The Field Mouse's Guide to Publishing
(Nibbling small bites of a big world)
Publishing is mysterious. If you feel like a tiny mouse in a huge field, this guide is for you. Click a mouse to learn more!
Here you'll find:
FAQ Revising for Character: Personality, Motivation, Worldview, and Voice Revising for Plot: Pacing and Structures FAQWhat is revision?
Revision is the process of fixing up a draft to make it better. It's normal to have to do this a few times! No book is ever perfect, and nobody's first draft glimmers the way they want it to.
What's the best method?
Some people love flow charts, graphs, and worksheets. If that sort of thing works for you, go for it! If not - don't worry! There's no one way to do this. Try things out, and see what works best for you. Don't beat yourself up if you can't color-code all your chapters; don't feel bad if color-coding them helps you focus. This isn't about what everyone else is doing. This is between you and your story.
How long does it take?
The simple answer is that it takes as long as it takes. Don't stress if you can't keep up with someone else's recommended schedule. Just recognize that at some point you have to let it go and show it to someone else. Then you get to revise it some more!
How do I know when it's ready?
Revision is going to be different for every person, and every book.
With that said: finish your first draft. Before you can do any real revision, you've got to have a whole story, not just pieces. Yes, it'll be in bad shape. Don't worry - you get to fix it. Now, put it down for a little while - maybe a couple of weeks, maybe longer. However much time you feel necessary to get some distance from it. Then come back and revise it again. Polish any obviously rough edges. Then, if you feel pretty good about it, show it to someone else. Take their feedback and listen, even if it's not what you'd like to hear. If you're getting the same feedback from several people, it's probably something you should address. Get distance. Go back. Revise again. Remember, the ultimate goal isn't perfection. It'll never be perfect - no book is. No, not even the one you're thinking of. I guarantee it's not the story the author had in mind when they started. Trying to force your book to be perfect before you show it to anyone is like never sending your child to school because you're afraid they won't get straight A's. Be reasonable. Be kind to yourself. Give yourself, and your story, a chance. I know sending it to agents is intimidating. I know rejection is scary. It's normal to want a definite set of rules to follow - something that'll spare you any doubt or pain. That shortcut doesn't exist. There's no magic formula to help you decide when it's good enough (and anyone who says differently is selling something). Here, you've got to take a deep breath and trust yourself. You know if you've tried your hardest. After that, don't be afraid to let it go and see what happens. Revising for Character
Sometimes, we start with a rough idea of our protagonist, and have to fill them in later. That's okay! Here are some things I've found useful.
Personality
Motivation The most important thing to know about your character is what they want most. To find that out, you've got to learn what basic emotions make them tick. Ask: 1. What is my character most afraid of? 2. In what situation would this person be most uncomfortable or challenged? 3. What does my character believe will make them happy? While you're revising, check back in with these three points, and use them to shape your character's decisions in the story. If something feels off, it might be that your character isn't acting in accordance with their motivations. Changing Worldview We're invested in watching this character grow and change throughout the story. If they're the same basic person we met on page one, not much has changed, no matter how many obstacles they've defeated. But to know if your character has changed, you have to know where they started, and what made them reconsider along the way. What's your character's worldview? Whether you call them worldviews, guiding principals, mantras, or beliefs, everybody has a few ideas by which they live their life. Maybe it's 'do no harm, but take no crap.' Or perhaps it's, 'Always look out for number one.' Maybe they believe they'll be happy if they prove their worth to a parent, or that they'll be safe if they never fall in love. This is the principal that guides their decisions, on their way to achieving their goals.
Now, challenge that worldview. A character's worldview is like a coin. It has two sides - positive results, and negative results. In moments of decision, that coin flips - and depending on which side turns up, the whole story changes. If they get mostly positive results, they hold onto their worldview. But negative results will cause them to rethink things - and that's where you get character growth. In Lord of the Rings, Boromir's worldview could be summarized as 'It's my duty to defend my people, above all else.' That coin is flipped when he has the chance to seize power - power that would help him uphold his worldview - by betraying his friend. The negative ripple effects of his betrayal alter the entire story. What would flip that coin for your character? Are they faced with something they've always wanted? Confronted with something they've always feared? Made to question what they believe? Challenge them with something that doesn't fit their worldview, or causes two of their beliefs to conflict. Give them a chance to obtain what they want through dubious means. How do the results change their story? How will they be challenged further by what they've done? Don't be afraid to let them make the 'wrong' choice - sometimes that's where the best stories come from. Now you've got an arc! Voice The first few times you write your story, all the characters will probably sound alike. Mostly, they'll sound like versions of you. But compelling characters have distinct personalities. They choose their words differently, arrange their sentences differently, think differently. Here are a few things I've found helpful in making characters more distinct.
Revising for Plot
Plot takes different shapes in different stories, and there's no one-size-fits-all answer to moving your story along. If you look around, you'll find some basic structures like these - but keep in mind that these are from a mostly English-centric, Western worldview of storytelling, because that's what I know the most about. There are many, many other ways to tell a story.
If your story doesn't seem to fit any of these, you don't have to force it to be anything it's not! I've made these super basic. For more in-depth resources, check out the links on the resources page!
Pacing
When people worry about plot, they're often actually worried about pacing - particularly in the middle of a story. To keep your story moving along, try these:
Some Plot Structures
The most basic structure you'll find is this: [Somebody] wanted ________, but ________, so _________. Everything below is just a variation on that theme. 3 Act Structure (Action movies and romantic comedies are good examples of this.) Act 1: An inciting incident establishes what our characters want, what they stand to lose, and what they plan to do about it. Act 2: They try their plan, but something goes very wrong, and they seem to have lost everything. Act 3: Using lessons, tools, or abilities from earlier acts, they come to a new understanding of how to face their challenge and over come it. The Hero's Journey (Just about every classic fantasy you've ever read.)
A plot, B plot (Episodic TV shows are good examples. I recommend studying Star Trek and Doctor Who.) Basically, you have a Main adventure (A Plot) and a subtext adventure (B Plot) which play off of each other until the conclusion.
7 Point Story Structure (Lots of things use this pattern, and it has a lot in common with other structures. This is mostly helpful in planning out the major beats of your story.) Hook: The premise that gets us interested in the story. In an ancient age, great heroes once fought terrible monsters to prove their bravery and earn lasting honor. Plot Turn 1: The inciting incident that kicks off the story. A terrible monster named Grendel viciously attacks the hall of King Hrothgar, and no one can stop it. A mighty warrior named Beowulf, eager to prove himself, volunteers to try. Pinch Point 1: Your protagonist faces their first challenge. Beowulf, weaponless, battles the monster. It's no match for him, and Beowulf wins, proving his strength and ending Grendel's reign of terror. Midpoint: Your character is no longer reactive, but proactive. They see a problem and they decide to do something about it. Beowulf decides to also rid the land of Grendel's mother, a much more dangerous creature and a true match for his strength. After narrowly defeating her, he returns victorious and is made a king who protects his people. His honor and worthiness seem certain. Pinch Point 2: Up the stakes, apply more pressure on your protagonist. Things take a turn for the worse. In Beowulf's old age, a dragon is disturbed. Beowulf goes to face it - but he's not as strong as he once was. If he truly deserves honor, he will have to defend his people against an enemy that outmatches him. Plot Turn 2: Here, you see the results of the Midpoint. Your character faces their biggest challenge. Beowulf knows he can either be like old King Hrothgar and wait for a younger, stronger hero to turn up and solve the problem for him, or face the dragon himself, risking almost certain death. He faces the dragon and kills it, but is mortally wounded. Resolution: Here your character either achieves what they set out to do, or fails. Your story comes to its conclusion. Beowulf ultimately proves himself a brave and worthy leader not by being stronger than the monster, but by sacrificing himself to protect his people. He is buried in honor, and his story lives on.
However you revise, good luck! I believe in you.
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AuthorI'm Ashleigh. I write stories and plays about impossible things happening to strange people. Archives
December 2020
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