Hi Reader,

How do you actually revise a novel?

Do you start on page one and work your way down? Do you polish the words so your sentences get prettier and prettier? Do you revise the opening scene a dozen times and wonder if you’ll ever make it to the rest?

Or is there something else you should be doing? A nagging feeling that you’re missing something important?

This is a question every writer has faced after they finish their first draft.

Because when the first draft is done . . . it feels like you fell off the map. The instructions have run out. You’re on your own, wandering in the wilderness with no direction.

Can I just say . . .

Of course you’re lost. No one ever taught you how to revise a novel.

It is so rare to be taught a process of novel revision. The writing world is so full of craft tips and so empty of revision process.

I know this firsthand, because no one taught me how to revise a novel! I had to build a process over the course of years of trial and error. (Which, incidentally, is also how most writers figure it out!)

But I want to shortcut that trial-and-error process for you. I want to teach you what I’ve learned so you don’t have to wander aimlessly in the wilderness of messy drafts.

Last month, I got to join my friend Savannah Gilbo on her podcast, Fiction Writing Made Easy. And we tackled exactly this: how do you actually revise a novel?

We covered:

• Why taking a 4-week break gives your mind the mental shift you need to edit with fresh eyes.
• How to create an outline of what's actually on the page without making any changes . . . yet.
• How to find the hidden keys that make your story far richer, engaging, and exciting.
• Why I believe editing is where the good stuff happens (and how to enjoy it).
• How to escape the endless cycle that keeps you rewriting the same chapter over and over.

That conversation is the clearest explanation of my revision process you’ll find.

It’s the process I use with all my one-on-one clients. And it’s the process I recommend to every writer who’s staring down a completed draft . . . with no idea what comes next.

You can listen on Apple Podcasts or listen on Spotify. Or, read the key takeaways here.

One more thing:

In the episode, I mention my brand-new revision guide. It’s a map of the entire novel revision process to turn a messy manuscript into an amazing story.

And when you download the guide, you’ll also receive a companion mini-course to help you complete the first step of revision.

I’ll share more about that revision guide in the coming weeks. But right now, the only way to get it is by listening to the episode.

(Hint: the link to the revision guide is in the show notes!)

If you’ve ever felt lost when you reach the end of your draft, I think you’ll love this conversation.

​Listen now »​

Happy editing,

Alice

P.S. In the episode, you’ll hear me describe the revision guide. What I created is a little different from what I described, because six months and a lot of revision happened in between recording that conversation and publishing the guide.

But the revision guide I did make is awesome, and that conversation is awesome, and I’m so excited to share them both with you!