It’s time. Time to start revising my novel, again. I finished the first draft on January 1 and, eager to move forward, I started revising on January 7. But I soon realized that I was actually doing myself a disservice by moving ahead so quickly. As I reread the first few chapters, I realized that I couldn’t look at them objectively because I was still so euphoric from finishing the first draft.
It was then that I realized that there’s a reason why so many writers recommend taking some time off between finishing your draft and starting the revision process. You need to put distance between yourself and your work so you can approach it as dispassionately as possible. Also, since your writing won’t be fresh in your mind, you’ll be more likely to see plot holes and inconsistencies (when I read something right after I’ve written it, I often miss those little problems because my mind is still immersed in the story that’s in my head, rather than what’s on the page).
Once I realized that I was jumping the gun, I put my novel away and I’ve let it sit, untouched, for 47 days now. Of course, it was difficult to ignore at first. I wanted nothing more than to admire what I’d done and re-immerse myself in the world I’d created. But I held out and, gradually, the novel drifted into the recesses of my mind. Weeks went by without me giving it a single thought. Then today I found the manuscript sitting on a chair and a little voice inside of me said “it’s time.”
So tonight I will crack open the manuscript, armed with my trusty red pen and spiral-bound notebook. In order to avoid falling into an endless cycle of revisions, I’ve set myself a deadline of April 17 for completing the revisions. Then it’ll be time for my Ideal Reader to have a look at it and give his verdict.
Wish me luck!
Codex Lochianus 