of dialogue feels more natural. Finally, the last sentence in the first version again feels highly formal. Simply shortening the sentence to a fragment makes it feel more natural. How many people in casual conversation always speak in complete sentences? If a fragment feels more natural, more spoken, then it is likely a good revision.
Keep Revising
Once through a first draft is not enough. A writer must keep revising and polishing her manuscript, and there are many things she should look for as she does so. It might sometimes feel painful to the writer to begin the revision process, but any writer who's serious about getting published knows that it's best to revise now so that a publisher accepts her work later. Will performing these few tasks change a manuscript from average to perfect? No, but it's a start. And editing for errors (typos and grammatical mistakes, for example) is of the utmost importance. But writers must begin the revision process somewhere, and once they have begun, continuing isn't quite so difficult.
Cynthia Jones-Shoeman - Cynthia (“Cindy”) Jones-Shoeman earned her MA in English from Colorado State University in 2007; her thesis was "Toni ...
