How to Know When You’re Done Revising Your Book
Let’s be honest. Most of us could spend years revising and editing the same book over and over again and still not be satisfied with it. Most writers are perfectionists, at least when it comes to the books we put our hearts and souls into. So how do we know when to put down the pen or close down Word and call it a day? How do we know when it’s finally time to click “send” on that terrifying query or to our editor for final proofs?
The answer isn’t exactly straightforward, I’m afraid.
What is Considered Revising?
Revising is when you rewrite your novel to fix plot holes, character inconsistencies, pacing, and other big-picture issues. This could include a few scene changes or an entire overhaul of a manuscript.
Revision is often done by a writer after they finish the first draft. You may revise your book on your own based on notes you’ve made for yourself, or wait until you have feedback from a beta reader or critique partner.
When Should Revision be Done in Writing?
There is no key moment that says, “I’m done revising this book.” However, my trick is to ask this: “Am I making the book better or am I just making it different?”
Sure, I could go back and change the main character’s eyes from green to blue. But would that really make the story better? Or would it just make it different?
This can be difficult to see yourself as a writer. Many writers second guess themselves when revising and stress over whether or not they should make certain changes. Maybe you even regret changes you did make and want to go back. If this is the case, it may be a sign that you’re revising without direction—which could actually make it worse.
If you also find that your editor or beta readers have very few notes, this may be a sign that you’re ready to move on to the next stage of editing.
What are the 3 Stages of Revision?
There are many aspects of revision, but you can boil them down into three main steps: revising, editing, and proofreading.
The actual revision itself is the big-picture change, where you rewrite and revise for plot changes, beats, characters, and all of the fun, juicy stuff. This is where your beta readers and manuscript critiques come in.
Editing comes after that. After you’ve revised it, editing can take many forms. For the most part, this is where you focus on line-level edits and consistencies. Does your main character have blue eyes on page five and green eyes on page twenty? Do you start every sentence in a single paragraph with “she”? This is where you fix all those small but impactful issues.
Lastly, proofreading.
Disclaimer: if you’re pursuing traditional publishing, you don’t need to pay out of pocket for a proofreader before submitting your book to agents. In fact, I recommend against it. Chances are that if you’re accepted by a literary agent, your book will go through additional revisions with them and then, if all things go well, even more revisions with an editor at a publishing house. All of those typos and misplaced commas won’t matter, because a lot of those sentences and words will be changed or cut.
5 Signs You’re Done Revising Your Book
1. You’re Focusing on Grammar Instead of Bigger Pictures
If you’re combing through your book and find yourself more distracted by comma placement than glaring plot holes, you may be done with heavy revisions.
2. Feedback is Overall Positive
If you’re receiving primarily positive feedback from an editor or beta readers, it’s a pretty good tell that your book is ready to go.
3. Feedback from Readers is Conflicting
Conflicting feedback can happen often, whether it’s from beta readers, friends, or literary agents. And conflicting feedback isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Reading is a subjective hobby, and everyone is going to have differing opinions. But if you find your readers mostly disagreeing, this is a sign that something isn’t actually wrong, but that they simply have different opinions on the book. Which isn’t something you can adhere to for every single person.
4. You Have No More Ideas
A surefire way to tell if you’re done revising is if you’re struggling to come up with ways to change it or make it better. If you find yourself grasping at straws for ideas on how to change your book, leave it alone! It’s now at a stage where fiddling with it will do more harm than good.
5. You’re Happy with the Story
The best sign that your book is finished is if you’re happy with it! If you like where your book starts and ends, this is a sign that you’re done revising and ready for the next steps, whether that be line editing or querying.
Need a set of professional eyes on your book to let you know what your next stage should be? Contact me for an evaluation and I’ll let you know what your next steps should be!