Do you need to know more about how to revise your novel?

My daughter took Think Sideways. Wrote her first novel. Is working on revising it now.

And she said, “You know, I sort of get the One-Pass Revision, but I wish you had something a lot more in-depth for people who still aren’t sure which parts of what they’ve written are good, and which parts need to go. I want to have the whole thing broken down into tiny steps.”

Other people have said the same thing.

The One-Pass Revision is the way I revise my novels now. But now, I know how to look at characters, decide which need to stay and which need to go, and which need to be folded into other characters. I know where my writing was good and where it was bad. I can spot failed plotlines. I can identify the holes where description, conflict, and backstory should go.

When I was just getting started, my revision process was equally grueling, but different. I didn’t know the things I know now, so my process didn’t take anything for granted.

I still remember how I revised back then, and I wouldn’t mind teaching that method.

I’m just not sure how many people would actually want to spend three or four months doing a really intensive revision on their novels.

If this is something that would interest you, post here and let me know.

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364 responses to “Do you need to know more about how to revise your novel?”

  1. Cheryl Avatar
    Cheryl

    I’d be interested in a rewrite module. What to leave in, what can be cut, and how to combine scenes.

  2. Anthony Avatar
    Anthony

    I would be very interested.
    Holly, any time you want to teach anything at all about writing, I’m interested.
    Anhtony

  3. Lisa Binion Avatar
    Lisa Binion

    Definitely interested.

  4. Celeste Ammirata Avatar

    I am just about finished writing my first novel, and I would be interested in more information about this course.

  5. Joy Avatar
    Joy

    Yes, please, I’ve tried your one pass revision but there is still so much I don’t understand.

  6. Evelyn Avatar
    Evelyn

    I would be interested in a course depicting how to revise my novel.

  7. Tara Avatar

    I want to finish my last year’s NaNo and this course would GREATLY interest me. I don’t even know where to begin on tearing that badboy apart!

  8. Laurel Avatar
    Laurel

    I’m interested.

    Laurel

  9. Storm Avatar
    Storm

    Yes, please.

  10. Janesse Avatar

    I’m interested too! Please keep me on any info list about this course…

  11. Laurel Avatar
    Laurel

    Frankly, I’d be interested in just about any writing course you’d like to offer. :o)

  12. Vanessa Wells Avatar
    Vanessa Wells

    Please. I’m almost done with my first book and I’ve been trying to use the one-pass way you mentioned….after spending three months catching mistakes and revising before. I tried something different (with the major conflict in the book) and it didn’t work….so I admitted it and revised it. This involved deleting six thousand words and adding twelve. It was that or scrap the whole thing….I imagine taking the course would have saved me all that…

  13. Harriet Avatar
    Harriet

    Yes, I’d love to see a course on that. I have several novels that I’ve been revising, but I’m never sure what I need to take out or leave in. Thanks for the (hopefully) opportunity.

  14. V-J Avatar
    V-J

    YES!!!!!! Please as i have become the queen of collecting paper printouts the should be put into the recycle bin. :-).

  15. nicole Lux Avatar
    nicole Lux

    I would love a course on step by step revising, and am delighted to learn that after a few novels the process gets easier.

  16. Jeannie Furlong Avatar
    Jeannie Furlong

    Me too!

  17. Cecelia Westrich Avatar
    Cecelia Westrich

    Yes, I would definitely love such a course. It would help so many!

  18. Mary Avatar
    Mary

    Absotively, posolutely. I need this course more than anyone!

  19. Brittany Avatar
    Brittany

    I would definitely love a revision course, except I wouldn’t be able to pay much for it…

  20. Debra Young Avatar
    Debra Young

    That would be very helpful to me. Thanks, d:)

  21. Kristi Hanson Avatar
    Kristi Hanson

    A course on revision would be so helpful, thanks.

  22. Mindy Stone Avatar
    Mindy Stone

    I would love to take a revision course. I have only recently finished two completely different novels and am working through my version of editing and rewrites. Having some guidelines would be fabulous.

  23. Marti Verlander Avatar

    Yes, yes, and more yes! Can you have it ready by this weekend?

    I’m writing the final chapter of my first draft tomorrow or Thursday, so I’ll need this info fast. ๐Ÿ˜‰

  24. Easter Avatar
    Easter

    I would be very interested!

  25. Mallana Avatar
    Mallana

    Yes, I would love a course that broke it down more. I don’t know if I could afford it but I will definitely start saving….

  26. ekcarmel Avatar
    ekcarmel

    Yes, I would be very interested!

  27. Adleyn Scott Avatar
    Adleyn Scott

    This sounds like a very helpful idea, so please proceed!

  28. Rezina Avatar
    Rezina

    If I could afford it, than I would definitely sign up for your course!

  29. Marissa Avatar
    Marissa

    I’d love it, if only I could afford it. By all means, though, do it!

  30. Shannon Avatar
    Shannon

    I would be interested. Technically, I’ve just recently fiinished revising my first novel, but honestly, I don’t think it is ready. I can’t put my finger on what the problem is but I don’t want to ignore that nagging feeling telling me i’m not done.

  31. Gail Talbot-Olson Avatar
    Gail Talbot-Olson

    Yes, I definitely be interested.

  32. Ke-Yana Drake Avatar

    Depending on finances, hell yes! That’d be interesting and very helpful! ๐Ÿ™‚

  33. Anne Gilbert Avatar

    I am in the process of doiing a revision project on the first(very rough) draft of the first novel in a trilogy I’m writing. Yes, I would be very interested in any help I could get on the revision process, as the rest of them are going to have to be revised, too.
    Anne Gilbert

  34. Hasdiel Avatar
    Hasdiel

    Right now, I don’t have a novel to revise… because I haven`t finished one yet. But I’m really interested in this course, I’ll need it when I finish the novel I’m working on.

  35. Margie Avatar
    Margie

    Yes, I would love a step by step course on how to revise or ‘fix’ your already written novel. I am actually working on mine right now, and I think I have it fixed, but a course in this would really help me.

  36. Clare Avatar
    Clare

    That would be really useful!

  37. Melissa Avatar

    Yea, I have an issue with revision…more so while I’m writing than anything, and become unsure of what I’m writing. I think I’d enjoy this kind of course.

  38. Meranda Avatar
    Meranda

    I haven’t gotten a chance to give One Pass Revision a try yet, but I always like to have other options available to me.. so yes!

  39. karen guyler Avatar
    karen guyler

    Absolutely, positively, yes please!!

  40. Pat Howerton Avatar
    Pat Howerton

    Absolutely!

  41. Christine Avatar
    Christine

    I think this is exactly what I need. Count me in

  42. Mattie Avatar
    Mattie

    Yes, yes. I already have a finished novel, but I don’t really know what to do with it. I’ve got no idea what to keep or get rid of, what to back off from and what to worth with. Or if I should re-write it, which is what I’m currently doing now… wasting time much? Haha. So yes, a course like that would be so helpful! ๐Ÿ˜€

    (As of now, I can’t really afford the How to Think Sideways courses, I’m only 15, but I think a lot of people would benefit. Besides, I intend to sign up as soon as i can!)

  43. Meg Donahue Avatar
    Meg Donahue

    Yes, I would be interested in a course on revising your novel.

  44. Bridey Avatar

    Sounds perfect!
    I’d like to finish editing my Nano novel, which is proving to be very difficult…

  45. Jenna Avatar
    Jenna

    Me too!
    Me too!

  46. Laraine Avatar
    Laraine

    Yes, absolutely!

  47. Nika Avatar
    Nika

    Yes I would be extremely interested in this course ๐Ÿ˜‰

  48. Troy Avatar
    Troy

    Yes! I have a manuscript that is in need of such help.

  49. Minze Avatar
    Minze

    Yes please.

  50. Lucca Avatar
    Lucca

    Yes! Please! Where do I sign??

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