When I write, I fall in love with my words. With everything I’ve written, I am smitten.

At first.

Then, in a love-induced haze I re-read. I can almost hear the trumpets of glory. 

But as I read…my head starts to hurt and my brain begins to spin. I stick out my tongue and sometimes even verbalize the word, “Ick.”

Which is when I know it’s time to revise.

Revision may not be as fun as writing, but it’s just as important. Writers go through many, many drafts of their stories before they’re complete.

Helpful Hints for Revising:

• Print out your manuscript when editing. You will see all sorts of errors on paper that you did not catch on the computer screen. I don’t know why this is. Perhaps there’s a scientific reason, but after all, I’m not a scientist.
• Read your story out loud. Sometimes this helps you find places where the words don’t sound exactly right. Where the dialogue doesn’t ring true. 
• Ask people you trust to read your work. I have writer and non-writer friends whose input has made my writing much better.
• Consider saving all your drafts. You may want to go back and compare them with one another. Sometimes you might even rescue part of an earlier draft and incorporate it into a newer one.
• Set your manuscript aside for a few weeks. Look at it again with fresh eyes. You’ll be amazed at what you find.