Wow, I needed to hear this today. I’m working on my debut novel, and have been since 2019. My process has gone from, ‘is there a book in me?’, through, ‘I’m trying to write a book’, past the ‘I’m writing a book’ and of course the, ‘I’m on - what I hope will be - my last revision’. And now I find myself discovering more revision opportunities. I found myself yelling ‘YES’ as I listened this morning. You validated all the issues I’m currently facing. All the choices, all the stakes for any author - 6 timer or debut, all the revision techniques, the random issue of time, and the ‘shame’ of having announced you’re almost ready to pitch, to go back to the desk for another infinite round of revisions. I had the exact same conversation with my writing group yesterday. I wish there was a manual we could hand to the well meaning supporters to explain the long and often crushing process of getting a book from our heads to a shelf and into readers’ hands. I am so encouraged by your smiles and knowledge sharing through this. Thank you for normalizing the crazy world of fiction writing. And good luck with what I’m sure will be worth it in the end!
I admire you- I had to put it down for a couple of years-felt like I was pressuring myself to come up with something good when I just wasn't feeling it.
About rewrite/ revision/ shame. Like every one I felt the 'this is bad, the censor on my shoulder. But as you say there is no choice if your respect yourself and the reader ( you and them). Fortunately, I found this interview of Toni Morrison, where she mentioned that for her rewrite is writing. And later on, another interview where she tells that to help her students to overcome the 'it's bad, shame on me' she was bringing manuscripts, asking to edit them. After they experienced 'rewrite' she ask them to do the same on the writing they thought to be shameful.
it confirmed me that the pleasure I experienced in rewrite was also the real thing. I don't have to provide my manuscript to an agent as I self-publish. However, for a specific reason I decided to rewrite the book I already published and I enjoy it. Hang on until February! On another note, I would challenge, nicely, the assumption that memoir and novel are different in regard to the truth. on my humble opinion as soon as youn tell your life you are in the fiction world, and our life often follow, for the worst and the best, stories we tell ouselves. Thank you
Thanks for sharing your process (both physical/paper and mental/anguish). It helps a newcomer like me realize this editing "thing" isn't easy for anyone.
I'm trying to get into a rhythm for the first round of self-editing my first completed manuscript but I keep getting interrupted by life (such as our 11 foot fully decorated real Christmas tree crashing to the floor at 4am last night)! Photos on FB/IG if anyone is morbidly curious. Part of me says don't even try until the new year while the other part says "You're making excuses again!"
I'm heading back to the page now and stopping procrastinating (responding to your great post!)
This is the video I needed this week -- so thank you! I think I have my plan, but I will DM you for the revising video because I can take all the help I can get. Hoping to make this the last draft.
first of all, you look really good post-op—and hope you feel good too, in a permanent way. thanks so much for sharing your revision process. i've been on submission since late august and now, after a round of passes, am pausing to revise based on what i can ascertain from the tea leaves of certain editors' comments. one goal is to cut word count; i'm currently at 84K, not bad, but i really appreciated your post the other day about the trend for shorter novels, so am hoping to get below 80K. it's been sobering to realize how really really hard it is to sell to a big 5 press. knowing that you, with your 5 previous books and sizable platform, are still finessing so hard on this latest novel, is a reality check. hope this latest revision is truly the last and wishing you so much luck once you go on submission!
Thank you! I’m glad you saw it as a reality check— it really is SO hard. We start over with every book, I think. And thank you for your kind words— my face is still swollen which makes me, I think, look a little younger. When the swelling goes down— the nasolabial folds and wrinkles will return!
Thank you so much for opening up about the mess! I identify so much—all the way from that long ago thriller that taught me I can’t kill, to the right now revisions. I realize that my hurry to be done is not in tune with the reality of a polished ms. Enjoying the insights. I spent most of this week (!) figuring out which of the 87 bits of clever dialogue would best serve the story when introducing the antagonist/ally character. I love the puzzle. I’d quit if it were easy.
Courtney! I feel like we're once again in revision sync lol every time you post a revision post, I'm diving back into revisions. I also just got notes about needing to make the second half of my novel as propulsive and cohesive as the first AND I've been struggling/avoiding to write sex/romance scenes between a couple that's been together for years haha. But I CAN attest that all those revisions (I did 10 before going on sub) pay off in SPADES, so hang in there and good luck!!!
I love this reframe, Courtney, as you say, how lucky we are when our characters have more to tell us. Appreciated as always your candidness and generosity in the video, the way your husband's copy makes its descent to the dusty carpet if he is losing interest--ouch, but such a detail. A detail that only a storyteller would include and you are a consummate writer and storyteller and teacher and I've no doubt you will get this novel sold to one of the Big Five. thank you too for showing what you do with your large paper and with the per-page sticky notes to keep you on track and not overwhelmed. The real writing is in the rewriting. Thank you for the reminder. And good luck on this rainy weekend!
A question: a novel I am pitching to agents that I've pulled back to revise after the first batch of queries sent to agents didn't yield a request for full. Of course, there are so many factors in an agent's excitement for a manuscript but is 87k for a novel (upmarket women's fiction if I had to put it in a category) too long for the market these days? Could that be prejudicing it out of the gate?
Thank you for your kind words! I mean— there must be something else wrong because that length isn’t going to shock anyone. I know you’re signing up for the “What’s Wrong with my Book” class— you also might benefit from a class I have (same price as what I DM’d you, also 3 hours long) called “Hook them from page one” that can dynamically change the way your book reads from page one on.
I always appreciate when you share the stickier side of the writing process! I'm in a similar boat where we had hoped to go on submission this fall but my agent suggested another fairly meaty revision because, like you said, the market is tough and we want to give it the best chance we can. I've been feeling all the feelings about it but this reframe really helped—thank you!
I’m so glad to hear that. It’s so hard to not feel rushed and desperate but we just have to trust the process and make the books the very best that they can be, right?
This video is literally getting me through my day, as I struggle through a pacing problem in my second novel. Thank you for your candor and vulnerability.
Thank you so much, Courtney! I hope the past few days brought a sense of moving forward with all the rain...I love getting to see your process and how you organize feedback and thoughts and all the notes and todos! I too am a very analog idea processor (handwritten notes, highlighting, taping things to other things) and while I've taped feedback responses to pages (but on all sides, not liftable) and written todos on pages or post-its, I love the idea of notes just taped at the top. Like, hello! Post-its, despite their fun colors, are usually too small. Having just this past month cut 7K words and added another 2.5K to what is now the 7th overhaul (in four years), I'm totally rooting for you. Mine is out now with a small group of readers, eeek. Some of them have read big chunks and the whole thing in pieces, but none of them have read the whole thing at once. Thank you for showing us your process and I hope you keep healing really well. Happy holidays!
Wow, I needed to hear this today. I’m working on my debut novel, and have been since 2019. My process has gone from, ‘is there a book in me?’, through, ‘I’m trying to write a book’, past the ‘I’m writing a book’ and of course the, ‘I’m on - what I hope will be - my last revision’. And now I find myself discovering more revision opportunities. I found myself yelling ‘YES’ as I listened this morning. You validated all the issues I’m currently facing. All the choices, all the stakes for any author - 6 timer or debut, all the revision techniques, the random issue of time, and the ‘shame’ of having announced you’re almost ready to pitch, to go back to the desk for another infinite round of revisions. I had the exact same conversation with my writing group yesterday. I wish there was a manual we could hand to the well meaning supporters to explain the long and often crushing process of getting a book from our heads to a shelf and into readers’ hands. I am so encouraged by your smiles and knowledge sharing through this. Thank you for normalizing the crazy world of fiction writing. And good luck with what I’m sure will be worth it in the end!
I love how you reframe “revision” to “revision opportunity”— I’ll be using that. Yours in the trenches!
I admire you- I had to put it down for a couple of years-felt like I was pressuring myself to come up with something good when I just wasn't feeling it.
First, thank you for the honesty! Rare.
About rewrite/ revision/ shame. Like every one I felt the 'this is bad, the censor on my shoulder. But as you say there is no choice if your respect yourself and the reader ( you and them). Fortunately, I found this interview of Toni Morrison, where she mentioned that for her rewrite is writing. And later on, another interview where she tells that to help her students to overcome the 'it's bad, shame on me' she was bringing manuscripts, asking to edit them. After they experienced 'rewrite' she ask them to do the same on the writing they thought to be shameful.
it confirmed me that the pleasure I experienced in rewrite was also the real thing. I don't have to provide my manuscript to an agent as I self-publish. However, for a specific reason I decided to rewrite the book I already published and I enjoy it. Hang on until February! On another note, I would challenge, nicely, the assumption that memoir and novel are different in regard to the truth. on my humble opinion as soon as youn tell your life you are in the fiction world, and our life often follow, for the worst and the best, stories we tell ouselves. Thank you
Thank you, Gil! I always enjoy reading your thoughts.
Thanks for sharing your process (both physical/paper and mental/anguish). It helps a newcomer like me realize this editing "thing" isn't easy for anyone.
I'm trying to get into a rhythm for the first round of self-editing my first completed manuscript but I keep getting interrupted by life (such as our 11 foot fully decorated real Christmas tree crashing to the floor at 4am last night)! Photos on FB/IG if anyone is morbidly curious. Part of me says don't even try until the new year while the other part says "You're making excuses again!"
I'm heading back to the page now and stopping procrastinating (responding to your great post!)
Well done, Brian! And an 11 foot Christmas tree? Incredible. I applaud you.
This is the video I needed this week -- so thank you! I think I have my plan, but I will DM you for the revising video because I can take all the help I can get. Hoping to make this the last draft.
And I hope the same for myself! (And you ;)
I loved seeing your pieces of paper process. Thank you for being so candid, specific, and generous!
Thank you for your support!
first of all, you look really good post-op—and hope you feel good too, in a permanent way. thanks so much for sharing your revision process. i've been on submission since late august and now, after a round of passes, am pausing to revise based on what i can ascertain from the tea leaves of certain editors' comments. one goal is to cut word count; i'm currently at 84K, not bad, but i really appreciated your post the other day about the trend for shorter novels, so am hoping to get below 80K. it's been sobering to realize how really really hard it is to sell to a big 5 press. knowing that you, with your 5 previous books and sizable platform, are still finessing so hard on this latest novel, is a reality check. hope this latest revision is truly the last and wishing you so much luck once you go on submission!
Thank you! I’m glad you saw it as a reality check— it really is SO hard. We start over with every book, I think. And thank you for your kind words— my face is still swollen which makes me, I think, look a little younger. When the swelling goes down— the nasolabial folds and wrinkles will return!
ha! but hopefully deeper sleep will eradicate any creaky little crinkles!
Thank you so much for opening up about the mess! I identify so much—all the way from that long ago thriller that taught me I can’t kill, to the right now revisions. I realize that my hurry to be done is not in tune with the reality of a polished ms. Enjoying the insights. I spent most of this week (!) figuring out which of the 87 bits of clever dialogue would best serve the story when introducing the antagonist/ally character. I love the puzzle. I’d quit if it were easy.
Great outlook. It tells me you’ll get through what you need to quicker than you think. You sound determined but in a very pragmatic, good way.
And I’m so happy to hear you’re doing better post this surgery.
Thank you, Kim!
Courtney! I feel like we're once again in revision sync lol every time you post a revision post, I'm diving back into revisions. I also just got notes about needing to make the second half of my novel as propulsive and cohesive as the first AND I've been struggling/avoiding to write sex/romance scenes between a couple that's been together for years haha. But I CAN attest that all those revisions (I did 10 before going on sub) pay off in SPADES, so hang in there and good luck!!!
Amazing. I’m glad to have the company!
I love this reframe, Courtney, as you say, how lucky we are when our characters have more to tell us. Appreciated as always your candidness and generosity in the video, the way your husband's copy makes its descent to the dusty carpet if he is losing interest--ouch, but such a detail. A detail that only a storyteller would include and you are a consummate writer and storyteller and teacher and I've no doubt you will get this novel sold to one of the Big Five. thank you too for showing what you do with your large paper and with the per-page sticky notes to keep you on track and not overwhelmed. The real writing is in the rewriting. Thank you for the reminder. And good luck on this rainy weekend!
A question: a novel I am pitching to agents that I've pulled back to revise after the first batch of queries sent to agents didn't yield a request for full. Of course, there are so many factors in an agent's excitement for a manuscript but is 87k for a novel (upmarket women's fiction if I had to put it in a category) too long for the market these days? Could that be prejudicing it out of the gate?
Thank you for your kind words! I mean— there must be something else wrong because that length isn’t going to shock anyone. I know you’re signing up for the “What’s Wrong with my Book” class— you also might benefit from a class I have (same price as what I DM’d you, also 3 hours long) called “Hook them from page one” that can dynamically change the way your book reads from page one on.
I would like the three hour What's Wrong With My Book video. please! Rmuir01@gmail.com
Awesome, I'll email you details, Ronda, right now from my Turning Points address.
I don't think I ever got this. RMuir01@gmail.com
Thanks!
I always appreciate when you share the stickier side of the writing process! I'm in a similar boat where we had hoped to go on submission this fall but my agent suggested another fairly meaty revision because, like you said, the market is tough and we want to give it the best chance we can. I've been feeling all the feelings about it but this reframe really helped—thank you!
I’m so glad to hear that. It’s so hard to not feel rushed and desperate but we just have to trust the process and make the books the very best that they can be, right?
This video is literally getting me through my day, as I struggle through a pacing problem in my second novel. Thank you for your candor and vulnerability.
Oh wow— that means such a great deal. Thank you! If you’re struggling with pacing this post might help you: https://courtneymaum.substack.com/p/how-to-write-a-beat-sheet-to-tame
Thank you so much, Courtney! I hope the past few days brought a sense of moving forward with all the rain...I love getting to see your process and how you organize feedback and thoughts and all the notes and todos! I too am a very analog idea processor (handwritten notes, highlighting, taping things to other things) and while I've taped feedback responses to pages (but on all sides, not liftable) and written todos on pages or post-its, I love the idea of notes just taped at the top. Like, hello! Post-its, despite their fun colors, are usually too small. Having just this past month cut 7K words and added another 2.5K to what is now the 7th overhaul (in four years), I'm totally rooting for you. Mine is out now with a small group of readers, eeek. Some of them have read big chunks and the whole thing in pieces, but none of them have read the whole thing at once. Thank you for showing us your process and I hope you keep healing really well. Happy holidays!
I’m so with you! Post-it notes just aren’t the size I need!
Thank you for always keeping it real! You’re a blessing.
Aww Melissa! I want to hug you!