Quick Link: 3 Questions to Ask When Revising

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Into ever writer’s life there is a time for revisions. Sarah Ahiers has a couple of questions to keep in mind as you do the revision to make sure you are putting out quality work. Just go to Writer’s Digest to learn all about it. 

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3 Questions to Ask When Revising

By:Sarah Ahiers

Column by Sarah Ahiers, author of ASSASSIN’S HEART (Feb. 2, 2016, HarperTeen). Sarah has an MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults from Hamline University and lives in Minnesota with three dogs and a house full of critters. She has a collection of steampunk hats and when  she’s not writing she fills her time with good games, good food, good  friends and good family. Follow her on Twitter. 

When I reached the end of my first draft of ASSASSIN’S HEART, the story was in place, but I knew I had to bring out and uncover other elements, like themes, setting, and especially character arcs.

Revisions are some of the hardest things to tackle as a writer. Many times we know something needs to be fixed, but we don’t know how to fix it. Or we might not even know what it is. But revision is where our novels really take off. Where we massage and mold them into something grander, deeper. Something whole.

Here are three questions to ask when tackling revisions:

1. Are my themes developed enough?

The first thing to do is cut. Look at each scene and ask: Does this scene forward the plot, the character arcs, or the theme? If it doesn’t, it has to go.

(Before you send out your query, look over a submission checklist.)

If it does forward one of those things, can it do double duty? Can it forward the plot and the theme? Or what about all three? Now that could be a killer scene.

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