I can relate to this month’s Merry-Go-Round Blog Tour topic — revision.  I struggle to get my mind around it, but I have done it successfully, usually for academic papers.  Revising fiction has been much more challenging for me.

When I finished Polar Bear on the Loose in 2004, I set it aside for a few months, but I began revising it in early 2005.  At that time, I read the manuscript and identified all types of nit-noid typos and working errors.  I identified timeline issues and a few other glaring problems.  There were some nagging problems I didn’t know how to fix, so I wound up leaving them.  I fixed the timeline problems and the obvious typographical errors.  Then, knowing it was flawed but not knowing how to fix it, I asked a trusted friend to critique it for me.  She graciously agreed.  She nailed the problems with the manuscript — and identified some things she thought were good about it.  I still had no idea how to fix the story, but at least I had some idea where it had problems — and I agreed with those problems.

Fast Forward to Fall of 2009.  Holly Lisle was launching her “How to Revise Your Novel” course.*  This course was built in response to people (me included) not “getting” Holly’s “One-Pass Revision” process.   Taking the course (22+ weeks worth) proves that “One-Pass” revision is what the revision process can be for a seasoned professional.  For a fledgling professional, it’s daunting.

I chose to use Polar Bear on the Loose as the novel I revised for the course.  I’ve been working through the course very slowly (I’m only on Lesson 10, and I’ve been taking the course since it was first offered), but I believe it’s been very effective.

I’m discovering conflict — or, rather, where it is missing or inadequate.  I’m still seeing the individual parts, but my mind sort of grasps how it all comes together, but I’m struggling with implementing what I know needs to be done.  At least with the course, I’m able to grasp the essence, and I’m slowly applying it to my work.  I certainly hope the next iteration of this comes together a little more quickly — at this rate, the only option for me will be self-publishing, because no traditional publisher could operate on my extremely long timeline.

* That is my affiliate link for the class, and all proceeds from my affiliate go directly to Forward Motion.  In the interest of full disclosure, as a beta participant, Holly did not charge me to take this class, although, I was fully prepared to pay full price.